Why USSR could take good care of 60000km of border, but USA cannot protect tiny one with Mexico?

Question

USSR border was as long as SIXTY THOUSAND kilometers (1.5 Equator lengths) spreading in the most rugged terrain in the World, from +50C deserts on the South to -50C Arctic coast, the mountains 7000 meters high, and 3 oceans.
The Soviet border guards took a good care: they caught every illegal immigrant sneaking from Iran, Afghanistan, China.

What I see, are American colleagues too puny and weak?

During Soviet time every year thousands of poor peasants from Iran, Afghanistan, N.Korea, especially China, tried entering USSR. That's the fact.
Sometimes the board guard caught Africans.

Puh-lease, don't read me propaganda lectures.
I still remember Soviet times, and the Army.

Answer 1

The rugged terrain to which you are referring is the reason why it was EASIER to guard the border, not harder. Crossing the Rio Grande is a hell of a lot easier than the Pamir mountains.

Besides, you forget the expense that the USSR incurred in guarding its border. (For the uninitiated: although few people wanted to get into the USSR, a lot of people wanted to get out, which is why the Soviet border was so strongly fortified.) The Soviet citizens were subject to brutal reverse taxation, which in American terms would translate to something like 80% of one's income; and because the government was totalitarian, the officials who made budgeting decisions did not have to worry about answering to the taxpayers. Hence, they spent massive amounts of money on border control -- too massive for any American even to begin to imagine. In the US, there are significant constraints on how much the government can spend, and the cost of guarding the Mexican border Soviet-style will probably make the most vocal advocates of stringent border control hiccup uncontrollably.

Besides, the political repercussions of doing it after the Soviet fashion would significantly outweigh the benefits. If you remember, the USSR did not have an equivalent of the US Border Patrol. It was the Soviet Army -- the ARMY, for God's sake -- that was directly controlling the borders. (Sure, they were special "pogranichnye" units, but it was still the Army.) Concentrating the military on our Mexican border to the same extent that the USSR did it on its borders would not be looked upon kindly by our neighbors. Mexico, and most of Central American nations would probably take it as an act of aggression.

Last but not least, the very methods of Soviet border control violated international norms and the Western concepts regarding human rights. It was okay for the USSR to do it because ... well, because it was the USSR; but for the US, which is (at least presumably) everything that the USSR is not, peppering the border with landmines and boobytraps and shooting anyone on sight would be unacceptable.

Answer 2

They couldn't. Remember the kid who flew a private plane all the way to Red Square? Border Patrol Generals and Air Defense Generals were shot for that incident-really. Besides, when everyone has an internal passport and a required place to be, it is easy to catch the occasional person without documents. Finally, remember that with the USSR, everyone wanted to get out, not in. A better analogy is, "Why can't Mexico catch all those people trying to escape like the old USSR could?

Answer 3

I don't think we are too puny and/or weak. We just don't have the political heart to do it. We would rather save on veggies and cheap lawn care than really shut down the border which is absolutely necessary. Our politicians and PCers cannot face up to the fact the border is important. We don't have the will and it pisses me off. I live in the Southwest and not all that far from the Mexican border.

Answer 4

The answer is so clear , WAL MART would have to pay americans a descent wage to build there stores ,those billionaires that own wally world couldn't afford this . Corprate greed ! Corprate america is at war with the middle class of america . Cheeper labor affects us all. There are skilled americans that can't get good jobs because the illegal immigrants will work for almost nothing . [slave labor] If your one that agrees with the WAL MART philosophy ,be prepared your job may be next .

Answer 5

The United States is much more appealing to immigrants than the USSR was. We have freedoms and rights that many Soviets did not have, we don't have ration books and you can eat as much or as little or say as much or as little as you want. Border guard was probably a pretty cushy job for Soviet guards.

Answer 6

Communism.

Answer 7

They also gunned down every person that came within range. They also have land mines and tanks with 10's of thousands of soldiers lining the boarder.

"America is God's greatest gift to the world".Edmund Burke.

Answer 8

Because they shot anyone sneaking in. Besides, no soviet citizens had a yard they needed to pay someone $2.50 an hour to take care of. They didn't need cheap illegal labor to pick produce - the Party bosses told YOU to go pick it, and you did if you didn't want to be shipped off to Siberia. Think maybe you coulda answered this one on your own with a litle thought beforehand, pal.

Answer 9

It's so good in times of screwed up situation in Iraq, Afghanistan etc. etc. there could be such a question asked :)
Hey bud, hubba that Paris Hilton chick? :)

Answer 10

Hmmm, because noone wanted to sneak into the CCCP? Because the vast majority of the CCCP's borders were in very unpopulated areas on both sides? Because the CCCP already controlled the bordering countries so they didn't care who came in and out? Because the Soviet border guards took bribes so you actually have absolutely no idea of the numbers trying to cross?