Poles Call for Open U.S. Borders

FOXNews ^ | February 06, 2004

[traumer]

WASHINGTON

[traumer]

Since we have one border already wide open... why not? No double measure.

[gcruse]

Poland should wait and see how we are going to dump all over the Kurds. They'll realize what fealty to Uncle Sam is worth when the crises have passed.

[xJones]

I don't understand this at all.

At the heart of the issue is Poland’s absence from a list of 27 countries — mostly western European — that enjoy visa-free visits to the United States. According to reports, Kwasniewski had promised Poles to make visa waivers (search) a top agenda item when he met with Bush on Jan. 27, and cornered the U.S. leader on the subject during a White House press conference.

But despite his efforts, Kwasniewski failed to get more than a pledge from Bush that both countries would participate in a commission studying ways to make Polish travel to the United States less restrictive.

Poles don't have any equivalent to the Russian mafia, for instance. And when was the first or last time a Polish tourist/immigrant gave any problems? Why slap Poland in the face like that?

[cake_crumb]

Why are we going to dump all over the Kurds?

[Consort]

The US - Polish will always be a subject of controversy and dispute.

[MissAmericanPie]

Twenty seven countires have visa free access to the USofA. Disgraceful.

[SAMWolf]

“The Poles are scratching their heads and wondering, ‘What is going on?’”

There's some Americans scratching their heads and wondering, ‘What is going on?’ too. I trust someone coming in from Poland a lot more than I would anyone coming in tnrough france or Germany right now.

[cake_crumb]

Yes it is. NO country should have visa-free access.

[xsmommy]

LMAO! i am wondering if my grandpa came in strapped to the bottom of a chevy now that you brought this problem to light! hey, you other polacks, were your grandparents brought in via 'coyotes' also??

[Consort]

In Reply #6:

The US - Polish will always be a subject of controversy and dispute.
should be:
The US - Polish border will always be a subject of controversy and dispute.

[TigersEye]

Note to Poles: If you respect our laws you will get the shaft. Use your Visas to get in and then get lost in the crowd. If you really like paying taxes wait for the next amnesty boat to come in and jump on.

[dr_who_2]

Which ones are they?

[Calvin Locke]

Since we have one border already wide open... why not?

FWIW, I vaguely recall a Pole or two (with in the past year) that drowned attempting to enter via Mexico. Wife drowned. Maybe the husband survived.

[Portnoy]

My Babcia snuck over disguised as a Paczki

[gcruse]

Why are we going to dump all over the Kurds?

Because to give them any form of sovereignty would

1.  Piss off the Iraqis.
2.  Piss off the Turks.

[Prodigal Son]

Twenty seven countires have visa free access to the USofA. Disgraceful.

Why disgraceful? US citizens enjoy the same access to those countries. It's reciprocal. What Poland is complaining about here is the lack of it in their case. US citizens can go freely to Poland but not vice versa.

[Prodigal Son]

Yes it is. NO country should have visa-free access.

Travelling would be much different if we do that. You go to England- you don't need a visa. You go to Canada you don't need a visa. Change all that, it would alter a lot of the way the world is. Just pointing it out.

[staytrue]

FYI

The countries currently participating in the Visa Waiver Program include including Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom.

[cake_crumb]

Right now, they seem willing to keep their semi-autonomous, self-ruling status. After all, the Kurds are the only group in Iraq - besides the Sunnis, Saddam's Chosen People - who thrived during Saddam's regime and enjoyed pretty much a free market economy. After the US and Britain began protecting themfrom WMD attack by Saddam of course. The ARABS among them are the problem. People just don't realize that Iraq is not an Arab country. The fiction of Pan-Arabism strikes again.

However, since half the leaders of their two major political parties were killed by a homocide bomber, the replacements might think differently. The Arabs probably did it.