EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - The EU and US signed a new deal on a trans-Atlantic economic partnership at their summit in Washington on Monday (30 April) but remained unable to agree steps for tackling climate change, despite an increase in positive rhetoric on the issue. The economic deal is aimed at increasing trade and investment by harmonising business standards between the two blocs - with trade in goods and services across the Atlantic accounting for more than $2 billion every day. As part of the agreement, a transatlantic economic council is to be set up - to be chaired by EU industry commissioner Guenter Verheugen and US National Economic Council director Al Hubbard - to overcome regulatory barriers in 40 areas, including intellectual property and financial services. "It is recognition that the closer that the United States and the EU become, the better off our people become," US president George W. Bush said, referring to the deal. German chancellor Angela Merkel, currently chairing the EU, called it a "significant step forward."
German chancellor Angela Merkel, currently chairing the EU, called it a "significant step forward."
Now that the US dollar and the US employee is effectively the low priced option, who does this help? How does this help me, the average little guy, in the EU? Never underestimate their intelligence, always underestimate their knowledge.
Frank Delaney ~ Ireland
That is none of Angela Merkel's concern. Bush is a symptom, not the disease.
Ya know, I don't think I've ever read of a high-level meeting where a head of state said something like, "Fuck me, what was a complete waste of time," or "We could have wound it up an hour earlier, if s/he could only have stopped talking," or any of the other things normal people say after meetings. They always feel obligated to say something positive/meaningless, I guess to save face. "Ideas or the lack of them can cause disease." - Kurt Vonnegut
As part of the agreement, a transatlantic economic council is to be set up - to be chaired by EU industry commissioner Guenter Verheugen and US National Economic Council director Al Hubbard - to overcome regulatory barriers in 40 areas, including intellectual property and financial services.
Now, why is this relevant to plans to create a single European patent court? Perhaps it's partly because the patent industry is firmly in control of patent policy in Europe, as it was in the US before these rare SCOTUS decisions. ... Think of it for a second... a system with all the flaws of the US system, and none of the correcting mechanisms. A lot of lawyers are going to make a killing in Europe's high-tech sector. High-five, it's Lawyers Gone Wild vol.16!! ... We of course in Europe inherited this disease, read the FFII president quote above.
Now, why is this relevant to plans to create a single European patent court? Perhaps it's partly because the patent industry is firmly in control of patent policy in Europe, as it was in the US before these rare SCOTUS decisions. ... Think of it for a second... a system with all the flaws of the US system, and none of the correcting mechanisms. A lot of lawyers are going to make a killing in Europe's high-tech sector. High-five, it's Lawyers Gone Wild vol.16!!
...
Think of it for a second... a system with all the flaws of the US system, and none of the correcting mechanisms. A lot of lawyers are going to make a killing in Europe's high-tech sector. High-five, it's Lawyers Gone Wild vol.16!!
We of course in Europe inherited this disease, read the FFII president quote above.
Talking about "regulatory barriers" and wanting more intellectual property.
Hopefully this crazy stuff wasn't worsened by the idiotic EU constitution, thanks to the "no" vote in FR and NL (unsurprisingly the two european nations where digital freedom led to a real national debate during EU patent directive campaign).
Now, will they understand and stop or do we have to take down the EU to get rid of those moronic IP laws?
Turkey's top court yesterday intervened in the country's biggest political crisis for years, striking down the result of a vote among MPs for the key post of president. The decision increases the likelihood of fresh parliamentary elections and may help to avoid a confrontation between Turkey's Islamist government and the military, which sees itself as the guardian of the secular Turkish state. Amid mounting tension that saw hundreds of May Day protesters detained by police, the Constitutional Court in Ankara ruled in favour yesterday of an opposition request to block the election by MPs of the Foreign Minister, Abdullah Gul, who represents the ruling Islamist AK Party. In a bid to resolve the stand-off, the Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said that general elections could be held as early as 24 June. Mr Erdogan said: "The earliest possible date for elections is June 24 or July 1." He also called for a constitutional amendment to allow popular vote to elect the president. Parliament currently elects the president. The court decided that not enough MPs were present when the first round was held last week. "What we have cancelled is the first round of voting," Hasim Kilic, deputy head of the court, said.
