The Great Wall of Nogales?

AZZenny · November 18th, 2005, 05:57 AM

Should they build a fence? How high?
Should we spend a little extra for public art to decorate it so it doesn't look like Berlin? Why can't they just do some kind of invisible electronic fence like for dogs? Or a pirahna-filled moat? Or just 'doze a half-mile wide strip and plant land mines, maybe? Or do it big, make another Great Wall.

maddogkf · November 18th, 2005, 05:57 AM

hells ya - 22' high with razor wire & electric panels. sharks with laser beam eyes in a boiling lava moat.

sniper towers every 500 yards.

PortlandCardFan · November 18th, 2005, 06:14 AM

similiar to the 'Great wall of China' but more modern.

RedStorm · November 18th, 2005, 06:18 AM

A fence to start but we need to beef up patrols and survelience as well.

Fences are meant to be dug under.

DKCards · November 18th, 2005, 06:24 AM

We could do it as a joint program with Mexico and hire illegals to build it.

justAndy · November 18th, 2005, 06:29 AM

When I was a younger kid, I went to the border between East and West Germany.
Tall fence / negative slope - deep, wide steep sided ditch - another fence w/ watchtowers manned w/ E. German snipers - another ditch - another fence.

In our case -
Is it practical?
Do the positives outweigh the costs?

DjaugheOld · November 18th, 2005, 06:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by justAndy

When I was a younger kid, I went to the border between East and West Germany.
Tall fence / negative slope - deep, wide steep sided ditch - another fence w/ watchtowers manned w/ E. German snipers - another ditch - another fence.

In our case -
Is it practical?
Do the positives outweigh the costs?

The East Germans were trying to keep their citizens from defecting to West Germany...are you suggesting the true intent is to keep Americans from going to rocky point?

PortlandCardFan · November 18th, 2005, 06:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DKCards

We could do it as a joint program with Mexico and hire illegals to build it.

Just make sure that when they are done.... they are on the south side of the wall!

justAndy · November 18th, 2005, 06:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Djaughe

The East Germans were trying to keep their citizens from defecting to West Germany...are you suggesting the true intent is to keep Americans from going to rocky point?

The East Germans looked mostly into their own territory - we would be looking into Mexico.

DjaugheOld · November 18th, 2005, 06:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by justAndy

The East Germans looked mostly into their own territory - we would be looking into Mexico.

How so?

justAndy · November 18th, 2005, 06:43 AM

The east Germans were looking to shoot anyone trying to cross the border FROM their side, we will look to shoot those trying to cross TO our side.
I know you're just messing with me...

AZZenny · November 18th, 2005, 06:47 AM

Sorry, originally meant to post this as a link:

Momentum Builds for U.S.-Mexican Border FenceBy Mimi Hall, USA TODAY

(Nov. 17) - A once-radical idea to build a 2,000-mile steel-and-wire fence on the U.S.-Mexican border is gaining momentum amid warnings that terrorists can easily sneak into the country.

In Congress, a powerful Republican lawmaker this week proposed building such a fence across the entire border and two dozen other lawmakers signed on. And via the Internet, a group called weneedafence.com has raised enough money to air TV ads warning that the border is open to terrorists.

Even at the Homeland Security Department, which opposes building a border-long fence, Secretary Michael Chertoff this fall waived environmental laws so that construction can continue on a 14-mile section of fence near San Diego that has helped border agents stem the flow of illegal migrants and drug runners.

"You have to be able to enforce your borders," says California Rep. Duncan Hunter, the Republican chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. He's proposing a fence from San Diego to Brownsville, Texas. "It's no longer just an immigration issue. It's now a national security issue."

Colin Hanna of weneedafence.com says "there is incredible momentum on this issue," fueled by the specter of another Sept. 11. His group aired TV ads in Washington, D.C., this fall and plans more next year.

Fencing the border, originally proposed in the debate over how to stop illegal immigration, is controversial. The Bush administration argues that a Berlin Wall-style barrier would be a huge waste of money - costing up to $8 billion.

Border Patrol Chief David Aguilar says it makes more sense to use a mix of additional agents, better surveillance and tougher enforcement of immigration laws - and fences.

But Hunter points to the experience in San Diego, where the number of illegal migrants arrested is one-sixth of what it was before the fence was built.

"People have made stupid editorial comments about the Great Wall of China," he says, "but the only thing that has worked is that fence."

CardLogic · November 18th, 2005, 07:32 AM

"The Great Wall of Nogales"

Has a nice ring to it!

Seriously, I think it might slightly reduce traffic, but it is a flawed idea...
What about tunneling? Several elaborate tunnels have been discovered already. Entrance is inside a home or structure in Mexico, Exit is inside a home or structure inside the U.S. Build a fence, and there will be a lot more tunnels.

This is an economic problem. As long as the potential benefits outweigh the risks/costs the flow will continue...

krepitch · November 18th, 2005, 07:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CardLogic

This is an economic problem. As long as the potential benefits outweigh the risks/costs the flow will continue...

The real solution is to help Mexico become a first world country.

My recommendation for a name for this wall would be something like Maginot Line, Part Deux.

CaptTurbo · November 18th, 2005, 08:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by krepitch

The real solution is to help Mexico become a first world country.

My god I hope thats a joke.