August 8, 2004

Terrorism and the Border

It's not politically correct, but a recent entry in Michelle Malkin's HOMELAND INSECURITY FILES raises a difficult issue.

Our southern border is still porous. Mexico continues to export its economic problems and our politicians and employers continue to wink at mass uncontrolled immigration.

Now that the Islamists have declared war on us, the uncontrolled border is a potential security nightmare. The terrorists who hoped to attack LA's airport at the millenium came in from Canada. Al Qaeda is not tactically stupid.

Even if one is pro-immigration, isn't it time to fence the entire border, raise the forces necessary to seal it, and CONTROL who comes in. We could, as we once did, allow unlimited immigration from the New World, or cut off immigration entirely. That's an issue for another day. For now, the issue is whether we should regain control over the border and DECIDE who gets in.

The Democrats will never do it because they define the issues as civil liberties and multiculturalism, and pander to ethnic voters who they think favor immigration. The Republicans are also attempting to pander, and are beholden to agricultural and other employers who don't want to pay U.S. wages.

Time to grasp the nettle.

1 comment:

Phoebe said...

It's to everyone's benefit to let immigrants come across the border even if the Pat Buchanan's rail against it. It serves everyone's needs--farmers, WalMart, homeowners with lawns, etc. While lots of people profess to be anti-immigrant, their actions belie their statements.

I agree that we need to manage the borders--both north and south--better, but let's not talk about "fences" as the Israelis do. (At least, presumably, we'd put a "fence" on our side of the border.) I don't believe the cretins on the right can manage this problem any better than the panderers on the left. So there.