Greeks punished by USA

The Hellenic voice reports that Greece has been denied membership in the Visa Waiver Program. Greece is now the only Western European country whose citizens must request a visa in order to visit the United States of America. The purpose of the Visa Waiver Program is to certify which citizens can visit the USA without the need of a visa. In other words, it is considered that these are countries whose citizens are not likely to overstay their welcome, are not likely to be terrorists, and their government has a sound passport program.

So, what is the problem? No, there is not a fear of Greek terrorists coming over to do something here. Nor is there a fear that Greece is not appropriately screening people passing through its territories. No, no, it was not that. Greece made the mistake of voting against the USA at a NATO meeting. Currently Greece is in a dispute with the country that wishes to call itself Macedonia. It is in that dispute because there is a section of Greece named Macedonia, and the new country wishes to claim that it is the successor to Macedonia of ancient times. Greece says that is cultural theft and persuaded the other NATO members to not let Macedonia in until the issue is resolved.

So, the United States has decided to punish every citizen of Greece who may wish to come over and visit. The price of disagreeing with the United States is sanctions. So, over an issue that can probably be settled by negotiations, we have decided to use strongarm tactics against one of the countries that has been a strong ally for us. This affair did not need strong arm tactics, but patient negotiation. Instead, we have chosen to anger an ally, and maybe more than one if other nations in the area begin to feel that the United States is behaving inappropriately.

I hope we change our mind on this issue, make them part of the same program as the rest of the European Community, and then return to a program of patient negotiations. Sanctions should be reserved for enemy nations, not for friends. Friends talk to friends. Greece was initially more convincing than the USA to NATO members. Let the USA try to become the more convincing one. Words are better in this case.