Tim Pat Coogan slams American Embassy as ‘Kafkaesque’ after visa refusal - Responds to Ambassador Rooney statement that rules were followed
By: Niall O'Dowd | Published Wednesday, December 19, 2012, 7:16 AM | Updated Wednesday, December 19, 2012, 7:16 AM
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| Tim Pat Coogan |
Writer and historian Tim Pat Coogan has slammed the U.S. Embassy in Dublin as “Kafkaesque” in their dealing with Irish citizens when they apply for visas.
Coogan’s comments come after U.S. Ambassador Dan Rooney defended the consular staff and how they treat individuals.
The exchange comes after Coogan was denied a U.S. visa twice for a book tour and was only granted one after the intervention of U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer who was responding to Irish American concerns.
In his statement given to IrishCentral, Tim Pat Coogan said: “As I suspect I am the only prominent Irish writer to have been barred from the U.S. in the recent past I feel I must reply to the Ambassador Rooney statement.
“I have only the friendliest feelings towards Ambassador Rooney personally but have found dealing with the U.S. Embassy Kafkaesque.
“I have been reliably informed many others less prominent than I have had very bad experiences also.
“There is no reason for such difficult behavior towards a friendly country.”
Read More: Diplomats gone wild at U.S. Embassy in Dublin say concerned Irish“My case is simple. I was unexpectedly turned down on two visas and was only phoned out of the blue by an anonymous Embassy spokesman a day after my book tour was due to begin to say my third application had been successful.
“This success followed a major campaign of protest from Irish Americans, which prompted Senator Charles Schumer to intervene on my behalf. By then it was too late for my book tour.
“The refusal came as a great blow to me personally given my record of friendship towards the U.S. And at no time was I given an explanation by Embassy officials as to the reasons.”
Ambassador Rooney in his statement said: “I want to respond to a series of media reports about a delay in a visa for a prominent Irish writer. These reports were particularly harsh and showed a fundamental misunderstanding of the visa process.
"Although we cannot comment on individual cases, I do want to say that during my time as Ambassador to Ireland I have seen how our consular officers at the U.S. Embassy in Dublin are dedicated to facilitating travel between Ireland and the U.S.
"Our consular officers, like their counterparts all over the world, have the difficult job of enforcing U.S. Immigration laws. They do vital work, but their service often goes unsung and can even be derided by those who don’t understand the law and the process or don’t like the outcome. Let me say that each applicant’s eligibility for a visa is evaluated individually and objectively under U.S. law. No Embassy officer, including the Ambassador, has the legal discretion to disregard a finding of ineligibility or to waive any requirement for administrative processing.
"The service to their country that U.S. consular officers provide is essential to keeping our borders safe,” the statement ends.
I have to say the Rooney statement is problematic to me. Everyone agrees in keeping U.S. borders safe but making it incredibly difficult for Ireland’s leading historian and most pro-American writer to come here hardly qualifies for positive border security measures.
Ambassador Rooney’s point that the letter of the law is always applied is debatable. How is it that when Senator Schumer intervened the rules changed and a visa magically materialized?
Read More: United States visa ban on Tim Pat Coogan removed after Senator Schumer steps inRooney seems to be in the paw of the Embassy securocrats, most notably US Consular official Bradley Wilde who has drawn huge criticism for his attitude from those Irish who deal with him and some of his staff.
As I understand it, there have been high level expressions of concern from the Irish government about the refusal of visas to several Irish people, none as famous as Coogan before this but nothing has changed.
Perhaps Ambassador Rooney could refer back to what a predecessor, Jean Kennedy Smith said about Coogan and his new book ‘The Famine Plot’
“He has the wisdom of a craftsman, the urgency of a journalist the depth of a historian..... he is one of the greatest social commentators of our time’
Surely a dangerous man to allow into the United States!
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.curtisjohnson | Dec 05, 2012, 10:36 PM EST
Ironic that the wasps vipers in the State Department treat the Irish much worse than the Saudis/middle easterners they let in to bomb their own country.
seanomelb | Dec 04, 2012, 05:53 PM EST
All opinions are on the table until the truth is known,that will take years(if ever).
seanomelb | Dec 04, 2012, 01:28 PM EST
The Irish without whom the American colony would scarcely be. Rooney a gutless wonder who had to stick within parameters laid down by the Troika. Words usurped by the governing head of triad were on the list for suitability testing - that would be number one criteria. Next reject hurdle being the chutzpah of historian whose book rekindles old truths on human cargo practices that the Saxon motherland engaged in - by jove I think he's got it. The Big Kihuna cousin picking up where momma left off - and without much of a history of its own the cousin relies for meaning on such a most excellent history of the British Empire. Much of which they stole from the Celts or from whatever they imagined - St. George? St. Patrick's cross on Union Jack, The shamrock unashamedly adorns Willie's tunic and Queenie's standards. Glorious past to be embraced by all unawares. Wonder if folks are aware of the problems of today all flow from the Mother.
