A U.S. military 'at its breaking point' considers foreign recruits

[Straw Man]

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 put more immigrants on a faster track to U.S. citizenship if they volunteer — according to Pentagon officials.

http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/12/26/news/military.php

[240 is Back]

They have to put someone in... MSNBC just reported new poll showing 12% of Americans support sending MORE troops to Iraq

[Straw Man]

using foreign fighters is a historically bad sign for our relatively young "republic"

[The Showstoppa]

Nothing all that radical.  It's been in existence for awhile. 

[Straw Man]

Nothing all that radical.  It's been in existence for awhile. 

yes, I know this has been going on already but this appears to be a major ramping up of this process, at least from this one article.  From the article:

Already, the army and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement division of the Department of Homeland Security have "made it easier for green-card holders who do enlist to get their citizenship," Hilferty said. Other army officials, who asked not to be identified, said personnel officials were working with Congress and other parts of the government to test the feasibility of going beyond U.S. borders to recruit soldiers and marines.

Currently, Pentagon policy stipulates that only immigrants legally residing in the United States are eligible to enlist. There are about 30,000 noncitizens who serve in the U.S. armed forces, making up about 2 percent of the active-duty force, according to statistics from the military and the Council on Foreign Relations. About 100 such noncitizens have been killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

A recent change in U.S. law, however, gave the Pentagon authority to bring immigrants to the United States if it determines it is vital to national security. So far, the Pentagon has not taken advantage of it, but the calls are growing to use this new authority.

Some top military thinkers believe the United States should go as far as targeting foreigners in their native countries.

[240 is Back]

Outsourcing the military to poorer nations, to invade a series of smaller nations in order to siphon their resources.

That's HOT!

[240 is Back]

A recent change in U.S. law, however, gave the Pentagon authority to bring immigrants to the United States if it determines it is vital to national security.

This quiet law change could be huge.  Imagine bringing in 100,000 Mexicans, training them, and sending them to iraq to fight.  That is one weird scenario.

[The Showstoppa]

This quiet law change could be huge.  Imagine bringing in 100,000 Mexicans, training them, and sending them to iraq to fight.  That is one weird scenario.

hahaha, talk about outsourcing.

[Straw Man]

Outsourcing the military to poorer nations, to invade a series of smaller nations in order to siphon their resources.

That's HOT!

That's a bit of a leap. 

[240 is Back]

That's a bit of a leap. 

We are in afghan and iraq (and will likely be in iran shortly).
We have our eyes on Syria and NKorea after that, and have been very vocal about that.
Could be 5 new wars/occupations in ten years.  Unheard of...

If suddenly the emotional strain of dead americans was removed, would more than 12% of americans support growing the war effort? Sure!
*(recall that most Americans cannot comprehend war spending)


BTW, pretty smart of them... the media makes border security to suddenly become the biggest problem of the decade, then this year briliant Bush solves it by bringing our men home and sending those illegals to fight. Niiiiiiiice.

[Straw Man]

We are in afghan and iraq (and will likely be in iran shortly).
We have our eyes on Syria and NKorea after that, and have been very vocal about that.
Could be 5 new wars/occupations in ten years.  Unheard of...

If suddenly the emotional strain of dead americans was removed, would more than 12% of americans support growing the war effort? Sure!
*(recall that most Americans cannot comprehend war spending)


BTW, pretty smart of them... the media makes border security to suddenly become the biggest problem of the decade, then this year briliant Bush solves it by bringing our men home and sending those illegals to fight. Niiiiiiiice.

what resources are we trying to siphon off in Afghanistan, opium and goats milk?

[240 is Back]

what resources are we trying to siphon off in Afghanistan, opium and goats milk?

Opium - yes.  The taliban ended the drug trade. 

(disclaimer: this is where people get mad and tune out).  The US kicked them out and now it's bigger than ever.  The drug trade is actually a pretty important part of the US economy, whether it's moral or right or whatever.  In our economy, interest-free free cash flow is needed for buyer/seller credit to operate.  This free cash flow (FCF) is pretty much what keeps our economy alive.    Money being laundered provides this FCF. 

Access to the region, $2T in oil distributed under caspian sea that no one is drilling. We don't need it, but if someone else got it, it would devalue the goldmine we have in iraq/iran, along with the miliatary plans for the region over the next 20 years.  We need a pipeline there.

Also, we control the Pakis which means we control india, if we're in afghanistan.

[Straw Man]

Opium - yes.  The taliban ended the drug trade. 

(disclaimer: this is where people get mad and tune out).  The US kicked them out and now it's bigger than ever.  The drug trade is actually a pretty important part of the US economy, whether it's moral or right or whatever.  In our economy, interest-free free cash flow is needed for buyer/seller credit to operate.  This free cash flow (FCF) is pretty much what keeps our economy alive.    Money being laundered provides this FCF. 

Access to the region, $2T in oil distributed under caspian sea that no one is drilling. We don't need it, but if someone else got it, it would devalue the goldmine we have in iraq/iran, along with the miliatary plans for the region over the next 20 years.  We need a pipeline there.

Also, we control the Pakis which means we control india, if we're in afghanistan.

My understanding (quite limited) is that the warlords still control much of Afghanistan

Let's not forget America's favorite drug.

[240 is Back]

yeah, where does all the weed grow, anyway?  s america?  local growhouses?

