Thread: EU escalates 'visa war' with US with Americans set to lose visa-free travel to Europe

Originally Posted by sabang

Eastern front

I think most Americans (particularly those without a college degree) know very little about the Eastern front, its scale and shear brutality. The battle of Kursk alone was so massive that it boggles the mind. Almost 3 million men, 10,000 tanks, 35,000 guns and mortars, and 5500 aircraft. This was in just that one decisive battle alone.

That was the height of the war and there were almost 14 million soldiers fighting in the entire theater. It was possibly the largest theater amount of men fighting in a theater of war ever.

Originally Posted by sabang

we would quite likely be speaking Russian now.

Not so fast! Since you are talking alternative history it should be noted that Hitlers meddling in the Eastern front led to several key blunders and I am sure you are aware of what they were, the siege of Stalingrad a city of little strategic interest being one. If Hitler would have left it to his generals they would have taken Moscow before the onset of winter.

Has there been any response recently by the US government on the visa issue?

I don't think the current administration even knows what time of day it might be, let alone their response on issues concerning countries which the current POTUS couldn't identify on the world map.

Trump doesn't seem keen on the "European project" so perhaps the US will continue to view European countries as just that, a number of different countries in Europe, and continue with selective arrangements. However, it appears that at some point the US agreed to a reciprocity agreement with the EU. If so, it's hard to square the two.

How can a country* join the VWP?

A country* must meet various requirements to be considered for designation in the Visa Waiver Program. Requirements include, but are not limited to:

* enhanced law enforcement and security-related data sharing with the United States;

* issuing e-Passports;

* having a visitor (B) visa refusal rate of less than three percent;

* timely reporting of both blank and issued lost and stolen passports; and

* maintenance of high counterterrorism, law enforcement, border control, and document security standards.

Designation as a VWP country* is at the discretion of the U.S. government. Meeting the objective requirements of the VWP does not guarantee a country* will receive VWP designation.

https://travel.state.gov/content/vis...r-program.html

Originally Posted by thaimeme

Does it really matter?

Yes. The world is becoming less real and more and more fictional, that is not a good thing.