"Gunner" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 05 Apr 2004 21:57:26 GMT, "Ed Huntress"
wrote:

"Gunner" wrote in message
.. .
On Mon, 05 Apr 2004 15:09:18 GMT, "Ed Huntress"
wrote:

"Spehro Pefhany" wrote in message


Only place I've ever had to do that is in the totalitarian/communist
countries of Eastern Europe. Not even in China. Not a very high
standard, I must say. And NEVER any &*$#$*&$ fingerprints,
ANYWHWERE,
even in the most corrupt, totalitarian hellhole like Romania.

It must have been a while since Gunner travelled abroad. The last time
my
passport was held at a hotel desk was in Paris, in 1968. And that was
a
student hostel, during Paris's year of the barricades and student-mob
clashes with police.

It's long gone, Gunner.

Ed Huntress

Cool. It has been some time. 1972 IRRC.

Well, the fingerprinting will be long gone in not too many years also.
When the Tangos are no longer a problem.
Perhaps there will be no need for even passports by then. Shrug.

That's a happy thought. I hope it comes true.


Until then, as long as the EU is a haven for Muslim Extremists hell
bent on the demise of the US...I can live with the 2 minute
inconvience to tourists.

It's not something I get worked up about. I think the Europeans will be
fairly understanding, but I'm surprised at the turnaround. The plan was
for,
I think, 26 countries that we basically trust, to do the checking and to
produce some kind of secure passport that the US would accept without
further ado. That plan must have run into some kind of problem.

Ed Huntress

If you will take a long look at the current active Anti British/anti
American Muslims living and preaching hate in the UK, its not terribly
surprising. As you are also well aware of , there is a huge huge
Muslim Fundy population in France as well.

It appears that the countries in question are simply unable to come up
with a clearence form of ID, because of either political reasons, or
logistical reasons. My guess is political reasons for the most part.
Canada would also meet that criteria, but we have largely open borders
with them..so it would be nearly impossible.

I noticed with interest the NBC nightly news this evening started
mentioning a gaping hole in our borders..IE with Mexico. They
mentioned the attempts to enter the US has increased 40% this year,
with over 2000 per day making entry. They also mentioned the huge
numbers of europeans, asians, bulgarians, etc who are also entereing
at the same time, illegally side by side with the south americans and
mexicans..

The Ranch Rescue and citizens patrols may have to play a bigger and
more official role in the coming months.

I was also fascinated to see NBC picking holes in the Kerry ads, using
non partisian experts. It was tepid..but its inclusion almost knocked
me out of my chair.

Gunner

Most European countries have been through this before. Many had
empires that are now gone. The process of a collapsing empire was a
painful one for them. In most cases America cheered on the colonies
in their struggle for independence.

Now the shoe is on the other foot. We are in the process of loosing
our "sphere of influence" in the Middle East. We don't use the word
empire, it causes us to squirm. The Europeans are increasingly seeing
the situation for what it is. They don't want to come along for the ride.
They know the necessary outcome.

Most Europeans oppose our invasion of Iraq. That is the people,
not the governments that got sucked in. Increasingly, we will see
the Europeans cheering the Arab world in it's struggle for independence.
What goes around comes around as they say.

Pete.