Mexicans and the US army - Is this true ?

[Zur]

I was watching a documentary on the Arte channel and there was this mexican man explaining that something like a third of the US army is composed of mexicans of which a big fraction (near 50% according to the Pentagon ?) don't even have the US nationality.

His son had apparently been killed in Baghdad and was one of those mexicans serving in the army that wasn't even a citizen. The father went to Baghdad and collected some soil to bring it back to mix it with Mexican and American soil. This is following the belief the soul or essence of a person can be found in the place where they have died.

The army had asked the father where his son should be buried, offered about $4000 for the funeral but then explained that the total cost would be about $7000. This for someone who died serving for a country which wasn't even his own...

 

[spineblaZe]

Non US citizens in the US Army huh? How are they getting paid, cash???

 

[Swarthy_Foreskin]

They get their citizenship when they get out, I believe.

 

[Cat Fuzz]

Non US citizens in the US Army huh? How are they getting paid, cash???

Um, this is not a new thing. You don't have to be a citizen to serve in the US military. You do have to be legal, though.

 

[spineblaZe]

Doh! I didn't know that.

 

[Zur]

Non US citizens in the US Army huh? How are they getting paid, cash???

Just like any other soldier I believe. They just don't have a "green card".

 

[Sam_The_Man]

So they can fight and die for their country but not be elected to run it.

Now that's what I call democracy!

 

[GeneticFreak]

Um, this is not a new thing. You don't have to be a citizen to serve in the US military. You do have to be legal, though.

Sounds like the French Legionnaires to me.

Now you can't make fun of the French by saying "they can't even fight their own war" anymore

 

[Cat Fuzz]

Sounds like the French Legionnaires to me.

Now you can't make fun of the French by saying "they can't even fight their own war" anymore

Oh, ok. You owned me.

 

[bobtheking]

So they can fight and die for their country but not be elected to run it.

Now that's what I call democracy!

non-citizens can't be drafted either. this guy chose to be in the military, i see nothing wrong with anything here, except for 1/3rd of the army being mexican. i don't believe that statistic.

 

[Zur]

except for 1/3rd of the army being mexican. i don't believe that statistic.

The proportion did seem big to me and I may have misunderstood what was being said. However, there's probably still a non-negligeable percentage of mexicans in the army of which some don't have the nationality.

That said, it's not uncommon to see this among civilians too, apparently, as one guy being interviewed explained that he'd been sent back after having a car accident or something and his wife and kids were still in the States.

I'll add that the way the border is guarded, a few mexicans die every week trying to get to the States through desertland on foot and without water. It would seem that the free circulation of goods has put a further dent into the local economy over there.

 

[Iron Archer]

So they can fight and die for their country but not be elected to run it.

Now that's what I call democracy!

I was in the army. I don't aspire to become president, and I'm not Mexican. Your point is moot.

[SARCASM]Think of how many times Arnie has risked his life for teh US and the world!!! [/SARCASM] and he still can't be president

 

[Sam_The_Man]

I was in the army. I don't aspire to become president, and I'm not Mexican. Your point is moot.

Goddamnit .

Oh wait, your post had absolutely nothing to do with anyone. Whoops @ me.

[sarcasm]Think how many times Bush has risked his life for the US and the world![/sarcasm]

and yet he is President.

 

[GeneticFreak]

Well, if you put it that way...

Aragorn for King of Middle East!

 

[SnaKe-Fu]

So they can fight and die for their country but not be elected to run it.

Now that's what I call democracy!

I dont think anyone who wasnt born in this country should be able to run it. How would the president have responded if he was from the middle east after 9-11? Or lets say we had a Mexican president and for some reason we go to war or had to close the boarders due to an outbreak or something to that nature... could the president do it? Hard to say, but probably not because that would be where he has family, friends, etc.

$0.02

 

[W0RF]

So they can fight and die for their country but not be elected to run it.

Absolutely they can! Just not the Presidency.

 

[Iron Archer]

Goddamnit .

[sarcasm]Think how many times Bush has risked his life for the US and the world![/sarcasm]

and yet he is President.

That has to be the dumbest thing I've heard from you Sam. Just being the president of the US opens you up for all kinds of threats. I thought you were smarter than that.

Sam, you were a role model to me! That sharp tongue and superior intellect only rivaled by John Kerry. Who will be my role model now?

 

[GeneticFreak]

I dont think anyone who wasnt born in this country should be able to run it. How would the president have responded if he was from the middle east after 9-11? Or lets say we had a Mexican president and for some reason we go to war or had to close the boarders due to an outbreak or something to that nature... could the president do it? Hard to say, but probably not because that would be where he has family, friends, etc.

$0.02

Hey what about Arnie? That guy has been in USA forever, hell, that guy has even become one of America's icons.

 

[W0RF]

Arnie cannot serve, as the Constitution requires he be a natural-born US citizen.

However, he'd like to be the catalyst that opens up the office to foreign-born nationals.

 

[seagreenbeetle]

I'll add that the way the border is guarded, a few mexicans die every week trying to get to the States through desertland on foot and without water. It would seem that the free circulation of goods has put a further dent into the local economy over there.

its more than just a few.

this place is wacky and sometimes i just want to leave.