[Straw Man]

yeah, where does all the weed grow, anyway?  s america?  local growhouses?

I was joking

I doubt there is any (or very little) afghan weed in the US.   Enough is grown in US, Canada and Mexico (I think I've read that mexican gangs even come into the US to grow it here)

Wasn't there just a story recently that marijuana is the biggest cash crop in the US.

[luike101]

HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA A      GOATS MILK      AND    OPIUM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Camel Jockey]

yeah, where does all the weed grow, anyway?  s america?  local growhouses?

Cannabis originates around the himalaya region. Almost all commercial dutch and american pot strains contain afghani indica genes.  That weed strawman posted a picture of is probably used to make rope or clothing.

You're right about the heroin production and regardless of what people think, that dope does make its way into the states and europe. It's fairy easy to smuggle and can be sold for huge markups.

[headhuntersix]

Opium - yes.  The taliban ended the drug trade. 

(disclaimer: this is where people get mad and tune out).  The US kicked them out and now it's bigger than ever.  The drug trade is actually a pretty important part of the US economy, whether it's moral or right or whatever.  In our economy, interest-free free cash flow is needed for buyer/seller credit to operate.  This free cash flow (FCF) is pretty much what keeps our economy alive.    Money being laundered provides this FCF. 

Access to the region, $2T in oil distributed under caspian sea that no one is drilling. We don't need it, but if someone else got it, it would devalue the goldmine we have in iraq/iran, along with the miliatary plans for the region over the next 20 years.  We need a pipeline there.

Also, we control the Pakis which means we control india, if we're in afghanistan.

The Taliban's primary source of income to support their insurgency is opium.

[240 is Back]

The Taliban's primary source of income to support their insurgency is opium.

You sure about that boss?

I was under the impression that the Taliban had reduced Afghan opium output by 95% by summer 2001.

Are you saying the Taliban did NOT do this?

[240 is Back]

http://opioids.com/afghanistan/index.html

Headhunter, read up on opium.  Accoding to the UN, "Last year Afghanistan produced almost 4,000 tonnes of opium. This year's figure is zero. "

THe Taliban put out an edict declaring it illegal and immoral, and were implementing some pretty abusive tactics to eradicate all of if. 

Dude, I know you'll squak and call CT, but do you know that drug money is actually a GOOD thing for our economy, and that without the illegal narcotic import, the US would immediately enter a recession?

[240 is Back]

The Taliban's primary source of income to support their insurgency is opium.

End of Taliban will bring rise in heroin
By Richard Lloyd Parry in Islamabad
19 October 2001
The defeat of the Taliban would result in a surge in opium production, which has beenvirtually halted in Afghanistan by the Kabul regime over the last year, United Nations officials have warned.

A new UN survey reveals that the Taliban have completed one of the quickest and most successful drug elimination programmes in history.

The area of land given over to growing opium poppies in 2001 fell by 91 per cent compared with the year before, according to the UN Drug Control Programme's (UNDCP) annual survey of Afghanistan. Production of fresh opium, the raw material for heroin, went down by an unprecedented 94 per cent, from 3,276 tonnes to 185 tonnes.

Almost all Afghan opium this year came out of territories controlled by America's ally in the assault on Afghanistan, the Northern Alliance. Because of a ban on poppy farming, only one in 25 of Afghanistan's opium poppies was being grown in Taliban areas.

[headhuntersix]

UM yeah.....because I look at the daily intel estimate (145 slide) every day..every day. I have been on 6 drug interdiction/opium field buring raids with our DEA and other folks. This is 2006 and the reality of the situation is that the drug lords and the taliban are in bed because we represent the only people who are cutting into their profits..as little as that may be.

[240 is Back]

UM yeah.....because I look at the daily intel estimate (145 slide) every day..every day. I have been on 6 drug interdiction/opium field buring raids with our DEA and other folks. This is 2006 and the reality of the situation is that the drug lords and the taliban are in bed because we represent the only people who are cutting into their profits..as little as that may be.

You're burning fields of poppies, yes.
The US is blaming the Taliban, sure.


HH6, why do you think the Taliban was anti-heroin, and the US is supposedly anti-heroin, but suddenly we have shit higher than pre-2001 levels?

[headhuntersix]

Bro I'm on the ground here..no web site can tell u better then me on this. We work with SOF all the time.Theytell us the deal.  The drug dealers and the Taliban are in bed. I have been in 4 firefights here.  3 were because of drug dealers..only one was Taliban. The taliban has realized what we have come to...one problem at a time. We deal with the insurgents first/they deal with us first/then who ever is left will deal with the drug lords. They fund the Taliban because its in their best interest. These people have to eat so we don't really do a whole lot. Karzi's brother is the biggest drug dealer in the country. Half the cabinet is involved

[Jeff Miller]

Bro I'm on the ground here..no web site can tell u better then me on this. We work with SOF all the time.Theytell us the deal.  The drug dealers and the Taliban are in bed. I have been in 4 firefights here.  3 were because of drug dealers..only one was Taliban. The taliban has realized what we have come to...one problem at a time. We deal with the insurgents first/they deal with us first/then who ever is left will deal with the drug lords. They fund the Taliban because its in their best interest. These people have to eat so we don't really do a whole lot. Karzi's brother is the biggest drug dealer in the country. Half the cabinet is involved

I'd say the dude knows what he's talking about!