So...Just how big of a security risk are our servicemen posted overseas?
I've been meaning to write this one for quite some time. How is it that an American Serviceman serving his country overseas somehow becomes "Un"American and a great terrorist threat simply because he accepted orders to a posting overseas? I'm talking about the Patriot Act and its unintended(?) discrimination against our troops serving on permanent assignment overseas.
Don't get me wrong. I am in general a proponent of the Patriot Act. I like the idea of protections to keep terrorists out of our country and make it hard for those in the US that desire to do harm to our country to achieve their goals. There certain have been some sacrifice of personal liberties, but I'm willing to accept this for the most part.
My dilemma lies in the fact that the US now considers me a threat or risk to the security of our nation because I am posted on assignment in Canada. Most financial companies have interpreted the Patriot Act restrictions on foreign investment in the US (designed to thwart investment in terrorist supporting activities) to mean that anyone with a foreign address is not allowed to conduct financial transactions in the US. I recently attempted to transfer some IRA funds from one company to another. I was told that because I resided in Canada, I could not open a new account. Now this would have made a bit of sense if I had no previous dealings with this company. Instead, this is the company I have dealt with for 14 years. I insure my house, property and cars with them, I have money market and mutual fund (n0n-IRA) with them, I have a brokerage account with them, and I own and heavily use one of their credit cards. Not only that, but they are a company that specializes in servicing military members, so you know if they could find a loop-hole they would. They have no problem with me sending them checks to increase investment in my existing accounts and they extend me credit all the time via my MasterCard, but I can't open a lousy IRA with them.
They're not alone. I have had to change the official address on two accounts I hold with major fund families to a military FPO address (before you ask wrt the IRA - I already tried it and it wouldn't work). Despite the fact that I am still living in Canada, the fact that the military delivers my mail after the USPS drops it in San Francisco somehow makes it alright. Boy that makes me feel secure that this policy is stopping terrorists from funneling money into the US. One bank even had me change the official address on my account to the FPO address long enough to set up online banking with their contracted biller and then switched it back after the account was set up. Other investment companies could care less and happily accept my money from my Canadian address. What I found even more hypocritical was the fact that in this latest IRA debacle, I was told changing my address to an FPO would only work if the FPO went to somewhere other than Canada and the European Union (excepting Spain and Germany)....hmmmmm.. come to think of it Spain and Germany staged aircraft and military support units supporting the war in Iraq. Canada and France vociferously opposed the war in Iraq as unjust. Hmmmm.... maybe there is something to this rule.
Oh well, I'll write my congressman and post this blog to get some of this frustration off my chest, but in the end I'm still screwed. I just hate feeling like a second or third class citizen because I chose to serve my country. It seems just so wrong to be treated this way.
Don't get me wrong. I am in general a proponent of the Patriot Act. I like the idea of protections to keep terrorists out of our country and make it hard for those in the US that desire to do harm to our country to achieve their goals. There certain have been some sacrifice of personal liberties, but I'm willing to accept this for the most part.
My dilemma lies in the fact that the US now considers me a threat or risk to the security of our nation because I am posted on assignment in Canada. Most financial companies have interpreted the Patriot Act restrictions on foreign investment in the US (designed to thwart investment in terrorist supporting activities) to mean that anyone with a foreign address is not allowed to conduct financial transactions in the US. I recently attempted to transfer some IRA funds from one company to another. I was told that because I resided in Canada, I could not open a new account. Now this would have made a bit of sense if I had no previous dealings with this company. Instead, this is the company I have dealt with for 14 years. I insure my house, property and cars with them, I have money market and mutual fund (n0n-IRA) with them, I have a brokerage account with them, and I own and heavily use one of their credit cards. Not only that, but they are a company that specializes in servicing military members, so you know if they could find a loop-hole they would. They have no problem with me sending them checks to increase investment in my existing accounts and they extend me credit all the time via my MasterCard, but I can't open a lousy IRA with them.
They're not alone. I have had to change the official address on two accounts I hold with major fund families to a military FPO address (before you ask wrt the IRA - I already tried it and it wouldn't work). Despite the fact that I am still living in Canada, the fact that the military delivers my mail after the USPS drops it in San Francisco somehow makes it alright. Boy that makes me feel secure that this policy is stopping terrorists from funneling money into the US. One bank even had me change the official address on my account to the FPO address long enough to set up online banking with their contracted biller and then switched it back after the account was set up. Other investment companies could care less and happily accept my money from my Canadian address. What I found even more hypocritical was the fact that in this latest IRA debacle, I was told changing my address to an FPO would only work if the FPO went to somewhere other than Canada and the European Union (excepting Spain and Germany)....hmmmmm.. come to think of it Spain and Germany staged aircraft and military support units supporting the war in Iraq. Canada and France vociferously opposed the war in Iraq as unjust. Hmmmm.... maybe there is something to this rule.
Oh well, I'll write my congressman and post this blog to get some of this frustration off my chest, but in the end I'm still screwed. I just hate feeling like a second or third class citizen because I chose to serve my country. It seems just so wrong to be treated this way.
posted by Paul Crowley @ 5:03 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home