U.S. eyes space as possible battleground

Reuters ^ | 01/18/04 | Jim Wolf

[KevinDavis]

I wonder if they are developing the F302???

Space Ping! This is the space ping list! Let me know if you want on or off this list!

[KevinDavis]

[King Prout]

what is that thing?

[demlosers]

What's that?

[Wild Irish Rogue]

From USA Today:

"Patrick O'Day was born in Scotland. Francisco Martinez Flores was born in Mexico. Neither were U.S. citizens, but they died together in Iraq as U.S. Marines.

At least seven U.S. servicemen killed in the Iraq war weren't citizens, the Defense Department says. They're among approximately 31,000 "green-card" soldiers, Marines, sailors and airmen in the U.S. military. They're permanent legal residents but not U.S. citizens. Yet they chose to defend the country where they live.

Active duty

There are approximately 31,000 active-duty military personnel who are legal residents but not U.S. citizens. Branch of service:

Non-U.S. citizens Percent of total
Navy 15,880 4.2%
Marine Corps 6,440 3.8%
Army 5,596 1.2%
Air Force 3,056 0.8%

Source: Defense Department

The large number of non-citizens serving in the military may surprise many Americans. But non-citizen legal residents have long been able to serve in the military. They make up about 2% of the 1.4 million active-duty servicemembers. About a third come from Mexico and other Spanish-speaking countries. The rest are from China, Vietnam, Canada, Korea, India and other countries.

"My son is dead, and I'm broken inside," says Jorge Rincon of Conyers, Ga. His son, Army Pfc. Diego Rincon, came to the USA from Colombia as a youngster. He was killed March 29 in a suicide bombing attack. His funeral is Thursday.

"The only thing that keeps me going now is to make sure that he's buried as an American," says Rincon. "That will be my dream come true."

Other families feel the same and are taking advantage of a presidential order last year that allows relatives of slain troops to apply for posthumous citizenship. The gesture carries no additional financial benefits for surviving relatives.

The family of Marine Lance Cpl. Jesus Suarez Del Solar, 20, who was born in Mexico and moved with his family to Escondido, Calif., seven years ago, is expected to apply for posthumous citizenship.

On Sunday, the Marine Corps presented Martinez Flores' family with his citizenship papers at their home in Duarte, Calif.

"If my brother hadn't gone over there, he would have been a citizen by now," says Nayeli Martinez, 19. "He and my mom and I all applied at the same time. Ours got processed faster than his. He had taken his citizenship test, and the only thing left was to take the oath in a formal ceremony. Before he could do that, he shipped out."

But the process for granting citizenship posthumously can take several weeks, and families are concerned that the status will not be granted before their sons and brothers are buried. Georgia Sens. Zell Miller and Saxby Chambliss are introducing legislation that automatically would grant posthumous citizenship.

He sent the letter a day after he officiated at a funeral Mass for Marine Lance Cpl. Jose Gutierrez, 22, a Guatemalan immigrant and one of the first combat casualties.

Gutierrez was granted posthumous citizenship. So was Marine Cpl. Jose Angel Garibay, 21, of Costa Mesa, Calif.

It's common for legal immigrants to "have pride and patriotism and serve in the military," says Peter Nunez of the Center for Immigration Studies, which lobbies for lower immigration quotas. "They continue the long tradition of immigrants who come to this country being patriotic."

Shauna O'Day, whose husband, Patrick, 21, was from Scotland, says she's proud of her husband. O'Day and Martinez Flores were among four Marines who died March 25 when their tank plunged into the Euphrates River.

"When I first heard he was dead, it just made me so angry that he was over there fighting. And he wasn't even a citizen," O'Day says. "But then I realized that it just shows what a great place this is to live."

O'Day's husband came to the USA with his parents as a youngster. He could have applied for citizenship but didn't. And she doesn't plan to change that.

"He loved this country. And knowing that my husband was willing to die fighting for America, and he wasn't even a citizen, makes me even prouder to be an American," she says.

Patriotism is sustaining Jorge Rincon.

"When my son went to the recruiter to join the Army, I went with him. I wanted to join, too, but they told me I was too old," he says. "We came here for the American dream, and we found it."

Rincon learned Tuesday that his son was granted U.S. citizenship: "I'm proud for Diego and proud to be in this country and proud that my son was in the United States Army."

[Bringbackthedraft]

"Are all these people illegal aliens who joined the military?"

