Military considers recruiting foreigners-Expedited citizenship would be an incentive

[kpete]

Military considers recruiting foreigners
Expedited citizenship would be an incentive

By Bryan Bender, Globe Staff | December 26, 2006

WASHINGTON -- The armed forces, already struggling to meet recruiting goals, are considering expanding the number of noncitizens in the ranks -- including disputed proposals to open recruiting stations overseas and putting more immigrants on a faster track to US citizenship if they volunteer -- according to Pentagon officials.

Foreign citizens serving in the US military is a highly charged issue, which could expose the Pentagon to criticism that it is essentially using mercenaries to defend the country. Other analysts voice concern that a large contingent of noncitizens under arms could jeopardize national security or reflect badly on Americans' willingness to serve in uniform.

The idea of signing up foreigners who are seeking US citizenship is gaining traction as a way to address a critical need for the Pentagon, while fully absorbing some of the roughly one million immigrants that enter the United States legally each year.

The proposal to induct more noncitizens, which is still largely on the drawing board, has to clear a number of hurdles. So far, the Pentagon has been quiet about specifics -- including who would be eligible to join, where the recruiting stations would be, and what the minimum standards might involve, including English proficiency. In the meantime, the Pentagon and immigration authorities have expanded a program that accelerates citizenship for legal residents who volunteer for the military.

more at:
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2006/12/26/military_considers_recruiting_foreigners/

[Xipe Totec]

1. Recruit them over there,

so we don't have to recruit them over here...

:sarcasm:

[Little Wing]

2. Join the Mobile Infantry and save the Galaxy. Service guarantees citizenship.

Would you like to know more?

[wakeme2008]

3. I think I read the Heinlein book

:rofl:

[NNN0LHI]

4. Maybe we can hire some Jihadists to go to Afghanistan to fight the Soviets?

Oh, wait a minute we already did that. We ended up with Osama bin Laden and Mullah Omar.

Don

[SoCalifer]

5. They should have titled that news article

Bush Supporters: Apparently All Talk No Action

[Nite Owl]

6. If he plans to significantly increase

the military how else can he do it? I was wondering just what he planned to achieve that new goal of his and it seems that they have few American takers to join his wars. Will the only benefits of these new recruits be expedited citizenship, no veterans benefits to worry about either? From how they look at things this is a win win for them.

[solara]

7. Interesting isn't it that the Pentagon would rather recruit non-citizens for our military

than honor their agreements with gay soldiers? People with desperately needed skills (like translators for instance) are drummed out of the service by the hundreds each year because they happen to be GAY...

But dammit, Skippy, we NEED more troops.. so we gotta find a way to recruit those pesky 'non-citizens.'

Bah

[Joanne98]

8. The American form of the "French Foreign Legend"

[NNN0LHI]

9. We can call them Freedom Fighters

Now where have I heard that term before?

Don

[alfredo]

10. Mercenaries.

[laconicsax]

11. The Romans did this

and after a while the bulk of the military, including the generals, were non-Romans who had been recruited with promises of citizenship. They weren't too willing to fight and die for Rome when they had no real ties to it. One of the factors that led to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire.

[cui bono]

12. This is wrong on for so many reasons.

Can we bring out the straitjackets now? This is insane.

As has been mentioned, how about leaving the gays alone and letting them serve?

If the war is worth fighting they wouldn't be afraid to reinstate the draft. But don't go outsourcing the "work" and have some poor, underprivileged foreigners do the dirty work. Reminds me of the Algerians being used to liberate France. They would send them out in front to get slaughtered then the French could come in and get the glory.

Round up the supporters of this fiasco and let them serve. Their hearts should be in it.

I would like to hear how all the anti-immigration folks react to this. Of course they'd be doing a job no one here wants to do, but what of letting all these people in, isn't that going to upset them?

When will the madness stop???