Posted on 11/22/2004 1:57:46 AM PST by The Loan Arranger
With the current intense battle for Fallujah in Iraq, as well as the security concerns there; as well as the ongoing situation in Afghanistan and the rest of the World-Wide war on terror, the time has come to ponder an American Foreign Legion. Our country seems to have three clear choices: 1. Abandon Iraq and Afghanistan (unacceptable for many reasons), 2. institute a draft to increase the size of a military that is currently stretched too thin, or 3. form a foreign legion, made up of volunteers from other countries, with American Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) and Officers.
Volunteers would be sought from any nation (save those considered a terrorist state), but no one country should contribute more than 15% of the total (to keep legionnaires from sedition, espionage, insurrection, mutiny, or revolt). Well-qualified American NCOs should staff the beginning Legion, to be replaced by legionnaires promoted from the ranks, as available. Legion units will always be commanded by American officers. Recruitment will be effected by good pay (by third-world standards), room & board, uniforms, espirit de corps, U.S. citizenship upon completion of a satisfactory first five-year enlistment, and retirement at the end of twenty- five years. Volunteers will have their backgrounds checked as thoroughly as is possible, of course. Recruiting from many nation will also help with the current shortage of translators and linguists.
(Excerpt) Read more at useless-knowledge.com ...
If you can get here and establish residency for a month, pass the physical and testing, your in. That's current requirements.
The basic qualifications for enlistment in the U.S. Army include:
• being from 17 to 34 years old
• be a U.S. citizen or resident alien, (must have the I-551)
• have a high school diploma or equivalent (such as a GED)
• be single with no children or married with 2 or less children
• pass the ASVAB test and
• pass the physical
To be classified as a resident alien, the individual must meet one of two tests:
1. Green Card Test
A non-resident alien is a lawful permanent resident of the U.S. at any time if they have been given the privilege, according to the immigration laws, of residing permanently as an immigrant. This status usually exists if the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services has issued a green card.
2. Substantial Presence Test
A non-resident alien is classified as a resident alien for tax purposes if they were physically present in the U.S. for 31 days during the current year and 183 days during a three-year period that includes the current year and the two years immediately before that.
I was under the impression that the reason we do not have more men under arms is because of the cost not because there are no volunteers.The Army,in particular, has wanted to pursue expensive weapons systems as opposed to adding men and their subsequent cost in salary and benefits.
We are a nation of almost 300 million. We could have a standing Armed Forces of 6 million if we wanted to pay for it.The men and women are there it is just a matter of the government deciding to do it.
How would someone from say, Upper Volta, the Philippines, Chad or Sierra Leone get here when the average annual family income in those countries is much less than a plane ticket? Under the American Foreign Legion plan, recruiters would visit certain centralized locations around the world, at pre-set times, testing and screening applicants, and providing transport to those selected to their basic training base (I'm thinking Fort Irwin or Fort Benning, or some-such) Most third-world citizens can't feasibly get here.
"We are a nation of almost 300 million. We could have a standing Armed Forces of 6 million if we wanted to pay for it.The men and women are there it is just a matter of the government deciding to do it."
We wouldn't be paying US Army wages to the foreign legion, but still enough for them to send money home. Their basic needs (3 hots & a cot, medical/dental, toiletries)would be provided for, with some "spending money". It would be FAR LESS expensive than the comperable number of US GIs.
>It would be FAR LESS expensive than the comperable number of
>US GIs.
And far less effective.
Don't we have 70,000 troops in Germany doing nothing?
Our options will limit at warp speed if Iraq does not improve measurably after the January elections. Even if it does there is small prospect for the withdrawal of forces in the foreseeable future.
The obvious strategic objective of the insurgents is to attride us into a bug out. They almost succeeded on Nov. 2. and would have with a better showing in Ohio by the appeasers. Don't misunderestimate the power of the MSM to raise the threshold of tolerance for casualties up to the level the terrorists can inflict. Long term, the situation status quo is untenable for us.
A foreign legion offers a problem which has plagued the American military since at least Vietnam and probably Korea, the nation is allergic to casualties. So we substitute tech for blood and have done so brilliantly but not wholly successfully.
Second, the Legion, if made up of Muslims has obvious propaganda value and avoids propaganda criticisms.
Third, a Legion can be meaner.
Fourth, if we conclude that Iraquization of the war is not working because the tribalism or the morale problems simply impede the creation of an effective indigenous force, we will have no other attractive option. Allies are problematical and the UN is hopeless, the draft is a non starter.
Finally, the Gurkas for the Brits, and the Legion for the Frogs have worked out well. If we do not solve the force problem we will have very little leverage on the Iranians who are not stupid and know that our options at this point are realistically limited to air strikes to take out their nukes, and this without UN sanction and in the teeth of European hysteria.
"Don't we have 70,000 troops in Germany doing nothing?"
Last time I checked we still had them there unless the UFOs have abducted them.
Let them stay there! Sorry I'm not into globalizing the US military.
Interesting.
Another solution would be to pay all military starting at $60,000 per year for foot soldiers, plus terrific quarters for them and their families. I am really bothered at the miserly payment compared with millions for the victims of 9/11.
http://www.theglobalist.com/DBWeb/StoryId.aspx?StoryId=3601
"In fact, the U.S. role model for the outsourcing model ought to be the French, whom Americans now love to accuse of being wimpy and accommodating.
Those smart French
In reality, they have been extremely tough in administering their empire and retaining their influence in many of their former colonies in the post-World War II decades."
What treaties?
We won our wars.Limits are imposed on losers who surrender unconditionally.We may have agreed to troop levels stationed in Europe with the Soviets but not our entire Army. I strongly disagree with this.If you have any references to said treaties would appreciate a link.
The basic supposition is flawed as many of the posts below point out. We have the best forces in our nations history. A draft would provide unmotivated bodies. You can see the problems we are having just training up the Iraqs.
There are a three options as I see it. One, expand the present military and realign the ratio of frontline troops to support troops. This is being done somewhat now by Rumsfeld, but it takes time and you have to fight through the buracracy. Two, go out on the open market and continue to move more and more of the support duties to the Blackwaters and Dyncorp type companies. We do a lot more of this now than the public realizes now. Three, and this was mentioned in one of the posts below, develop and support Companies of Gurkhas. The Brits maintained these troops for hundreds of years and they are some of the best and most underutilized fighting forces in the world. As the Brits pulled back and shrunk back from their once global position they kept cutting back on their Gurkha companies. We should have the Brits help up develop the relationship with the Gurkhas and begin to support them. You cannot believe how good these people are. They are some of the best and most fearless warrior in the world and they can fight anywhere, but they require special handling.
Well, they do prop up the local government while Bonn spits in our eye.
Fair trade off. : )
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