Wayne Long is a retired US Colonel, living in Nairobi, and argues in the International Herald Tribune for a new and quite different solution to the manpower shortage faced by the US Armed Forces.

America's principal ground fighting force is stretched to breaking point. Both the active and reserve components of the U.S. Army have nearly reached their recruiting limits in strength, given attitudes in America. Fighting international terrorism simply does not have the same appeal for the post-Baby Boom generation as fighting fascism did for the generation of World War II. Understanding that the draft was no longer viable in the post-Vietnam era, the army leadership developed the All Volunteer Army in the 1970s in order to meet the defense challenges of the late 20th century, which were mostly short- term conflicts. This approach served well in Grenada, Panama and the first Gulf War. That same leadership also foresaw future situations involving protracted conflict, and determined that the army would only go into prolonged combat with the National Guard and army reserves fighting alongside the active component.

With regard to the nearly broken Army, Mr Long seems to be accurate. This point has been stated many times by civilian observers, a few forthright Congressmen like Jack Murtha, who are somewhat courageous in the face of the typical Bu$hCo ad hominem attacks that these days take the place of honest and logical debate. But Mr Long is just plain wrong in his effort to conflate WWII’s anti-fascism fight with today’s anti-terrorism battle. The fight against terrorism has not broken the Army. We were doing pretty well in Afghanistan, which was the “right” war to fight. It was Bu$hCo’s insistence on moving the fight to Iraq, which had no part of 9/11, which has broken the Army. Iraq wasn’t about terrorism, when we started there, although it certainly is now. We caused the terrorism in Iraq. Initially, Iraq was all about money, and it has cost our nation dearly.

We all know the details: insufficient planning, insufficient overarching strategy, insufficient troops, insufficient protection, insufficient food, insufficient water. Insufficient. Insufficient. Insufficient.

This arrangement has managed to delay the onset of manpower shortages in Iraq and Afghanistan, but it has not resolved the issue, and potential for conflict in Iran or Syria or elsewhere only exacerbates the problem. The United States does not have enough ground troops now, and the pace being set poses a grave risk to the army in terms of both morale and readiness.

Well, yes, because until Iran and Syria are conquered, one of the primary tenets of PNAC neoconservatism, the absolute political and military safety of Israel will remain unfulfilled. Additionally, Big Oil requires the entire Middle East area be safely under US military rule in order to enable their long-term astronomic profits.

It’s a conundrum, but Mr Long has a solution:

The good news is that there is a large untapped resource of potential manpower that has not ever been considered by the army: huge numbers of young foreign military age males who have green cards and are eagerly seeking U.S. citizenship, or are awaiting visas in their homelands. In exchange for U.S. citizenship at end of enlistment, these young men could be vetted and recruited by the army on five-year terms at recruiting stations in the United States and around the world. Placed in their own infantry units, and led by seasoned U.S. citizen officers and noncommissioned officers, they could be trained in the latest techniques of light infantry tactics and counterinsurgent warfare, and appropriately equipped for that mission - forming, in essence, an American Foreign Legion. Once ready, these Legion units could be folded into the deployment cycle of the all-U.S. units to Southwest Asia, thus easing the strain there. Eventually, this would permit a number of U.S. regular forces to be withdrawn from the deployment cycle and earmarked for other missions. Equal pay and modified benefit issues would have to be worked out, and the overall expense might require some army hi-tech developments to be placed on hold, but that would be a small price to pay for relief of the current problem.

I have to admit I gasped when I read this. It’s an idea that does have some merit, in a quirky way. I’m sure there are thousands of young men around the world who would leap at the chance for a green card, and eventual citizenship.

But is it a good idea? It worked for France, after a fashion. The Foreign Legion has a tradition of more than a century of valorous service and sacrifice. Ask a man with a kepi blanc where his loyalties lie and he will tell you it is to the Legion, and not to France. He will obey his commanders’ orders, and France has usually been scrupulously careful to staff the Legion with some of their best officers. Granted, the Algerian rebellion and subsequent assassination attempts against de Gaulle were an anomaly, but the Legion was basically a steadfast and utterly dependable part of France’s armed forces.

Can we depend upon Bu$hCo to staff this suggested American Foreign Legion with the best officers? I don’t even know where to begin.

And these forces would not be ready for two or more years, because not only is there the one year lead time for training, there would be an additional year needed for recruiting, security clearances, language training and acculturation. Can our Armed Forces “hold on” for two more years, or longer?

And why would “equal pay and benefit issues” be a concern. Are we going to treat our hired hands as second class citizens? That’s a good way to welcome them to American citizenship, isn’t it?

All superpowers, from ancient times to the modern era, have seen their civilian populations grow more and more disinclined to serve in their national defense forces. Inevitably they have all turned to mercenaries to defend their interests, thereby extending their national integrity, their ways of life and their unchallenged supremacy.

Ah. Yes. And all those superpowers are now in the dustbin of history, overwhelmed by the barbarians, including the barbarians they hired to protect them. None of the superpowers’ empires lasted, precisely because the citizenry refused to defend their rights and way of life, choosing instead the option of asking others to do it for them.

But, I might be wrong. What do you think?

More about Mr Long another time.