unclesam

Colin Powell has made his speech this morning to the UN Security Council and provided substantive evidence that Iraq and Saddam Hussein do have biological weapons of mass destruction that were hidden during the recent searches. The political commentary is that war is imminent, and possibly as soon as February 20th.

If you have an upcoming trip planned to Europe, will you change your plans or go forth as planned? If the airlines still have scheduled flights, and you didn't buy travel insurance, but bought restricted tickets that are not refundable, but are exchangeable with heavy penalties, what will you do?

My wife and I are strongly considering backing out of our planned trip to France and taking the loss on the tickets.

doc_

keep a "wait and see" attitude. We are going to Paris in April. I'd like to think the war will be quick and strong. But if not,we would also take the loss. i would iomagine this would become so common the airlines would adopt a policy much like after 9/11. People could postpone flights with no penalty. We will see.

Mikeee007

Even if we did go to war with Iraq, why would you cancel your planned trip?

Just don't walk around announcing that you are an American. Leave your 10-gallon hat, cowboy boots, and large belt buckle at home, and try to blend in with the locals. Don't flash your passport and wad of U.S. $$$.

I was stationed in Europe (Brussels) up to, during, and after the Gulf War in 1991, and I never had a problem.

rex

I do not plan to cancel our trip unless we go to war against Austria, Poland or the Czech Republic. And I don't believe that there is any insurance anywhere that would be worth purchasing. The nonrefundable tickets we bought DO have a refund policy if I die (much more likely than some war/terrorist reason that we could not travel). I am not a soldier, and insurance won't pay for simple "cold feet" as far as I know.

Best wishes,

Rex
[email protected]

jamikins

We are going on out honeymoon in April and we wont change our plans. I dont feel nervous about being in Italy and France...maybe a bit in London. We are Cdn, and will be flying over the NW Territories, cant see much action going on there

JoeyJoJoJr_Shabadoo

Don't have any overseas travel plans anytime soon, but it's probably safer in Europe than here in lower Manhattan.

Powell was on the money. France proposed an increase in inspectors, but I don't know what good that would do.

The Iraqi mouthpiece is now babbling. Wherever you are I would be worried about Iraq's belligerent and suicidal regime.

kaudrey

Unclesam, I don't mean to be condescending (really), but why would you cancel a trip to France? A war would take place in Iraq, based in Kuwait...doesn't sound like France to me.

Living in Washington, DC now, and previously in NYC, I'd offer the suggestion that France may be safer than the US anyway.

Go, have fun, and don't worry so much. The odds of something happening on your flight or in France are so negligible - you are more likely to die in a car accident at home (or countless other ways).

What do you think will happen - a
French person will attack you?

unclesam

France, Russia, Spain and Germany are the four countries that have not given their full allegiance to the US. Being that our trip is to France, I have my concerns. Also, our children are school aged, and any extension of our trip should flights be delayed indefinitely would be an additional burden on our family that is caring for our children, and would also cause additional worry on both sides of the Atlantic.

Ann41

I went to England and Ireland during the Gulf War without incident. Why cancel your plans?

doc_

Agree with US. Only worried about not being able to get home as it was post 9/11. friends got stuck in europe after 9/11 and it took close to a week to get home.

Mikeee007

If one really has concerns, then don't go. I don't think anybody has a problem with that.

I'm going to Paris this month. If my wife has concerns and decides not to go, then I'll go by myself. If I get stuck in Paris and can't get back for an extra week -- damn the hard luck -- I just hope they don't run out of wine and cheese.

Traveler

My family of four is going to London for Spring Break at the end of March. We are a bit apprehensive, but more about possible terrorist attacks there, war notwithstanding.

We aren't prepared to let a bunch of terrorists rule our lives.

Carta_Pisana

I'm in the process of planning my trip to Istanbul - not going until the fall though. I suppose there's more danger of your SUV tipping over (if you drive one) than going to France.

