Protection at all costs

Citizens of countries labeled by the U.S. State Department as terrorism sponsors (Iran, Iraq, Sudan and Libya) are now fingerprinted and registered upon arrival and departure, interviewed at an Immigration and Naturalization Services office for stays longer than 30 days and notify the INS within 10 days of a change of residence, academic institution or employment. Now the program is to include Egyptian, Saudi Arabian, Yemeni and Pakistani males ages 16 to 45. Other foreign nationals who the INS suspect as security risks are also required to register.\nThese measures are necessary in the war on terrorism, enabling us to distinguish terrorists from immigrants. The standards are narrow, and yes, terrorists can fall outside of the age, sex and nationality categories. The INS has limited resources, and this is an important addition to policy we hope will broaden, including registration of as many foreigners as possible.\nOpponents to INS' regulations don't realize restrictions on non-citizens are necessary when civilians become the majority of casualties in so-called modern warfare.\nOn Oct. 8, President Bush quoted JFK saying, "We no longer live in a world … where only the actual firing of weapons represents a sufficient challenge to a nation's security to constitute maximum peril." It's sad when we can't welcome visitors with the same hospitality as our citizens, but how can we justify putting foreigners before the safety of U.S. citizens? Most credible threats against Americans come from citizens of the Arab world. It was citizens of these countries, after all, that have orchestrated the deaths of Americans in the U.S. and abroad. Of the hijackers, 15 of the 19 were from Saudi Arabia.\nPakistani, Egyptian and Saudi Arabian help in the war on terrorism has been invaluable. The objective of these policies is to catch the criminals these countries are arresting themselves. And in the wake of attacks on the World Trade Center, Pentagon, U.S.S. Cole and U.S. embassies abroad, how can we not take reasonable measures to protect ourselves?\nIf foreigners aren't willing to register, they may go elsewhere. The government has a duty to protect its citizens. The profiling and registration of foreign nationals is necessary in preventing another terrorist attack on U.S. soil. \n