Posted on 05/18/2005 3:16:34 PM PDT by West Coast Conservative
The United States, Canada and Mexico should establish a common security perimeter to guard against terrorism in North America, a tri-national independent task force said in a report released on Tuesday.
The countries should police their borders together to help border trade, allow easier movement of citizens and to keep out potential security threats, the task force said at New York's Council on Foreign Relations.
"If our two borders, the one between Canada and the United States and the U.S. and Mexico, became a frontline for security the impact that would have on normal relations and economic relations would be profound," said co-chairman John Manley, a former Canadian deputy prime minister and minister of finance.
The task force was sponsored by private groups in each of the three countries including the U.S. Council on Foreign Relations, and there was no indication that governments would act on the proposals.
The report, titled "Building a North American Community," also called for free movement within the continent for citizens through a North American Border Pass with biometric identifiers and other measures to increase economic and military cooperation between the countries.
William Weld, a former Republican governor of Massachusetts, and Pedro Aspe, former finance minister of Mexico, were the other co-chairmen of the task force, comprised of over 20 experts from government, business and academia.
Manley contrasted the scrutiny of goods flowing between Canada and the United States with a lax attitude to imports arriving at shipping ports.
"As I told my one-time U.S. counterpart (U.S. Homeland Security chief) Tom Ridge once, 'You inspect a grain car entering the U.S. from Saskatchewan closer than you do container traffic coming into the United States from the Middle East.' And I think that's still the case."
Other recommendations included improving labor mobility, developing an energy strategy with greater emphasis on reducing harmful emissions and establishing an investment fund to build infrastructure to connect Mexico's poorer regions in the South to the market of the North.
"Pass"
I thought the bid was 1 spade. ;>
true
well. probably true. I hope not, but hope is a cruddy foundation for international politics.
I cannot help but think that apublic and civilian delegation to the Israelis on such an errand as I propose (stole from another acerbic FReeper) would EMBARRASS THE HELL out of some folks, and perhaps make them break cover.
beating the grasses sometimes works. so does setting them alight.
Canada lets everyone in; I'd be concerned about terrorists coming in on that border, also.
Yeah, what I like about this (not) is that these same bastards don't see anything wrong with open borders. If it's a good idea, then it's a good idea to slam down on our own borders NOW, without other nations userping our sovereignty. Who'd a thunk it?
California was also a Republic that "joined". While it was only a stand alone republic for some 24 or so hours, it was still a nation before it joined.
You're reading my mind.
BTTT...
He was the president of the UCLA chapter of MEChA, which calls for the Southwest to become "Aztlan."
Note that the MEChA eagle is holding a lit bundle of dynamite. I guess that's a "peaceful" bundle of lit dynamite it's ready to drop on....somebody.
Quisling: a synonym for "traitor", someone who collaborates with the invaders of his country.
The North American Security Perimeter was the subject discussed by Bush, Fox, and Martin in March at Crawford. It was also discussed by Condi in her trip to Mexico, prior to that.
"This free movement of all citizens within North America would amount to a merger of the labor markets in the three countries, thus driving down wages and salaries in the US and Canada while raising personal income in Mexico. "
Yup! Sounds exactly like a section of my International Economics textbook.
"Equalization of factor prices."
*I* like it.... : )
Discussing security for the three countries and the ways we can cooperate to do that is a good thing to discuss. What this taskforce is suggesting is something else, a relaxation of national borders between the countries. Quite different.
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200203/ldselect/ldeucom/133/13305.htm
It sounds like our border problems. (It's the EU proposed solution) It obvious we've been set up, when you read it.
In another report I read where some govts. in the EU don't like the idea of joint BP, because foreign police would be able to arrest or detain citizens on their own soil.
almost the whole State Department comes to mind
No question, joint borders means no borders. Whether it's the EU or the "NAU."
It should be noted that Lugar has introduced a bill to include Central America in the perimeter security.
Another of the main reasons behind this is to allow US interdiction forces to operate in Mexico. This has always been the key for intervention of terrorists, drugs, and illegals. Mexico has resisted this because of sovereignty reasons but said that they would go along if the US would reform immigration policies.
I'd prefer better relations with our border neighbors, but Mexico is full of corruption at all levels of the government, and Canada is run by Ted Kennedy-type liberals.
You can't trust either one.
How's that sound?
If your next door neighbor was constantly breaking into your yard and home stealing your stuff would you elect to tear down your fence, share your home and start paying for theirs?
You might.
I would build a better fence and kill trespassers. This activity would only last until they quit trespassing or ran out of people to trespass.
I do see one positive. Mexico has their military on their southern border with orders to shoot to kill. Maybe they can impress this philosophy on our government.
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