Wall.

This is coolbert:

As I have said, the illegal alien question and the whole subject of illegal immigration now plaguing the U.S. IS a hot button topic for talk radio.

It has been suggested that PART of the solution to the illegal alien problem is to build a "wall" along the border with Mexico.

An extension of a currently existing border barrier is contemplated. Contemplated at this point only. An IDEA for consideration.

This whole idea of a physical barrier between the U.S. and it's neighbors just seems to bother the large majority of Americans. Americans like to think of their country as an open land, without barriers to movement. Our ideal is a free people able to move about at will, without constraint. The European model of all persons possessing "papers" that must be shown to the authorities at any time just seems to smack of authoritarian rule, this practice not being something aspired to.

Building a "wall" along the border with Mexico IS a consideration, but a consideration taken with a lot of hesitation.

Other nations around the world do not have the qualms regarding walls that are found in the U.S.

The Israeli "wall" of course is well known.

NOT actually a full wall. A wall where two villages, Israeli and Palestinian, are within sniper fire of one another. In those circumstances where two villages do live in close proximity, an eighteen foot concrete wall is built.

That eighteen foot wall is a favorite of the international TV crews. Photographed over and over.

What is not normally seen by the public is the much longer "wall" separating the Israeli and Palestinian. NOT a wall. A fence, stoutly built, with a service road, anti-tank type ditch, and a plowed area perhaps containing landmines.

[the plowed area is hard to walk through to begin with. If the area is plowed on a regular basis, footprints of intruders will be highly visible. Plowing regularly seems to negate the use of landmines, maybe yes, maybe no.]

The main portion of the Israeli "wall" is guarded with sensors, cameras, etc. Has troops that patrol the "wall" who can respond to intruders.

India too is a much lesser known example of how a nation can guard it's borders effectively using a "wall".

Sometime this year India WILL complete a 2500 mile long fence on it's border with Bangladesh.




[that length is about as long, maybe longer, than such a similar fence the U.S. would have to build on the border with Mexico!!]

This barrier to movement between India and Bangladesh consists of two twelve foot high fences, with razor in between, lit at night, and patrolled by armed troops.

India too has an enormous smuggling, terrorist, and illegal "immigration" problem with Bangladesh. [Bangladesh is the Mexico for India much as Mexico is the Bangladesh for the U.S.]

Barriers of these types tend to be EFFECTIVE!!

Should NOT be thought, however, as being 100 % panaceas.

Should be thought of as a controlling mechanism. Brings the level of illegal intrusion by illegal aliens down to a manageable level.

Walls, fences, and other obstacles are never intended to totally stop intruders. Just to make the job of the intruder MUCH more difficult.

Maintenance and constant patrolling of the fences of walls is A MUST. You just cannot hope to build such a structure and that is that!! This must be understood from the start.

An American wall on the border with Mexico would in all probability take it's cue from the "walls" built by Israel and India on the borders with their neighbors. Fences, double, razor wire, lights, service road, plowed area, sensors, cameras, reaction force, patrolling, etc. High concrete walls built where necessary.

In addition I would consider spraying that plowed area at regular intervals with a persistent non-lethal chemical agent. An agent that would stirred up with dust when somebody trespasses the "wall". A non-lethal but very irritating agent that would effect eyes, skin, breathing. A riot type agent that would make would-be intruders extremely uncomfortable.

A FENCE RUNNING THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE BORDER. MERELY RUNNING FOR A PORTION OF THE BORDER SHOWS A LACK OF RESOLVE THAT WOULD BE PICKED UPON INSTANTLY BY WOULD-BE INTRUDERS, COYOTES [smugglers of humans along the border are referred to as coyotes], TERRORISTS, DRUG SMUGGLERS, ETC.

Do I think such a "wall" will be built? NO!

Expense is not the issue. It is estimated to build a "wall" along the border with Mexico would cost about $2 billion. This cost is small conpared to other costs ALREADY spent on illegal aliens in the U.S. right NOW!

The will is lacking. Right now the debate is to build the wall or NOT build a wall? Is the wall to be actual or virtual? Is the wall to be an extension of what already exists or a totally new structure? Is the wall to be 300 miles long or 700 miles if built?

See, will is lacking.

coolbert.