Turkey's top court yesterday intervened in the country's biggest political crisis for years, striking down the result of a vote among MPs for the key post of president.
The decision increases the likelihood of fresh parliamentary elections and may help to avoid a confrontation between Turkey's Islamist government and the military, which sees itself as the guardian of the secular Turkish state.
Amid mounting tension that saw hundreds of May Day protesters detained by police, the Constitutional Court in Ankara ruled in favour yesterday of an opposition request to block the election by MPs of the Foreign Minister, Abdullah Gul, who represents the ruling Islamist AK Party.
In a bid to resolve the stand-off, the Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said that general elections could be held as early as 24 June. Mr Erdogan said: "The earliest possible date for elections is June 24 or July 1." He also called for a constitutional amendment to allow popular vote to elect the president. Parliament currently elects the president.
The court decided that not enough MPs were present when the first round was held last week. "What we have cancelled is the first round of voting," Hasim Kilic, deputy head of the court, said.
The European Union has promised to help end a virtual siege of the Estonian embassy in Moscow sparked by the removal of a Soviet-era war memorial in Tallinn, Estonia's Foreign Minister Urmas Paet said Tuesday. Foreign Minister Paet said he had spoken to his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier who "promised speedy assistance from the European Union to normalize the situation around the Estonian embassy in Moscow."Germany currently holds the rotating presidency of the EU.Estonia's President Toomas Hendrik Ilves has described the Moscow embassy protest as "psycho-terror." "Nearly two dozen citizens of Estonia are in the embassy building, as if taken hostage. Other citizens of Estonia are blocked from entering the embassy," he said.About 100 youths from pro-Kremlin organisations Young Guard and Ours have ringed the Estonian embassy since Friday, chanting anti-Estonian government slogans and pointing the barrel of a green inflatable tank at it.
Foreign Minister Paet said he had spoken to his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier who "promised speedy assistance from the European Union to normalize the situation around the Estonian embassy in Moscow."Germany currently holds the rotating presidency of the EU.Estonia's President Toomas Hendrik Ilves has described the Moscow embassy protest as "psycho-terror." "Nearly two dozen citizens of Estonia are in the embassy building, as if taken hostage. Other citizens of Estonia are blocked from entering the embassy," he said.About 100 youths from pro-Kremlin organisations Young Guard and Ours have ringed the Estonian embassy since Friday, chanting anti-Estonian government slogans and pointing the barrel of a green inflatable tank at it.
The European Union law book can be so complicated that the EU wants to spend millions of euros explaining it. This is too much for some Germans, who have crossed swords with Brussels over its ever-expanding bureaucracy. Germany has earned itself a reputation for having a particularly rigid bureaucracy. A recent survey commissioned by the German Embassy in Washington, DC, found that although Americans share a largely positive view of Germans, widespread stereotypes persist of the Germans as a "meticulous" and "rule-abiding" people. But in the case of the European Union, the rules are sometimes too complicated to comprehend, let alone abide by. The EU Commissioner for Regional Policy, Poland's Danuta Hübner, appears to have recognized this. But like the EU rulebook, her solution is sure to baffle even the most enlightened observer. Hübner wants to introduce a new multi-million-euro program, with the sole purpose of elucidating three other multi-million-euro programs.
Germany has earned itself a reputation for having a particularly rigid bureaucracy. A recent survey commissioned by the German Embassy in Washington, DC, found that although Americans share a largely positive view of Germans, widespread stereotypes persist of the Germans as a "meticulous" and "rule-abiding" people.
But in the case of the European Union, the rules are sometimes too complicated to comprehend, let alone abide by.
The EU Commissioner for Regional Policy, Poland's Danuta Hübner, appears to have recognized this. But like the EU rulebook, her solution is sure to baffle even the most enlightened observer. Hübner wants to introduce a new multi-million-euro program, with the sole purpose of elucidating three other multi-million-euro programs.
Fran:
But like the EU rulebook, her solution is sure to baffle even the most enlightened observer. Hübner wants to introduce a new multi-million-euro program, with the sole purpose of elucidating three other multi-million-euro programs.
