Military Considers Recruiting Foreigners

[marmar]

from the Boston Globe, via CommonDreams:

Published on Wednesday, December 27, 2006 by the Boston Globe
Military Considers Recruiting Foreigners
Expedited citizenship would be an incentive
by Bryan Bender

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.


Some within the Army privately express concern that a big push to recruit noncitizens would smack of "the decline of the American empire," as one Army official who asked not to be identified put it.

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.

And since Sept. 11, 2001, the number of imm igrants in uniform who have become US citizens has increased from 750 in 2001 to almost 4,600 last year, according to military statistics.

With severe manpower strains because of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan -- and a mandate to expand the overall size of the military -- the Pentagon is under pressure to consider a variety of proposals involving foreign recruits, according to a military affairs analyst.

"It works as a military idea and it works in the context of American immigration," said Thomas Donnelly , a military scholar at the conservative American Enterprise Institute in Washington and a leading proponent of recruiting more foreigners to serve in the military. ........(more)

The rest is at: http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/1227-03.htm

[Deja Q]

1. Why not?

They want our jobs, so let them fight for their prosperity too.

(I wish there was a 'cynical' emoticon like we've got for :sarcasm: )

[TankLV]

2. Isn't that what they used to call "mercenaries"?

Like what the British did with the Germans (Huns)?

[marmar]

3. Yup. Redressed by Herr Bush.

:scared:

[tom_paine]

4. I believe the later stages if the Roman Empire saw the same sort of thing

I believe it was the Goths the Romans enlisted.