I support Dubya on almost all issues, but disagree with him completely on this one. The U.S. definitely needs a new way to combat this. I've had sketchy ideas of how this could work, and my ideas are something like this:
- Continuous electronic surveillance of our borders with a fleet of UAVs using our Predator-style technologies. Different types of modified Predators could be deployed to seek different things: infrared (heat), motion, etc.
- Establishment of a new military sector consisting of rapid deployment border enforcement personnel. This would be divided into four sections (northern border, southern border, coastal, arctic); each would train differently to deal with the different terrains and climates.
- Establishment of high-tech military bases located at periodic intervals along the borders – perhaps every 75 miles. (If there is an existing military base in the general area, a portion of it could be set aside for these new units.) The personnel from #2 would be based here and equipped with fast helicopters to allow for rapid deployment to incursion areas (monitored by #1).
- Staffing: personnel could be volunteers from all branches of the DoD, or recruited from the services to apply for training. Personnel in this billet could be rotated every 6 or 12 months, to get cross-training in the other areas of defending our borders.
Just an idea.
I want to address your idea for border security after the next cup of coffee (lol), but did you notice in Bush's tone and in his words on this text that Bush disputed the numbers with a tone of almost like 'hey, we know the number, it's managed, it's under control, etc.'?
I stand here and can envision President Bush and President Fox toasting to the complete dissolution of our mutual borders, language and cultures into one Amexicanacan State of the United States of the Americas...that's how much his answers regarding our border security really disturb me.