Is this type of denigrating tone going to get worse as this piece continues?? Could someone please spell out to me, again, how much the total EU budget is in GDP numbers?
To answer my frist question... Yes. It does get worse.
EU Expands Bureaucracy to Explain Bureaucracy | Europe | Deutsche Welle | 30.04.2007
in order to reveal unto local administrations some of the deeper mysteries of European law. snip snip ...what is largely viewed as the EU's monstrous and mushrooming bureaucracy.
snip snip
...what is largely viewed as the EU's monstrous and mushrooming bureaucracy.
Then again, this is nothing compared with what goes on in Malta.
Differences between presidential candidates Nicolas Sarkozy and Segolene Royal are strategic rather than substantive in foreign affairs. Neither is beholden to the anti-American Gaullist or Socialist legacies. In the last decades, the French have made a political sport of bashing various American presidents. Peanut farmer Jimmy Carter was called incompetent and Ronald Reagan was considered a second-rate Hollywood actor. But after the invasion of Iraq in 2003, George W. Bush, became the most despised US president ever, the embodiment of everything the French hate about America--its religious fundamentalism, permissive gun laws, and above all, its unilateralism in the conduct of foreign policy. Although Germany also took a hard line view in its opposition to the war in Iraq, former chancellor Gerhard Schroeder was simply dismissed in Washington as an opportunist playing to an electorate whose experience with war in the 20th century had made them viscerally opposed to war in principle. But the Americans retaliated against the French only. They dumped imported Chardonnay in the Great Lakes, boycotted Camembert cheese and french fries were renamed "freedom fries" on congressional menus in cafeterias on Capitol Hill. Ditto with french toast.
In the last decades, the French have made a political sport of bashing various American presidents. Peanut farmer Jimmy Carter was called incompetent and Ronald Reagan was considered a second-rate Hollywood actor.
But after the invasion of Iraq in 2003, George W. Bush, became the most despised US president ever, the embodiment of everything the French hate about America--its religious fundamentalism, permissive gun laws, and above all, its unilateralism in the conduct of foreign policy. Although Germany also took a hard line view in its opposition to the war in Iraq, former chancellor Gerhard Schroeder was simply dismissed in Washington as an opportunist playing to an electorate whose experience with war in the 20th century had made them viscerally opposed to war in principle. But the Americans retaliated against the French only. They dumped imported Chardonnay in the Great Lakes, boycotted Camembert cheese and french fries were renamed "freedom fries" on congressional menus in cafeterias on Capitol Hill. Ditto with french toast.
A catalogue of errors over planning for Iraq after the invasion, and an inability to influence key figures in the US administration, led to anarchy in Iraq from which the country has not recovered, the British defence secretary during the invasion admits today.In an exclusive interview with the Guardian, Geoff Hoon reveals that Britain disagreed with the US administration over two key decisions in May 2003, two months after the invasion - to disband Iraq's army and "de-Ba'athify" its civil service. Mr Hoon also said he and other senior ministers completely underestimated the role and influence of the vice-president, Dick Cheney. Article continues "Sometimes ... Tony had made his point with the president, and I'd made my point with Don [Rumsfeld] and Jack [Straw] had made his point with Colin [Powell] and the decision actually came out of a completely different place. And you think: what did we miss? I think we missed Cheney."Giving the most frank assessment of the postwar planning, Mr Hoon, admits that "we didn't plan for the right sort of aftermath"."Maybe we were too optimistic about the idea of the streets being lined with cheering people. Although I have reconciled it in my own mind, we perhaps didn't do enough to see it through the Sunni perspective. Perhaps we should have done more to understand their position."He said history would have to decide whether the coalition should have anticipated the Sunni-Shia violence. "Given what we know now, I suppose the answer is that we should, but we did not know that at the time."Of the summary dismissal of Iraq's 350,000-strong army and police forces, Mr Hoon said the Americans were uncompomising: "We certainly argued against [the US]. I recall having discussions with Donald Rumsfeld, but I recognised that it was one of those judgment calls. I would have called it the other way. His argument was that the Iraqi army was so heavily politicised that we couldn't be sure that we would not retain within it large elements of Saddam's people."
