The United States is growing more worried about the terrorism threat from Europe and is considering an advance travel authorisation system under which anyone wanting to go to America would have to register online beforehand.
U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff goes so far as to say one of the biggest threats to the U.S. may now come from within Europe.
American authorities, he says, are becoming increasingly aware of a real risk of Europe becoming a “platform for terrorists.” He cites the fact that the 2004 Madrid bombings and the 2005 London attacks were carried out not by international fanatics but by home-grown militants.
Travel to the United States from Europe has already become a lot more difficult since the restrictions and rules put in place after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. Do you think the idea of pre-registering travel plans is a layer of security bureaucracy too far?
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10 comments so far
Now that Europe is a fully paid up member of the ‘axis of evil’ holiday makers and tourists might want to give trips to the US a miss, and concentrate on the many exciting destinations in Europe to go visit. Europe has the real stuff, not a Disneyland imitation.
- Posted by Charles SmythI guess the U.S never realized they are the most hated country in the world until now when everyone wants to blow them up.
- Posted by Jon smithSo does that mean Europe would do the same, proabably…
- Posted by JSo the 90% of the American population who do not travel outside the continent can be happy.
I agree that it will kill the American tourist industry, wonder if it will apply to mexico? As anyone can go there!
This will just put people off traveling to the US, and so make all their adverts a waste of time.
- Posted by Mr T WallTravel from Europe a lot more difficult? Not near difficult enough. You just get on a plane and travel. The only difficulties arrise for people who are not welcome. These can range from those who have previously overstayed there welcome to more serious concerns such as violent criminal records. If you have managed to stay under the radar and you have an E.U. passport, a vacation visa is easy. As for the large number of Americans who dont teavel outside the U.S., they are not alone. Fear of travel is a global issue and the U.S. is as big, enjoyable, varied and exciting a place to decide not toleave as any other.
John
John O’Neill is PRO with htp://www.backupanytime.com
- Posted by john oneillLooks like the Yanks have got it right. It’s a pity the UK government has abandoned even the pretence of protecting its citizens.
- Posted by Mike TTravel restrictions to the U.S. are good to prevent from any terror attack in U.S. It’s very bad for the tourism industry in U.S. Just because of fear or inconvenience, some genuine European tourists may cancel their plan to visit U.S. Strong euro may flow to other countries. Why U.S. making such policies which are bad for it’s economy?
- Posted by AjitAfter a friend was unjustly supjected to a terrifying body search simply because a US airport security guard was a bully, I have always thought twice about the States as a destination.
If they had not been so slack and naive in the first instance - this situation could have been avoided.
Frankly - who needs this kind of hassle anyway?
- Posted by Keith M WarwickWhat is the World coming to? What’s next? Government imposed travel restriction? To inconvenience the entire population of Europe just to catch a few “terrorist”, some smart genius comes up with this I bet, Einstein!
- Posted by Larry WThe US abolished habeus corpus, and all the other much-vaunted rights, for non-citizens. Their airport police have held innocent British grannies in irons for days. You board a plane to there and your details get on databases worldwide for years, quite likely to be misused. There are millions there with no income, tens of millions with no healthcare. The country is teeming with religious nuts and gun fanatics. According to their own government they, and their airlines are prime targets for terror attacks. US media portray those with English accents as evil. How safe is that? With almost no public transport visitors are immediately complicit in their gas-guzzling poisoning of the planet. Everyone I know there is just desperate for excuses to holiday, or emigrate elsewhere, so why visit the US at all? There are far better locations.
- Posted by Jenny