when i last applied it rapidly descended into a process that felt like bribery and moving goalposts.
that being said, i in no way blame america for making it hard for people of arab descent who spent any serious amount of time immersed in that culture. i would do the same. (i /assume/ that was the problem - i may well be wrong)
One day, fairly fed up with the long journey and yet another selection he went "Relax guys, I'm only here because I write the software the you guys (TSA) use".
Moral of the story, if you are good enough, there's always a place for you.
the form i had to fill out riddled with questions about arab descent made me skeptical...
it might have been more to do with my past, having a minor criminal record as a child or my loud and public controversial nature... or anything else that they could determine from my UK passport number and other details i provided when I initially applied for an ESTA (you don't normally need a visa as a UK citizen).
A criminal record means one would though (the US doesn't recognize "spent" convictions) or even an arrest for a crime involving "moral turpitude". The rules are incredibly harsh.
this is part of why i feel i should stress that i am making assumptions, and not hide from any other issues that i may have there... there is a certain amount of bitterness from having gone through the process and given up because it took so long, required so much effort and cost too much money.
You seem eager to kiss the hand that slaps you.