Posted by
Eric on Monday, March 23, 2009 8:54:00 AM
I was listening to some news about more trouble in Mexico, and on our borders, and for some reason the Maginot Line popped into my head. For those of you who need some brushing up on history, the Maginot Line was a line of concrete and steel defenses that stretched between Luxembourg and Switzerland along France's border with Germany. It had three interdependent fortified belts with anti-tank emplacements and pillboxes standing in front of bombproof artillery casements. Named after Andre Maginot, the French war minister at the time, it cost 7,000 francs to build and was claimed at the time to provide an impregnable defense against the German army. The Line has been blamed for the fall of France in 1940. I read somewhere that this was caused by a mixture of moral and political degeneration and blindness of military authorities to the development of warfare after 1918. Now the French were cocking with beliefs that the Germans could never get through the line, but the Maginot Line was defeated not by a massive German mechanized outflanking maneuver which forced the collapse of the French military, the hasty but miraculous extrication of British and French forces at Dunkirk, and the surrender of the French nation. A very intriguing line, that seemed impenetrable, only to become a liability.
Now, you may be wondering where does this fit in with the current situation with Mexico and the border? Well, I was thinking that while Germany had many different reasons for the invasion of France, Mexico has been invading the U.S in different ways with different consequences, and I'll explain.Our borders have had many problems of very dangerous people, with no respect for the law, crossing into our great nation. In Mexico, cops are killed and bribes to judges occur all the time. Lawlessness seems to be running free in our neighboring country to the south, and drugs seem to pour across the border into our cities and states.
You've read how easily it was for the German Army to cause the surrender of the French because of political degeneration and the "we can't be hurt" attitude, and I see this is eerily similar to current situation. Now Mexico is not against us: illegals and the drug cartel seem to be though. Many illegal immigrants work for cash through cheap labor, and in return they travel back to Mexico to help their families. Now, I know that it's good that they help their family, but they also undercut many business here because of the cheap labor, and the money is not used in our economy whatsoever. The drug cartel rakes in cash and tends to leave dead bodies in their wake. Terrorists could find ways of sneaking into our southern borders if it weren't for the brave men and women on our border protecting us.
Now, I'm not advocating we build or do not build a wall on the border, as the Maginot Line, but our current political leaders with their amnesty ideal to gain voters bereft of the consequences that it could instigate, which could continue to ignore people who shouldn't be in the country to dangerous and potentially disastrous ends. I mentioned t he Maginot Line because I see history repeating itself in a different situation. The potential degradation of America may come through politics and the "we can't be hurt" attitude. If we are to build a wall, I wouldn't mind. Certain programs or organizations (ACORN) could be cut for funding. I wonder, why many leftists protect illegals because of party affiliations and agendas, and forget the results that could affect this country. Whether or not our "leaders" increase the border patrol, or add an increase military presence there, we will continue to voice our concern for this subject. I just hope we don't become like the French in the 40's, and focus on other areas thinking little of the problems that are occurring on our countries doorstep.
I'd like to hear your take on this thought.