The American military faces two major challenges in today's world: recruitment and foreign military campaigns. These challenges coincide with the recent surge of illegal immigration, primarily from Latin America. However, there is a way to kill these three birds with one stone: by establishing an American Foreign Legion.

The primary example of a foreign legion is that of the French, which has done the dirty work of French foreign policy for over six decades. The French accept non-citizens into their ranks to serve in 20 year tours. These Legionnaires are some of the most well-trained, toughest fighters in the world, heroically defending the honor of a society that they do not even yet belong to; at the end of their 20 years of service, they become French citizens.

An American foreign legion could work in much the same way. Would-be immigrants desperate to access America's "land of opportunity" could enlist in the legion and follow the commands of the government. The legionnaires would get similar benefits and pay to American enlisted men, and could use this to settle their families in America. This service would more rapidly integrate them into American society, get their families off to a good start, and supply the American armed forces with a much needed supply of able-bodied and willing troops.

Imagine a huge group of well-armed, organized, loyal non-citizens plowing through a nation we chose to attack. These legionnaires would be excited to stand up for American ideals, knowing the whole time that their family was gaining all the benefits of American life. Every day, they would grow closer and closer to the end of their 20 year term, American citizenship, and a comfortable pension.

Today illegal immigrants from Cuba cannot join the armed forces and struggle to make ends meet in a country that largely does not want them. If caught, they are expelled. An American Foreign Legion would benefit the immigrants and assist our armed services, while at the same time promote the concept of a multicultural and global America. Subsequent administrations should consider this concept, and help propel America into the future.