ancavker | Dec 04, 2012, 09:08 AM EST
smyrnian: Surely you must agree that refusing Mr. Coogan admission to the country, would lead to all kinds of speculation. Any reasonable person would acknowledge that there appears to have been no legitimate reason not to allow him in. If there was, than he should have been told what it was. Sorry I will think for myself, and not leave it up to the State Department or U.S. embassy to do it for me.
seamus60 | Dec 03, 2012, 05:12 PM EST
Well when no reason is forthcoming all we can have is speculation. As no poster has come up with anything else, surely we can assume its because of the mans badmouthing Isreal. Perhaps TP has a dirty little secret.Then again can`t be too dirty when they are allowing him in.
anglo-norman | Dec 03, 2012, 04:58 PM EST
Smyrnian- Spot on...
Beaugeste | Dec 03, 2012, 03:26 PM EST
I'd ban tim pat coogan from just about anything....probably the most singularly stupid author in history....
Smyrnian | Dec 03, 2012, 12:48 PM EST
This article is a load of nonsense. Typical IC article chick full of opinion and quotes but no facts. We do not know what the reasoning was behind the US embassy decision. Until then all opinions are built on speculation and one's particular ideology and agenda.
IrelandNorth | Dec 03, 2012, 06:22 AM EST
To reiterate a former -iteration. It's not about nationality or personae. It's about political economy. To paraphrase Sen Al Gore in his 'ecomentary' - "An Inconvenient Truth", it's always difficult to convince anyone of anything which it's not in their economic interests TO know! Tim Pat Coogan's - "The Famine Plot: England's Role in Ireland's Greatest Tragedy" should be required reading for all countries' diplomatic services to Ireland (not least British). And also for anyone who want's to read an unarguably objective treatment of a rather shamless imperial episode. (PS Speaking of political economy, how much may Ka£kae$qu€ry cost the US tourism industry?)
curtisjohnson | Dec 02, 2012, 10:48 PM EST
""No Embassy officer, including the Ambassador, has the legal discretion to disregard a finding of ineligibility or to waive any requirement for administrative processing." This begs the question of who makes the finding of ineligibility as well as the fact that the State Department obviously has the power to waive any defect - you can bet this happens on a regular basis through the London embassy.
bob mcbride | Dec 02, 2012, 08:14 PM EST
Hey slainte9. If you said cheers 9 times u drank too much. I know black people with the last name mccarthy and their not Irish. There are irish people with Italian last names like costello and kinseela. So give up your garbage about names will ya! God help u! Gobshite!
eiriamach | Dec 02, 2012, 08:05 PM EST
seanomelb, I did not intend to disagree with you on that point about pro-British or pro-Israeli sentiments. I don't know much about current British or Israeli pressures on American embassy staff or State Dept. On Niall's 11/30 article, I commented on the total unreliability-- considering the sources!-- of theories about gays and (American) Jews influencing State Department/ Embassy decisions, but I was not thinking then of Israelis. I just dunno about that, so you're right; such things are possible.
seanomelb | Dec 02, 2012, 06:01 PM EST
eiriamach it is not unreasonable to believe that pro Israeli or British sentiments played a roll in the denial of the Visa. Coogan is a well known supporter of Palestine and an embarrassment to Britain in his writings. Until the truth is known all options are on the table
Cookie Duffy | Dec 02, 2012, 03:53 PM EST
Although I doubt the embassy would ever provide one, Mr. Coogan should have received an explanation with the first denial. His relationship with America is stellar and the denials - twice - were totally uncalled for. Even for an American, dealing with a U.S. embassy is difficult. I was recently in the embassy in Managua, Nicaragua, and was astounded that absolutely no one spoke English to me until I entered the office in which I had an appointment. I encountered five people in official capacities on the grounds of the embassy before opening the door to the office and not one would speak English to me.
eiriamach | Dec 02, 2012, 03:39 PM EST
BeReasonable sounds like a life-long by-the-rules bureaucrat. Someone at the Embassy should have asked questions, done some research, and spoken up about the denial of this visa. Or are those highly paid professionals not allowed to think at all, just to push paper according to the rule book? Thanks to Senator Schumer, though it shouldn't have required the efforts of a senator to fix this mistake. But the comments DanOLoingsigh mentions about gays and Jews "in some earlier posts" are not paranoia. They're deliberate smears with not a word of truth in them.
