AlonzoMourning23
06-02-2006, 07:36 AM
It turns out that Rep. J.D. Hayworth was 100 percent correct about the dangers of our porous and, in many places, completely unprotected border.
No, not that one.
The other one.
Over the weekend, the U.S. State Department issued a report on terrorism that reads in part: "Terrorists have capitalized on liberal Canadian immigration and asylum policies to enjoy safe haven, raise funds, arrange logistical support and plan terrorist attacks."
It seems that while we've been getting all worked up about a Spanish version of The Star-Spangled Banner, we should have been reworking the Canadian national anthem to something called Uh-Oh Canada.
Give Hayworth credit for at least recognizing the potential problem.
In the congressman's book on immigration and border security, Whatever It Takes, he mentions our northern neighbor early on, writing:
"Canada - with which we share an almost 4,000-mile-long border patrolled by only about 1,000 Border Patrol agents - poses particular problems because it has been a refuge for terrorists."
Hayworth tells the stories of several terrorists who were found to have operated out of Canada.
For instance, he notes: "We all remember the case of the alert Border Patrol agent who caught Ahmed Ressam trying to cross from Canada into Washington State in a car packed with explosives. Ressam's plan was to blow up Los Angeles International Airport during the millennium celebrations."
Ressam was later convicted on nine counts, including conspiracy to commit an international terrorist act.
And yet over the past many months and the passage of competing bills from the House of Representatives and the Senate, the last one meant to appropriate roughly $2 billion dollars, have you heard any politicians talking about Canada?
Me neither.
At the same time, the State Department terrorism report that warns about Canada had complimentary things to say about Mexico.
I asked Hayworth about this earlier this week, and his office sent me a statement from the congressman. It reads in part:
"In terms of a terrorist threat, our northern border is as big a worry as our southern border. Canada has long been viewed as an almost safe haven for terrorists. Maybe that will change with the new prime minister, but it's a chance we cannot afford to take. . . . The cost of securing both borders would be substantial, but the cost of doing nothing could be even greater."
And yet we don't talk much about both borders, but instead spend our time and money on plans to stop carpenters, bricklayers and landscapers from entering from the south. Not because our politicians believe that it's the best thing to do but because they believe that it's the best way for them to get re-elected.
I wrote a blog item (montiniblog.az central.com) about this a few days ago, to which one man responded:
"First they send Labatt's, William Shatner, Bryan Adams and Celine Dion. Now this? I demand action!"
Until something bad happens or the politicians figure out a way to get us all worked up about something other than Mexico, our concern over our neighbor to the north could be best summed up by something the gangster Al Capone said a long time ago. That is: "I don't even know what street Canada is on."
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/0601montini0601.html
No, not that one.
The other one.
Over the weekend, the U.S. State Department issued a report on terrorism that reads in part: "Terrorists have capitalized on liberal Canadian immigration and asylum policies to enjoy safe haven, raise funds, arrange logistical support and plan terrorist attacks."
It seems that while we've been getting all worked up about a Spanish version of The Star-Spangled Banner, we should have been reworking the Canadian national anthem to something called Uh-Oh Canada.
Give Hayworth credit for at least recognizing the potential problem.
In the congressman's book on immigration and border security, Whatever It Takes, he mentions our northern neighbor early on, writing:
"Canada - with which we share an almost 4,000-mile-long border patrolled by only about 1,000 Border Patrol agents - poses particular problems because it has been a refuge for terrorists."
Hayworth tells the stories of several terrorists who were found to have operated out of Canada.
For instance, he notes: "We all remember the case of the alert Border Patrol agent who caught Ahmed Ressam trying to cross from Canada into Washington State in a car packed with explosives. Ressam's plan was to blow up Los Angeles International Airport during the millennium celebrations."
Ressam was later convicted on nine counts, including conspiracy to commit an international terrorist act.
And yet over the past many months and the passage of competing bills from the House of Representatives and the Senate, the last one meant to appropriate roughly $2 billion dollars, have you heard any politicians talking about Canada?
Me neither.
At the same time, the State Department terrorism report that warns about Canada had complimentary things to say about Mexico.
I asked Hayworth about this earlier this week, and his office sent me a statement from the congressman. It reads in part:
"In terms of a terrorist threat, our northern border is as big a worry as our southern border. Canada has long been viewed as an almost safe haven for terrorists. Maybe that will change with the new prime minister, but it's a chance we cannot afford to take. . . . The cost of securing both borders would be substantial, but the cost of doing nothing could be even greater."
And yet we don't talk much about both borders, but instead spend our time and money on plans to stop carpenters, bricklayers and landscapers from entering from the south. Not because our politicians believe that it's the best thing to do but because they believe that it's the best way for them to get re-elected.
I wrote a blog item (montiniblog.az central.com) about this a few days ago, to which one man responded:
"First they send Labatt's, William Shatner, Bryan Adams and Celine Dion. Now this? I demand action!"
Until something bad happens or the politicians figure out a way to get us all worked up about something other than Mexico, our concern over our neighbor to the north could be best summed up by something the gangster Al Capone said a long time ago. That is: "I don't even know what street Canada is on."
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/0601montini0601.html