In an exclusive interview with the Guardian, Geoff Hoon reveals that Britain disagreed with the US administration over two key decisions in May 2003, two months after the invasion - to disband Iraq's army and "de-Ba'athify" its civil service. Mr Hoon also said he and other senior ministers completely underestimated the role and influence of the vice-president, Dick Cheney.
Article continues "Sometimes ... Tony had made his point with the president, and I'd made my point with Don [Rumsfeld] and Jack [Straw] had made his point with Colin [Powell] and the decision actually came out of a completely different place. And you think: what did we miss? I think we missed Cheney."
Giving the most frank assessment of the postwar planning, Mr Hoon, admits that "we didn't plan for the right sort of aftermath".
"Maybe we were too optimistic about the idea of the streets being lined with cheering people. Although I have reconciled it in my own mind, we perhaps didn't do enough to see it through the Sunni perspective. Perhaps we should have done more to understand their position."
He said history would have to decide whether the coalition should have anticipated the Sunni-Shia violence. "Given what we know now, I suppose the answer is that we should, but we did not know that at the time."
Of the summary dismissal of Iraq's 350,000-strong army and police forces, Mr Hoon said the Americans were uncompomising: "We certainly argued against [the US]. I recall having discussions with Donald Rumsfeld, but I recognised that it was one of those judgment calls. I would have called it the other way. His argument was that the Iraqi army was so heavily politicised that we couldn't be sure that we would not retain within it large elements of Saddam's people."
You didn't plan for the aftermath. Gosh. I guess it means Tony Blair is preparing to leave his no. 10 residency. Bring out dirty linen before someone else does!
Good call, Nomad.
Tony Blair: "Right, you lot. Mea culpa time. Gordon's coming in and he needs to be able to say, 'I'm sorry, but I wasn't party to the details. My esteemed colleagues have expressed their views.'"
Seems to me, though, that this doesn't fit the "Tony wants to ruin it for Gordon" line.
Still, your analysis seems right. Get it done now, lines in the sand, all that. Don't fight forces, use them R. Buckminster Fuller.
"We didn't plan for the right sort of aftermath."
Even if worse things happen in Malta - this is pure "who would have expected?" etc.
I particularly enjoyed the tone of 'Oops - one or two minor mistakes there. Oh well - how about that, huh?' when describing a clusterfuck of historic proportions that will probably still be discussed a hundred years from now.
I mean he has resigned all govt. posts, his position as MP, hasn't he? Don't fight forces, use them R. Buckminster Fuller.
Because - you know - that would just be completely untrue.
The Netherlands has moved to open up its labour markets to workers from "new" EU member states. But the German government has agreed to extend restrictions against them until 2011, despite opposition from the current economy minister. Experts from Germany's right-left ruling coalition last week backed plans to use the full EU temporary period for labour barriers and delay lifting them for the two final years until 2011, according to German weekly Der Spiegel. Berlin as well as most other west European capitals opted to keep their labour markets closed for jobseekers from the eight countries in central and Eastern Europe that joined the EU in 2004. Several countries extended the restrictions in 2006 for another three years and can decide whether to delay them again until 2011, with Austria likely to follow Germany in doing so. The agreement between the Christian democrats and Socialists in the German government goes against the arguments of the economy minister Michael Glos, who favoured dropping the barriers earlier, according to Der Spiegel.
Malta's spring bird hunt is in full swing for what could be the last time before the country is taken to court accused of violating the EU Birds Directive. A bee eater with fatal injuries, discovered by school children The European Commission began infringement proceedings against the country last year, for allowing the hunting of two migratory birds - the quail and the turtle dove - as they travel to their breeding grounds. Malta is the only country in the EU that allows bird hunting in spring. And according to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, some hunters fire at any bird that flies past, not just the two species the government permits. "They are blasting at everything. While waiting for quail and turtle dove they will use swallows and house martins for target practice," says the RSPB's Grahame Madge. "They will literally shoot anything that casts a shadow over Malta, they will blast it out of the sky."
Malta is the only country in the EU that allows bird hunting in spring.
And according to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, some hunters fire at any bird that flies past, not just the two species the government permits.
