Visa processing barriers limiting inbound international business and pleasure travelers cost the United States economy billions of dollars in direct revenues while severing vital communications links to the Arab market. Total Arab market import demand has more than doubled since the year 2001, but US corporations attempting to close deals are stymied by visa barriers that turn away even longtime Arab business visitors, including trainees seeking to enter the US. The US has already lost US$62 billion in merchandise trade to competitors maintaining “open door” visa policies through 2005. Cumulative opportunity cost losses are on track to reach a total of $101 billion in 2006 as “turnkey” infrastructure projects, defense, consumer goods, and industrial machinery deals flow to US competitors. IRmep presents specific recommendations for avoiding permanent damage to vital trade and communications links between the US and this key region.
Grant F. Smith
Grant F. Smith is director of the Institute for Research: Middle Eastern Policy in Washington DC. He is author of the books Big Israel, Divert!, Spy Trade, America’s Defense Line, Foreign Agents, Deadly Dogma, and Neocon Middle East Policy. According to Barron’s, “Grant Smith, [is] head of the Institute for Research: Middle Eastern Policy, a small policy-research and education organization highly critical of U.S. policy toward Israel.” Jeff Stein of the Washington Post calls Smith “a Washington, D.C. author who has made a career out of writing critical books on Israeli spying and lobbying.” Mondoweiss.com blogger Philip Weiss says “the best investigative work is being done by Grant Smith at IRmep…”