Recruiting the undocumented for the military is proposed

[maddezmom]

By Jose Cardenas, Times Staff Writer
Published Saturday, April 26, 2008 8:30 PM


CLEARWATER — This month's death of Army Spc. Arturo Huerta-Cruz in Iraq cast a spotlight on troops serving in the U.S. military who are not American citizens.

Huerta-Cruz, 23, was born in a small town in rural Mexico and moved to Clearwater with his family when he was 10. He was a legal permanent resident, or a "green card" soldier.

That made him an exception. Noncitizens account for about 5 percent of the troops in all the branches of the U.S. military. Noncitizens now must have green cards to enlist.

But as the nation fights wars on two fronts, some wonder whether the military should recruit more heavily among immigrants here — even undocumented ones — as well as foreigners in their own countries.

Yes, say some intellectuals at Washington, D.C., think tanks.

"Those of us who support recruiting foreigners believe they are often very skilled, motivated, and in the great American tradition of immigration," Michael O'Hanlon, a Brookings Institution senior fellow on foreign policy said in an e-mail.

more:http://www.tampabay.com/news/military/article474777.ece

[Wilms]

1. Makes sense.

They're already considered fodder.

[tularetom]

2. That worked very well for the Roman empire

Look how well it's doing these days.

[cloudbase]

3. Just doin' the jobs

Americans don't want to.

[Liberal Gramma]

4. Ooooh, that's evil

So, they're very skilled, motivated,and want to immigrate--but we're building a fence to keep them out unless they'd like a free trip to Iraq first. There must be a special Republican section in Hell.

[Bobbieo]

5. Why don't they set up recruiting stations at the border fence?

That will catch 'em!!

[notesdev]

6. Madness

Giving military training to people who have already shown they consider our laws to be optional?

Are they that desperate to find people who will fight for the freedom of Saudi Arabia?