DanOLoingsigh | Dec 02, 2012, 10:10 AM EST
BeReasonable makes an eminently reasonable comment...contrast with the usual paranoia over gays, Jews and Brits in some earlier posts....
dan Breen | Dec 02, 2012, 08:38 AM EST
To bad, they are not, doing a good job at the Mexican border !
dan Breen | Dec 02, 2012, 06:09 AM EST
As the Ambassador has said: "No Embassy officer, including the Ambassador, has the legal discretion to disregard a finding of ineligibility or to waive any requirement for administrative processing." The American employees of the Embassy could not change any of Mr. Coogan's information in order to disregard the original finding of ineligibility. The Senator intervened, and the system worked - - - Mr. Coogan can have his visa. It is disgraceful to demonize one employee of the Embassy for following the laws of the U.S. government.
irishpjk | Dec 01, 2012, 11:11 PM EST
wtf. The Irish here and at home love Mr. Obama and he supposedly loves the Irish, even claims Irish roots. So would he allow the state department to send an anti-Irish ambassador to Dublin? I hope not, because that would mean the Irish were duped into voting for one of our own again who would sell us down the river after we helped elect him. I thought that was only a Kennedy trait.
curtisjohnson | Dec 01, 2012, 07:13 PM EST
slainte9 - " The Irish are incredibly naive. The diplomatic corps is recruited from an anti-Catholic culture that might describe itself as secular, but which is rooted in the ancient prejudices of the British Isles and the historically fundamentalist Protestant colleges of the Ivy League, notably Princeton and Yale, which was founded by supporters of Oliver Cromwell. Bradley Wilde has 429 Facebook friens; one has an Irish name." Exactly right - the State Department is run by a psychopathic and self serving wasp cabal who views itself above any conception of democracy. Ambassador's and embassies have little relevance in this degenerate system.
pilib04 | Dec 01, 2012, 07:05 PM EST
Just guessing, but I would say the problem is Anglophiles, not pro-Israelis. Bradley Wilde is quite an English name. Guy looks Irish from his photo. Finally, he is probably nearing retirement based on his photo.
pilib04 | Dec 01, 2012, 06:55 PM EST
What do you expect when you have a Steeler as Ambassador?
irishpjk | Dec 01, 2012, 06:33 PM EST
wtf. I had five friends out to visit in the last year and they had no problems with visas. Makes me wonder why Mr. Coogan did, and is who is he to knock our embassy?
roryobrien | Dec 01, 2012, 05:21 PM EST
Makes me despair at the morons in the US Embassy, and at US consulates worldwide. Most of us fools think that with Obama in the White House, we have "one of our own" in there but the State Department ( responsible for all this crap ) has always been an ultra-conservative bastion, ready to believe someone like Tim Pat Coogan is a terrorist
seanomelb | Dec 01, 2012, 05:05 PM EST
the Australian foreign affairs dept. and the U.S. state dept have a couple of things in common. They both seem to be run by a pro British/Israeli cabal.
branagh | Dec 01, 2012, 02:23 PM EST
Yes,thanks for highlighting this outrage. However,why should friend of the USA be a requirement for getting a visa? Of course, a long tradition of denying distinguished artists and intellectuals entry to the USA. No problem however for members of the right wing American Salvadoran and Guatemalan deathsquads or the murderers of our fellow citizen,Rachel Corrie, in Gaza.
Mr. Boston99 | Dec 01, 2012, 01:03 PM EST
You can foget that it's the British conspiracy. Israel Firster Jews are in absolute control of Washington DC these days. Mr. Coogan was publically critical of Israel after Israel killed several activists on the Gaza bound flotilla. No such independence is ever allowed by these incredibly vindictive people. Punishment is always meted out to any public figure who does not absolutely adhere to the official narrative when it comes to Israel and Jews in general
bunkerisland | Dec 01, 2012, 12:45 PM EST
OK! Let's move on! TPC will do his tour, those is the States will be educated and Hillary's visit will include looking at what is needed to fix the inept staffing at the Embassy.
PhlutiePhan | Dec 01, 2012, 10:46 AM EST
@JohnnyMac: This blog did an incredible service in relating the story of Mr. Coogan. It was not by chance since this is the third try. The "ember of chance" killed many an Irishman. Pardon their paranoia over "Coogan's Bluff".
JohnnyMac | Dec 01, 2012, 10:28 AM EST
Mr Coogan would be well over this event having dismissed it for what it was, a bureaucratic error. He's FAR more important things to do with himself and his life than to worry about the delay. It happens to hundreds of people, not just him. Its a malfunction in a system that caused a hiccup on Mr Coogan, not because of who Mr Coogan is or does, but merely to coincidence and chance. I'm certain the only reason Mr Coogan is allowing himself to get fired up over this is because this forum and others like it have continued to stoke and fan what was only a tiny ember. Leave it go and let Mr Coogan go on enjoying his project and his life.
slainte9 | Dec 01, 2012, 09:33 AM EST
The Irish are incredibly naive. The diplomatic corps is recruited from an anti-Catholic culture that might describe itself as secular, but which is rooted in the ancient prejudices of the British Isles and the historically fundamentalist Protestant colleges of the Ivy League, notably Princeton and Yale, which was founded by supporters of Oliver Cromwell. Bradley Wilde has 429 Facebook friens; one has an Irish name.