"They are blasting at everything. While waiting for quail and turtle dove they will use swallows and house martins for target practice," says the RSPB's Grahame Madge.
"They will literally shoot anything that casts a shadow over Malta, they will blast it out of the sky."
Poland and the Czech Republic are raising the ante in negotiations with the Americans, demanding missiles to deploy against Russia and security and legal guarantees in return for hosting elements of the US missile shield.The missile defence programme is splitting Europe and igniting a new cold war-style clash with the Kremlin, and the demands from the central Europeans plunge the Pentagon project into greater uncertainty.The negotiations, about extending the missile defence project from California and Alaska to Europe, are expected to be wound up before the end of the year. The Poles are insisting on US security guarantees and supplies of Patriot missiles to protect themselves against a perceived threat from Russia, while the Czechs are embroiled in discussions over how a US radar base south of Prague would be safeguarded and what's in it for the Czechs. Article continues As Russia, in the words of a US official, delivers "bloodcurdling" threats in response to the Pentagon project in central Europe and unease spirals in Germany, there is also growing frustration in Warsaw and Prague with what is perceived as a high-handed approach by the US administration. "We want legal guarantees. I can't go into details but it is to do with how the base is protected and also about the base agreement," said a senior Czech official of the proposal for a radar base south-west of Prague. "Unfortunately the Americans could have done more to engage the Russians over the past year."
The missile defence programme is splitting Europe and igniting a new cold war-style clash with the Kremlin, and the demands from the central Europeans plunge the Pentagon project into greater uncertainty.
The negotiations, about extending the missile defence project from California and Alaska to Europe, are expected to be wound up before the end of the year. The Poles are insisting on US security guarantees and supplies of Patriot missiles to protect themselves against a perceived threat from Russia, while the Czechs are embroiled in discussions over how a US radar base south of Prague would be safeguarded and what's in it for the Czechs.
Article continues As Russia, in the words of a US official, delivers "bloodcurdling" threats in response to the Pentagon project in central Europe and unease spirals in Germany, there is also growing frustration in Warsaw and Prague with what is perceived as a high-handed approach by the US administration. "We want legal guarantees. I can't go into details but it is to do with how the base is protected and also about the base agreement," said a senior Czech official of the proposal for a radar base south-west of Prague. "Unfortunately the Americans could have done more to engage the Russians over the past year."
I'm not sure what US intentions are (taunt Russia? really about Iran? divide Europe?) In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
Scare quotes are "good". Bush is a symptom, not the disease.
You left out graft. I personally suspect that one of the main reasons they're deploying a weapon system that doesn't bleep work is because somebody employs a very, very good (i.e. "generous") lobbyist. "Ideas or the lack of them can cause disease." - Kurt Vonnegut
The reason for selling this 'defense' system is to keep the many grafted segments of the American industry churning more cash from my pocket into theirs.
I wonder if the powers that be are smart enough as to have ulterior motives, such as 'divide Europe.' They also can't stupid enough to actually think that this is about WestAsia...um, Iran. As for taunting Russia, the US are going to have to do better than what they have done so far. Russia may not have their PR complexities worked out yet, but they are holding too many other cards.
I can just see the Russians asserting, "If you say that we can unilaterally go into Iran and preventative-bomb their installations, I think we can use the same argument and unilaterally preventative-bomb the Polish installations. Never underestimate their intelligence, always underestimate their knowledge.
What I don't understand is - are the Russians really worried? Functionally, the missile system is a joke. Presumably the Kremlin knows this.
Presumably it also knows that a missile defence system can never work. And even if it did, ICBMs can always go the long way around.
So - why the fuss, exactly? I'd be tempted to say 'Whatever' and leave the Poles and the rest to bankrupt themselves buying useless toys.
Here's a thought - what if the ABM missiles aren't actually ABM missiles, but short range nukes?
Is there any inspection procedure agreed by treaty that would allow the Russians to know for sure?
If there isn't, we can look forward to our very own Cuban/Polish Missile Crisis on the horizon.
Does anyone know the proposed deployment date?
