Border Security For Iraq, But Not For U.S.
By Dave Gibson (01/27/05)
The Bush administration is using U.S. combat troops to patrol the borders which define Iraq. In fact, they have announced that there will be a complete lockdown on Iraq's borders during that nation's upcoming elections. While protecting Iraq's borders is a top priority for our president, he seems to have little regard for our own.
In a recent interview with USA Today, Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge announced that President Bush's 2006 budget will not include the promised 2,000 extra Border Patrol agents. The intelligence bill passed last December called for adding twice the number of current border agents, over the next five years. There are currently close to 11,000 U.S. Border Patrol agents, that force is woefully inadequate.
Ridge said: "It's nice to say you're going to have 10,000 more Border Patrol agents in five years, but what other part of Homeland Security do you want to take the money from?"
Not only was the highly political intelligence bill, little more than window dressing...now we see that it was completely meaningless. In President Bush, we have a leader who seems to have great difficulty with the law. Bush wants to grant so-called "temporary guest worker permits," which amounts to amnesty for all illegal aliens and would do nothing but encourage more to cross the border illegally. He now has apparently, disregarded the most important part of a bill which was passed by Congress and signed into law by the President. Why did he bother signing it?
The Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) under President Bush, has effectively stopped pursuing and deporting illegal Mexican immigrants. Bush further eluded to his wish to an open border with Mexico, during his final news conference before leaving for Christmas vacation. Bush said: "We want our Border Patrol you know...chasing crooks and thieves and terrorists, not good-hearted people coming here to do jobs Americans won't do."
Either President Bush does not understand the law, or he has no respect for it. Bush's attitude on this issue also shows a complete lack of compassion for the people living in those border states. He seems to put the interests of Mexican citizens, before those of Americans.
The Bush administration recently announced that they would ask for $80 billion for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. That is in addition to the $200 billion that the U.S. has already spent on those 'nation-building' efforts. Bush also committed $350 million of U.S. taxpayer funds to tsunami aid relief, which has now been turned over to the corrupt United Nations. Taxpayers were even forced to spend $17 million for Bush's inauguration security!
So we see that Bush has no problem spending the hard-earned dollars of American workers. He does however, have a problem putting resources into securing the Mexican border.
Bush understands the need for a nation to secure it's borders, otherwise he would not commit U.S. soldiers to risk their lives to do so for Iraq. What a shame it is, that the 'party of Lincoln' now has as it's leader, a man who places the sovereignty of other nations--above that of his own.
(Printer friendly version) Email: Dave Gibson