No way of telling but I bet more than a couple came from families that were. We've caught many enlistees with false green cards. I'm just pointing out that Mexicans make good citizens once they get established. My uncle jumped ship in 1940 after fighting the Russians and spent his whole life here. I don't think he ever became a legal citizen and he never applied for Gov't asistance so I guess that made him OK. Not all the Mexicans that come here illegally come for welfare, they come to work. I live in Florida and the grounds keepers are mexican. I can't believe they all came here legally but boy they work their butts off. In a short period of time they have new trucks and their own business. I can't fault them for that illegal or not. As far as paying their share in taxes that is someting that has to be worked on. Actually they do pay taxes as we all do. The moment they purchase an item they're paying taxes and are helping the economy. Ever wonder how many of our ancestors jumped ship? I'm sure its in the millions. It all seems to work out in the end.

[ArrogantBustard]

Hmmm... yes. gotta get the Goa'uld before they get us.

[Bringbackthedraft]

LETS GET OFF THE ILLEGAL ALIEN COMMENTS. THE THREAD IS GOING OFF TOPIC.

[OpusatFR]

You mean cheese?

I don't think I'd go to war for anything other than a ripe gouda or perhaps a runny brie.

I would NEVER go to war over chess, or chesse.

[KevinDavis]

I agree.. There should be a new rule regarding staying on the FRELLING TOPIC!

[jpsb]

What makes you think we don't?

[glockmeister40]

How many of them were illegal aliens?

No way of telling but I bet more than a couple came from families that were.

No way of telling - wanna bet on that? The military can't verify the identity of enlistees in this day and age? I hardly think so. How do they give security clearances? Just hand them out?

We've caught many enlistees with false green cards.

You've just contradicted yourself. Apparently the military does check identity (green cards)

I'm just pointing out that Mexicans make good citizens once they get established.

Once they get established? There are many illegal mexican aliens out here in the west that have been established for a long, long time. Just go into any hospital ER and check who uses false social security numbers to obtain free medical care. I'm sorry it's not free care - I pay for it through higher insurance rates. Got in a car wreck with an illegal mexican alien recently? Did they have a drivers licence or car insurance? How about a registration or a current plate?

...I don't think he ever became a legal citizen and he never applied for Gov't asistance so I guess that made him OK.

No, that didn't make him ok. Nowdays illegal mexical aliens don't apply for gov't assistance - they just take it via identity theft, such as fraudently obtaining free medical care.

Not all the Mexicans that come here illegally come for welfare, they come to work.

That's true. Twenty-five precent of the prison population of my state is illegal aliens. Many come here to cook crank out in the desert or traffic heroin up from mexico. They are opportunists who take whatever they can get away with, legal or not.

I can't believe they all came here legally but boy they work their butts off.

They don't work any harder than the rest of us.

Actually they do pay taxes as we all do.

That's a load of crap. Most of them work get paid in cash and pay no taxes.

The moment they purchase an item they're paying taxes and are helping the economy.

Not in states that don't have sales tax. You probably don't believe this, but just because someone pays sales tax doesn't grant them any residency rights in the United States. Also low wage workers are net tax comsumers. They take far more than they give.

Ever wonder how many of our ancestors jumped ship?

Ever wondered how many of our ancestors came here LEGALLY through Ellis Island?

It all seems to work out in the end.

Not this time. We can no longer afford to take care of the world's problems. Especially mexico's.

I'll gladly pay more for fruits, vegetables, hotel rooms and resturant meals. I'll sure as HELL be paying less in school taxes, police services, car insurance and medical insurance.

[glockmeister40]

See post 32

[glockmeister40]

See post 32

[xrp]

My fleet is bigger than yours!

[irv]

Will the interceptor's be:

You left out reverse engineered Goaould death gliders

[LibWhacker]

Scientists reckon there are about one million tons of helium 3 on the moon, enough to power the earth for thousands of years. The equivalent of a single space shuttle load or roughly 30 tons could meet all U.S. electric power needs for a year, Kulcinski said by e-mail.

Aha! . . . An answer to that question we asked the other day.

[Nachum]

Yeah, what is that thing?

Anybody have a pic of the Aurora?

[Charles Martel]

Anybody have a pic of the Aurora?

You betcha!

[RightWhale]

If I recall, there has yet to be a demonstration of commercial nuclear fusion. Seems like all this 3-helium reference is of the nature of a forward-looking statement.