Would you also want some tacnukes with that order? Poland missile plan to raise Russia tensionsPoland is pressing ahead with plans to request US Patriot missiles to defend itself against medium and short range ballistic threats - a move likely to infuriate its neighbour, Russia. Warsaw wants the Patriots in return for hosting a base for the US's anti-missile system, according to Polish sources familiar with the situation.
Poland missile plan to raise Russia tensions
Poland is pressing ahead with plans to request US Patriot missiles to defend itself against medium and short range ballistic threats - a move likely to infuriate its neighbour, Russia. Warsaw wants the Patriots in return for hosting a base for the US's anti-missile system, according to Polish sources familiar with the situation.
Warsaw wants the Patriots in return for hosting a base for the US's anti-missile system, according to Polish sources familiar with the situation.
This aspect has been featured pretty prominently in the German-language news this morning: RIA Novosti - World - "No hysteria" as Putin compares U.S. shield to Pershing missilesMOSCOW, April 27 (RIA Novosti) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has compared U.S. plans to deploy its missile defenses in Europe to the deployment of Pershing cruise missiles in the 1980s, but said there will be "no hysteria" about it.RIA is being sloppy here (the Pershing II was a medium-range ballistic missile, not a cruise missile). But the NATO decision to deploy these missiles in Germany was the spark that set off the enormous peace demonstrations of the early 80s. So of course this is bound to resonate in Germany. A very clever rhetorical move by the former "our man in Dresden".
RIA Novosti - World - "No hysteria" as Putin compares U.S. shield to Pershing missiles
MOSCOW, April 27 (RIA Novosti) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has compared U.S. plans to deploy its missile defenses in Europe to the deployment of Pershing cruise missiles in the 1980s, but said there will be "no hysteria" about it.
A very clever rhetorical move by the former "our man in Dresden".
Now, if a NATO member strikes first, are we still bound to come to its aid when it gets retaliated on? Bush is a symptom, not the disease.
The Poles and Czechs are not demanding the ABM missile shield as protection against Russia. They are demanding conventional missile protection against the risk of Russian attacks on the bases the US wants to install on their soil.
The US wants the Czech Republic and Poland to allow it to station the ABM system on bases that the US would operate on their territory. They agreed, but now they are "upping the ante".
The Poles are insisting on US security guarantees and supplies of Patriot missiles to protect themselves against a perceived threat from Russia, while the Czechs are embroiled in discussions over how a US radar base south of Prague would be safeguarded and what's in it for the Czechs. ... As Russia, in the words of a US official, delivers "bloodcurdling" threats in response to the Pentagon project in central Europe and unease spirals in Germany, there is also growing frustration in Warsaw and Prague with what is perceived as a high-handed approach by the US administration.
As Russia, in the words of a US official, delivers "bloodcurdling" threats in response to the Pentagon project in central Europe and unease spirals in Germany, there is also growing frustration in Warsaw and Prague with what is perceived as a high-handed approach by the US administration.
French far-right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen called on his supporters Tuesday to abstain in this weekend's presidential vote pitting right-winger Nicolas Sarkozy against socialist Segolene Royal. "Both of them are official representatives of parties and policies that for the past 30 years have brought France to the brink of a political, economic, social, cultural and moral abyss," Le Pen told cheering supporters in Paris.The National Front leader, who stunned France in 2002 when he made it to the run-off presidential ballot against current President Jacques Chirac, urged his voters to "save their votes" for parliamentary elections in June. "I call on voters who have shown their confidence in me to cast their vote neither for Madame Royal nor for Mr. Sarkozy," Le Pen said in a speech in front of the ornate Paris opera house after his party's traditional May 1 parade.
"Both of them are official representatives of parties and policies that for the past 30 years have brought France to the brink of a political, economic, social, cultural and moral abyss," Le Pen told cheering supporters in Paris.The National Front leader, who stunned France in 2002 when he made it to the run-off presidential ballot against current President Jacques Chirac, urged his voters to "save their votes" for parliamentary elections in June. "I call on voters who have shown their confidence in me to cast their vote neither for Madame Royal nor for Mr. Sarkozy," Le Pen said in a speech in front of the ornate Paris opera house after his party's traditional May 1 parade.
