Posted on 05/23/2004 10:07:11 AM PDT by Die_Hard Conservative Lady
House OKs plan to allow military to patrol borders advertisement
Sergio Bustos Gannett News Service May. 20, 2004 04:18 PM
WASHINGTON - U.S. soldiers may be asked to keep undocumented immigrants and potential terrorists out of the country.
The House approved a defense authorization bill Thursday that includes an amendment that would let American soldiers join U.S. Border Patrol agents in guarding the borders with Canada and Mexico.
The amendment, championed by Rep. Virgil Goode, R-Va., passed the House late Wednesday 231-191.
But the amendment stands little chance of surviving because it was not part of the Senate's defense authorization bill.
Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-El Paso, who spent 26 years with the Border Patrol, opposed the amendment, saying it was "simply the wrong solution to our current problems along the border."
"This amendment will send our military personnel to our borders at a time when they are already stretched thin in places like Iraq, Afghanistan, Korea, Kosovo, Bosnia, and over 100 other countries around the world," he said. "We cannot and we should not ask our military personnel to patrol our borders."
Southern Arizona lawmakers whose districts run along the U.S.-Mexico border echoed the same argument.
"Border security is and continues to be a top priority for me and for the Congress as a whole," said Rep. Jim Kolbe, R-Tucson. "But the Goode amendment would militarize our border and stretch the resources of our Army."
Said Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Tucson: "The amendment was very mean-spirited and had nothing to do with national security. We can be grateful that it probably won't survive the Senate-House conference."
Goode argued that troops could be "of significant assistance to prevent the infiltration of terrorists, drug traffickers and illegal aliens, and could prevent the entry of weapons of mass destruction into our country."
Pentagon officials also opposed the idea, according to Kolbe and other lawmakers.
The Bush administration has already threatened to veto the House bill because it includes a provision that would delay the next round of base closings until 2007.
The bill authorizes Defense Department programs for the coming fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1.
do not like the idea
Does this mean that when certain elements of the Mexican Army make covering runs for illegals and they shoot at US citizens, the Army can fire back?
And the Border Patrol guys can have some backup for when they get shot at?
You might have a different opinion if you lived as I and many others do right on the Forward Edge of the Battle Area.
We did it until well after WWI and to some extent during WWII.
Mean spirited? What a load. I think it's a great idea.
No. The Mexican Army is a noble institution staffed by the most highly trained and finest examples of manhood that has ever been seen, and protects a "great nation" whose achievments the world attempts to emulate.
The American Army, by contrast, is staffed by abusers and sadists, whose core interest is racism against the poor, bedraggled people desperately doing anything they can to escape the "great nation" to the south, and who cannot be trusted to ever stand guard on the illegitimate border of the evil nation that they represent.
The American Army will only be allowed to pass out travel maps, Snickers bars, and refill canteens for the great and wondrous people, on their way North to fulfill their missionary destiny to create Mexico in the rest of the world.
Dumb idea!
"do not like the idea"
Why?
It will die in the Senate, like everything else.
It's about time we kept Massachusetts illegals out of New Hampshire!
*Ugh*
In all likelyhood, should certain leftist elements have their way, what you describe is all too likely.
"Tour guide in US National Parks" would be a better description of that kind of 'border security'.
This has to be the single dumbest thing I've heard a legislator say... okay, well, at least today. Have we gotten so used to not fighting on our own soil that we've forgottent that the primary purpose of an army, *any* army, is to maintain the territorial integrity of the nation? Sheesh.
Specifically, the National Guard is utterly suited for this task. The posse comitatus laws don't apply to the NG. Get the Guard out of Iraq, put them on the border. Hell, let Guard units do their two week annual training on the SW border. Or, just mine the hell out of the border and put soldiers in overwatch. Whatever! JUST SEAL THE BORDER!
The most important change is a change of attitude. We need people to be serious about using whatever force is necessary to keep illegal aliens out of the country. In addition to using force against them, we need to stop giving them incentives to be here. We need to stop giving them benefits from our social services entitlements. We need to stop treating them as if they have a right to be here. Until that attitude changes, I don't see a solution to the problem.
"...may be asked..." Does anyone out there realize what an absurd situation this is. U.S. soldier 'may be asked' to keep undocumenteds and potention terrorists out. Until they are asked, the illegals and yes, some actual terrorists will gain entry. As we saw on 09/11/01, it takes very few terrorists to exact incredible damage the U.S. Now in the midst of a war on terrorism, the media reports that we may finally get our borders under control.
Frankly, if we can do no better than this, I have to ask if we are deserving of a future. This disgusts me to the absolute max.
Before me, I have two lists. One list contains the names of countries which have stood by our side during the Iraq conflict.
The other list [List 2] contains everyone not on the first list. Most of the world's nations are on that list.
Mexico is ... on List 2.
President Fox and his entire corrupt government really need an attitude adjustment. I have a couple extra tank and infantry divisions sitting around. Guess where I'm gonna put 'em? Yep, border security. So start doing something with your oil. Oh, by the way, the United States is abrogating the NAFTA treaty--starting now. It is time for America to focus on its own welfare and its own citizens.
To the nations on List 2, a final thought: DROP DEAD.
On the slim chance that it would pass the Senate, I will bet my pension check that George Bush will veto this in a micro second!
Agreed!
And well said.
Wonder who first came up with it.
We should definitely do the same as Mexico does and place our military on our borders.
Civilians are not allowed to shoot back at Mexican Army regulars doing border incursions.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.