Thread: Obama considers using National Guard in border drug war

Obama considers using National Guard in border drug war

Mar. 11, 2009 04:38 PM
McClatchy Newspapers

WASHINGTON - President Obama weighed in Wednesday on the escalating drug war on the U.S.-Mexico border, saying he was looking at possibly deploying National Guard troops to contain the violence, but ruling out any immediate military move.

"We're going to examine whether and if National Guard deployments would make sense and under what circumstances they would make sense," Obama said during an interview with journalists for regional papers, including a McClatchy reporter.

"I don't have a particular tipping point in mind," he said. "I think it's unacceptable if you've got drug gangs crossing our borders and killing U.S. citizens."

Already this year there have been 1,000 people killed in Mexico along the border, following 2008's death toll of 5,800, according to federal officials who credit Mexican President Felipe Calderon for a crackdown on drug cartels.

But the spillover on the border - for example, to El Paso from neighboring Ciudad Juarez - has created a political reaction.

In a recent visit to El Paso, Texas Gov. Rick Perry called for 1,000 troops to protect the border.

Obama was cautious, however. "We've got a very big border with Mexico," he said. "I'm not interested in militarizing the border."

The president praised Calderon, "who I believe is really working hard and taking some extraordinary risks under extraordinary pressure to deal with the drug cartels and the corresponding violence that's erupted along the borders."

Rep. Loretta Sanchez, D-Calif., chair of a key subcommittee on border security, will hold a hearing Thursday on Mexican border violence.

"Last week Mexico sent an additional 3,200 soldiers to the border," Sanchez said in a prepared opening statement for the hearing, "increasing the total number of Mexican soldiers combating drug cartels to more than 45,000."

Sanchez chairs the House Committee on Homeland Security's subcommittee on border, maritime and global counterterrorism.

"It should be noted that over 200 U.S. citizens have been killed in this drug war, either because they were involved in the cartels or were innocent bystanders," she said. "With those concerns in mind, it is essential that the Department of Homeland Security, along with other relevant departments, continue to pursue a contingency plan to address spillover' violence along our border."

At a hearing this week, Rep. Kay Granger, R-Texas, who visited Mexico last month as part of a congressional delegation tour, praised the so-called Merida Initiative - a drug cartel-fighting agreement between the U.S. and Mexico that provides Mexico with $1.4 billion to control drug trafficking.

"From helicopters and surveillance planes to non-intrusive inspection equipment, the U.S. investment is intended to provide the hardware necessary for the Mexican government to extend its authority to those remote and hard-to-access parts of the country ravaged by the drug trade," said Granger.

That agreement between Calderon and President George W. Bush will be updated, Obama said.

"We expect to have a comprehensive approach to dealing with these issues of border security that will involve supporting Calderon and his efforts in a partnership, also making sure we are dealing with the flow of drug money and guns south, because it's really a two-way situation there," said Obama.

"The drugs are coming north, we're sending funds and guns south," he said. "As a consequence, these cartels have gained extraordinary power. Our expectation is to have a comprehensive policy in place in the next few months."

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/ ... 11-ON.html

Yes we need troops on the border, but NOW! We also need to get our kids our of foreign wars to defend the home front with these drug cartels NOW.

dont say it barack

SHOW ME THAT YOUR SERIOUS

As best I can figure out we have about 37,000 troops in South Korea and we need all of them here on our border more than we need them there.

I'm not convinced about his wording. Sounds more like we'll send them down there and not really allow them to do anything.

"It should be noted that over 200 U.S. citizens have been killed in this drug war, either because they were involved in the cartels or were innocent bystanders," she said.

Can you believe this traitor? What about the 20,000 Americans killed by illegal aliens, you didn't give a damn about them. Because having power for your race is more important than American lives.

"The drugs are coming north, we're sending funds and guns south," he said. "As a consequence, these cartels have gained extraordinary power. Our expectation is to have a comprehensive policy in place in the next few months."

That crazy SOB in the White House just indicated he is going to push for amnesty in response to the drug war spilling over in the US!

He just admitted he will not send troops to defend our borders because he does not want to stop illegal aliens from coming north.

He talks of drugs coming north and money and guns going south but failed to mention the other big money maker for the cartels, illegal aliens.

Obama just announced that in a few months he is going to push for amnesty for illegal aliens as "comprehensive solution" to this crisis.

W

Obama considers using National Guard in border drug war - Politics ...Mar 11, 2009 ... Obama considers using National Guard in border drug war ... was looking at possibly deploying National Guard troops to contain the violence, ...
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Obama considers using National Guard in border drug war ...Obama considers using National Guard in border drug war ... the U.S.-Mexico border, saying that he was looking at possibly deploying National Guard troops ...
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Obama doesn’t give a damn what is happening on the US/Mexico border. He only wants to use the situation as a cover to gun grab.

That idiot in White House will not do anything to stop this. He's more concerned about keeping a steady flow of cheap, illegal labor coming into this ountry.