Fremont

Postpone my trip to Italy? Why? I've been practicing saying 'vorrei una cappucino e una brioche con crema' for the last month!

I really do feel safer in Europe than in the States. I remember being in Rome when the American Embassy was bombed 17 years ago. I continued to travel for another 5 months without any worries or troubles. Carpe Diem!

bob_brown

This of course is a cheap shot troll.
And it is little better than fear mongering.

But for those of you who are taking it seriously, I would like to offer a few opinions.

Compared with a trip to France, I would be more afraid to ride the elevator to the top floor of the Empire State Building, or the John Hancock building in Chicago, or any one of several other inviting tall buildings that are potential terrorist targets. They are easy to find and easy to hit.

Afterall, knocking off the Hancock Building in Chicago would make a nice trophy on the Al Quaida shelf.

How do you figure being in France would be more dangerous than being in the United States? My guess is that you would not even know there was a war going on unless you watched CNN.
Switzerland, France, Germany, and Austria will be fairly isolated and insulated from any shooting in Iraq.

Let me ask you another question. Over a period of years, 1998 - 2000 in particular, people were being killed by the hundreds, if not thousands, in the former area of Yugoslavia. If you were in France at that time, did you know a war was going on just a few hundred miles away and on the same continent?


Now for a 3rd question. If Saddam has time to figure out a way to deliver his WMD's while the US and Britain are blowing the you-know=what out of him, just why would he pick on France, his best defender??

Of course poisoning with ricin takes only a pinch. But that could show up in something on your supermarket shelf. Or a terrorist waiter could get you by putting a little in your beer or coffee. What better place than some little town in some rural area to start spreading terror indiscrimminately by poison?! Better stop eating and drinking! I wonder if a good water filter will take that stuff out??

AR

Depends where you go. I have booked to go to Cyprus in the summer. I will only cancel if our Home Office recommends it. Cyprus is one of the closest European parts to the Middle East, but I am happy to travel.
We were due to Honeymoon in Egypt, but were unable to due to the last Gulf War. We went to Moscow and Leningrad (as it was then) instead!
Western Europe will be perfectly safe. Come to Britain - you will be guaranteed a warm welcome. I'd fear more if I were Gerhard Schroeder (German Chancellor) or Jacques Chirac (French President). When all this is over, George W is going to call them up and politely ask them why they were not prepared to back him! Rightly or wrongly.

Grasshopper

Fremont, you've almost got it but it's;
"vorrei una botelia di vino rosso" (ok, nobody needs to correct my spelling!)

I think it all depends on where you want to go. I suspect that in the UK, Italy and Switzerland you will not experience any major change in attitude (although you may be asked for your point of view). France and Germany are probably a different matter. I suspect in both cases Americans will have their eyes opened.

Please just remember that you are in their country and you are a guest. Don't pull any of that "if they want my tourist dollars" idiocy. And remember that there are many different points of view. I may think mine is 100% correct but that doesn't mean it is.

anotherjudy

I'm with mikeee007. I'm going to France in April. Golly, I would hate to have to spend some extra time there!!

rex

This doesn't fir any definition of a troll posting, in my book. We know who unclesam is - - a longtime poster here - - and there is no confusion over whether the post is intended to infuriate or "just that dumb". that's the hallmark of a real troll.

You can argue as to whether unclesam's opinion is well-reasoned or not. I hope that no one will call him "stupid". But this is not trolling.

The thread could (and probably will) deteriorate into political debate - - and not stay on the travel angle. Maybe that's predictable enough.

Does that make it a troll? I say no.

Dali

Went to Italy a month after 9/11. 5 of us debated whether we should go. Very very glad we did. Had a wonderful time. I have a trip planned to Tuscany in July. I have no intentions of cancelling for any reason. I could walk out into the street in the good ol USA and get hit by a bus as easily as getting hurt by terrorists in Tuscany. If you quit travelling around the world, the terrorists win. Life is very short, enjoy it while you can.