LONDON, May 1 -- Omar Khyam, the ringleader of the thwarted London bomb plot who was sentenced to life imprisonment on Monday, showed the potential for disaffected young men to be lured as terrorists, a threat that British officials said they would have to contend with for a generation. But the 25-year-old Mr. Khyam, a Briton of Pakistani descent, also personifies a larger [sic!] and more immediate concern: as a British citizen, he could have entered the United States without a visa, like many of an estimated 800,000 other Britons of Pakistani origin. American officials, citing the number of terror plots in Britain involving Britons with ties to Pakistan, expressed concern over the visa loophole. In recent months, the homeland security secretary, Michael Chertoff, has opened talks with the government here on how to curb the access of British citizens of Pakistani origin to the United States.
LONDON, May 1 -- Omar Khyam, the ringleader of the thwarted London bomb plot who was sentenced to life imprisonment on Monday, showed the potential for disaffected young men to be lured as terrorists, a threat that British officials said they would have to contend with for a generation.
But the 25-year-old Mr. Khyam, a Briton of Pakistani descent, also personifies a larger [sic!] and more immediate concern: as a British citizen, he could have entered the United States without a visa, like many of an estimated 800,000 other Britons of Pakistani origin.
American officials, citing the number of terror plots in Britain involving Britons with ties to Pakistan, expressed concern over the visa loophole. In recent months, the homeland security secretary, Michael Chertoff, has opened talks with the government here on how to curb the access of British citizens of Pakistani origin to the United States.
WTF? I said before (in connection with the airline data) that we should just have given up the visa waiver, reciprocally. If you let the US bully you three times, they'll do it a fourth time. One of my latest comments on DKos seems very appropriate here. Bush is a symptom, not the disease.
I'm with you on this. In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
Cancel the visa waiver programme both ways or exempt Americans with Irish heritage - well known for supporting terrorism in the EU - from the visa waiver system.
How intensely stupid can the US regime be?
Give up the visa waiver program. If someone wants to go to the US so badly, they can aply for a visa, and they can see all the information they have to provide and go through the harassment in te comfort of their own home. It's much better than getting turned back on arrival. Bush is a symptom, not the disease.
You'll note from the story that the guy claims that it was the intelligence service of US-ally-of-the-month Pakistan that trained him?
Diary/Open letter? Here's some ammo:
(The blog post is from a Normalien, but I guess the same may apply to polytechniciens : getting into research has become too hard in France. Auferre, trucidare, rapere, falsis nominibus imperium; atque, ubi solitudinem faciunt, pacem appellant.
Explains the 10 major milestones that London's Olympic Delivery Authority intends to achieve by August 2008 in order to provide the foundations for the delivery of the venues and infrastructure for the London 2012 Olympics. Looks at the five priority themes that will underpin delivery: health and safety, sustainability, design and accessibility, equality and diversity, and legacy.
The Attorney General has instructed a senior counsel to represent the interests of the unborn in the court case being taken by a 17-year-old girl who wishes to travel to the UK for an abortion. James Connolly SC told the High Court this morning that he had been instructed by the Attorney General to represent the interests of the unborn. This means the AG will have two teams of lawyers at the case; the other will represent the State. [...] The challenge by the girl, who is four months pregnant with a baby that cannot survive for more than three days after he or she is born, is due to begin tomorrow. The baby is suffering from anencephaly, which means a major part of the brain and skull is missing.
James Connolly SC told the High Court this morning that he had been instructed by the Attorney General to represent the interests of the unborn.
This means the AG will have two teams of lawyers at the case; the other will represent the State.
[...]
The challenge by the girl, who is four months pregnant with a baby that cannot survive for more than three days after he or she is born, is due to begin tomorrow.
The baby is suffering from anencephaly, which means a major part of the brain and skull is missing.
Once it was born it'd be declared dead more-or-less immediately, but as long as it isn't born it can have a lawyer.
The Attorney General has instructed a senior counsel to represent the interests of the unborn ... suffering from anencephaly, which means a major part of the brain and skull is missing
This could be put down to tradition, (Irish tradition could cover it and no problem), but in fact it's the conservative revolution that is driving it. Those nutcases are turning the world upside down. When locusts move on, they leave nothing behind
