Would a foreign legion work in America?

Question

I just read this article:
http://www.military.com/NewContent/0,13190,Defensewatch_012104_Foreign,00.html

I see a lot of potential for security problems...

Agree? Disagree?

The basics of the idea proposed by the author:

Take the illegal immigrants in the US and allow them to work in a foreign legion and remain in the US, gaining citizenship after a few years. They would add numbers to the currently strained armed forces, provide language skills, and help guard the border.

Answer 1

I definitely agree that this would present a host of security issues.

I am glad the writer of the article was a guest writer because he is way off base. The French Foreign Legion (FFL) is a place for criminals to go and get a clean slate and some of the guys have some pretty harsh histories. None of it is common knowledge because they are not asked about it. Do we really want people like that to be citizens in the U.S.?

It would take 10 years of service to become a citizen when the person could just apply and wait 8-10 years and become one without having to risk his life or limb. The only way this benefits people is the criminal records who would not pass background checks to come to the U.S., so again I ask.. do we really want these people here?

We are going to pay someone and pay for them to be taugh English? The FFL doesn't even do that, you have to learn on the fly if you don't understand the language.

The most glaring oversight (if it is one) is the estimate of only 8 millions illegal immigrants in the U.S., I haven't seen an expert use that number for quite a while. For the longest time it has been at least 12 million illegal immigrants. What other shoddy preparation was put into the preparation of this paper?

The whole reason for this American Foreign Legion would be to get rid of the private security companies that the govt. contracts to help in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kosovo, Bosnia, etc.

So essentially, we are allowing people with criminal records to come here, pay to teach them English, train them to kill, and give them citizenship so that we can take about 5,000-7,500 jobs from Americans (that is only Iraq).

I am not sure about how others feel but that doesn't seem right to me.

Answer 2

It isn't needed. The French Foreign Legion was formed to be the heavy fist of the French government in their African colonies. It allowed France to project power overseas without any of its youth being placed at risk. Only the officers and key NCOs in the Legion were French.
Our military is the only one in the world which is committed to the defense of a piece of paper called the Constitution. That is the heart of the oath of enlistment. Illegal aliens are the last group one should rely upon to defend that document or the laws which have flowed out of it since they don't care one fig about U.S. laws.

Answer 3

Hey, that is a exelent idea, as long as we have a volunteers army and not enough soldiers, men that wanna immigrate, can first serve and prove themselves Worthy

Answer 4

we already have it to some extent
and serving will actually help with them to get legal residences

don't down vote me for telling the truth
its what I have seen from military news ads while I was In Balad Iraq

Answer 5

I'm not even CLOSE to liking that idea. Teach people how to kill and then give them citizenship? NOT!!!

Let's bring our guys home and take care of our own for once!!

Answer 6

Maybe.
What work do you want him to do?

Answer 7

agree?