CA: Sailors take citizenship oath after Persian Gulf war mission

Sac Bee ^ | 7/2/03 | Elliot Spagat - AP

[NormsRevenge]

CORONADO, Calif. (AP) - One month after sailing home from war in Iraq, dozens of sailors from the USS Constellation celebrated a second homecoming Wednesday. They became U.S. citizens.

In all, 216 Navy men and women from 42 countries took the oath of citizenship aboard the 41-year-old warship, which will be decommissioned next month. About 170 of them were assigned to the Constellation, which returned June 2 from a six-month assignment in the Persian Gulf.

[Dr. Frank fan]

Welcome to my new, and more worthy, fellow countrymen.

[Dante3]

It is a security security risk to have foreigners in our military. What an efficient way for enemy agents to get training as well as information about our armed forces and infiltrate them.

Please don't tell me all of them joined the militray because they love us. The couple I know of joined for financial and other personal benefits. And we can't expect them to love us if they know very little about us or have an image from demented TV shows and Hollywood films.

[xrp]

It is a security security risk to have foreigners in our military. What an efficient way for enemy agents to get training as well as information about our armed forces and infiltrate them.

Would you care to comment on John Muhammad, American citizen and Gulf War I veteran? How about the wonderful American citizen who is/was in the Armed Forces and tossed a grenade into his commander's tent during Gulf War II, killing two American soldiers?

[Focault's Pendulum]

It is a security security risk to have foreigners in our military.

Sometimes...my friend...the glass is half full...not half empty.

[LadyDoc]

My husband fought for the Americans in WWII. He didn't become a citizen until the early 1950's. Several of his nephews joined the Navy served for 20 plus years and are now retired. You think they are less patriotic than you are?
Non citizens fighting for America is nothing new. My great great grand uncle fought for the Union in the Civil War before he was a citizen.

[cavtrooper21]

Hey, Mr. All American, I have one name for you
Cyril Richard Rescorla
http//www.lzxray.com
Read about him and tell us again about security risks...

[mdittmar]

Welcome home Sailors,

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame, With conquering limbs astride from land to land; Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame. ``Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she With silent lips. ``Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me. I lift my lamp beside the golden door."
written by Emma Lazarus, 1883

[MineralMan]

"It is a security security risk to have foreigners in our military. What an efficient way for enemy agents to get training as well as information about our armed forces and infiltrate them."

Our military has always had immigrants in it. Often they become citizens, having joined the military for the benefit of speeding up their naturalization.

In the meantime, they have served, possibly risked their lives to protect our Constitution. I honor them.

When did you serve?

[MineralMan]

"Would you care to comment on John Muhammad, American citizen and Gulf War I veteran? How about the wonderful American citizen who is/was in the Armed Forces and tossed a grenade into his commander's tent during Gulf War II, killing two American soldiers?"

And would you care to comment on the non-citizen soldiers who have won the Congressional Medal of Honor? There have been several.

When did you serve?

[LibKill]

I served in the USMC with a few marines who had green cards (have to have the green card to join).

Most of them did very well, the ones who did not succumbed to the same vices that got citizens busted out of the Corps.

Honorable service in our armed forces should be a path to citizenship. If they will serve and fight for us, they are ours.

[NewRomeTacitus]

While a nice sentiment too many politicians have mistaken Lazarus’ poem for desirable policy. Her words are better suited to an ideal afterlife.
The sergeant who fragged his officers was an American-raised convert to Islam. He said that his fellow soldiers were there to take the oil and rape the women (pervasive Islamic propaganda line) while every moment of his existence told his rational side otherwise.
There is no proper place in the military for unstable personnel. Recognize the mental illness for what it is and boot the Chaplains of Allah.

[mdittmar]

nice sentiment?

Tell it to their families..

Pfc. Francisco Martinez Flores, 21, was killed in Iraq on March 25, just two weeks before he was to become a U.S. citizen.
“He loved this country so much. All he had left to do to become a citizen was the actual induction ceremony,” said his younger sister, Nayeli Martinez, 20. Flores was granted citizenship posthumously.

Jose Angel Garibay came across the border from Mexico in the arms of a stranger when he was two months old. Armando Ariel Gonzalez set off from Cuba as a teenager, paddling a small boat with his father and brother to reach the Florida shores. Jose Gutierrez traveled 2,000 miles from Guatemala City—walking, hitching rides, and jumping on freight trains—to get to California. All three risked their lives to come to America. Then they gave their lives fighting for it.

[ahadams2]

hmm, that's a very interesting opinion, how much time did you spend in which service to come up with it?

[xrp]

You asking me or the other guy? I support foreigners in the US Armed Forces, but only for a small percentage.

[NewRomeTacitus]

The minimum of military time served to establish limited citizenship should be no less than two years. That weeds out the "washouts" and opportunists attempting to find an easy ride. I'm all out of sympathy for aliens and their never-ending families and need for what we earned and built. Now that states are giving over to the corruption by granting driver's licenses (defacto Citizenship documents) I feel no remorse for burying my last respect for my state government (Tennessee). Most of the immigrants are sincere, granted, but the cynical pimping by recruiters doesn't weed out the worthless or dangerous.

[truth_seeker]

"My great great grand uncle fought for the Union in the Civil War before he was a citizen."

Mine did, too. (Not sure of how many "greats" and how you do that). Name was Samuel Patterson Starratt, later residing in Anoka, Minnesota. His house stands as an historic site.

He was blinded for life in battle, and lived out a long life, in further service to his adopted country, and to God.

[Dante3]

I never said every one of them is a security risk. But what a great way to place sleeper agents. Overall, it is a great risk, especailly when it comes with promises of automatic citizenship. Why not first earn citizenship?

[MalcolmS]

Service Guarantees Citizenship Bump

Do You Want to Know More?

In Ancient Rome
http://members.tripod.com/~S_van_Dorst/legio.html

In The Future (Robert A. Heinlein's Starship Troopers: Excellent philosophical take, plus future military history and some bug killing thrown in)
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0441783589

In The Movies (Director Verhoeven turns Heinlein's essentially libertarian book into a movie about militarily-incompetent Nazi's of the future. Lots of bug guts!)
http://www.leisuresuit.net/Webzine/articles/GMOTW_16.shtml