Well, what the Aussies are essentially doing is recruiting mercenaries with the promise of citizenship. Not such a problem here because the people they’re recruiting are culturally very similar (Us, Canada, UK, etc.). Not such a great idea when, like the late Western Romans, you recruit foreigners who are very culturally different from you. That’s why our own program of handing out citizenship to Latin Americans and others who join the Army isn’t such a great idea.
Our policy is fine, because those Latin Americans already speak English, and are seeking the American dream more aggressively than many Americans. The fact is that a good part of this country has a Spanish influence, from Florida to California, and those places integrated well into this country; I don’t associate those soldiers with fence-hopping gangbangers in LA, and certainly don’t see them waving a Mexican flag in a May Day celebration a few years down the road.
I’d think I’d like Australia. Too bad I am 40ish and have a few minor health problems. I do have 20/20 vision thanks to LASIK, strong background in computer hardware, broadcast television, and some other things, wonder how they would be on waivers?