Thread: Texans Welcome National Guard Troops Along the Border

Video at source

Texans welcome National Guard troops along the border
by ANGELA KOCHERGA

WFAA

Posted on August 1, 2010 at 10:13 PM

Updated today at 10:47 PM

FABENS, Texas — National Guard troops some 1,200 strong are starting a new assignment — helping secure the U.S.-Mexico border.

The deployment comes as Mexico copes with escalating drug violence.

At first glance, the tiny town of Fabens, Texas may not look like a place that needs extra security. But people here welcome the National Guard.

"I think it's needed, with everything that's going on across the border," said visitor Richard Backert.

Across that border, there's a bloodbath in the Valley of Juarez, where rival drug traffickers are fighting over smuggling routes leading to the U.S.

The fallout of that drug war is a constant concern in Fabens.

"We do see people getting kidnapped and taken over there," said Fabens resident Rosie Cortez. "It's all part of the violence that's happening in Juarez. We do need the troops."

Townspeople probably won't likely notice the presence of the soldiers. They will be deployed to a more remote area of the border, and armed guards will not be posted along the border; by law they can only play a support role.

When President Bush deployed the National Guard in 2006, the troops were restricted to surveillance work, helping erect barriers on the border, and other support jobs.

The military force is not allowed to make arrests. That job belongs to the Border Patrol.

Even so, some border residents say just the image of uniformed troops will serve as a deterrent.

"When they see more reinforcements on the border, I bet you they'll have second thoughts about doing anything — especially when they see those colors," said Fabens resident Rudy Vasquez.

More of those colors will be visible in the coming weeks, as 1,200 troops take their posts along this tense border.

The National Guard units are in training now, and will assume their border duties in the next couple of weeks. They've been ordered to spend the next year along the frontier.

E-mail akocherga@belo.com

http://www.wfaa.com/news/texas-news/Tex ... 35279.html

Originally Posted by Texas2step

FABENS, Texas — National Guard troops some 1,200 strong are starting a new assignment — helping secure the U.S.-Mexico border.

I sure wouldn't call it 1200 strong when the 1200 have to cover 2000 miles of border. Plus I hear yesterday that it may be late in the fall before any of them show up anywhere. Let's not celebrate yet.

Originally Posted by bigtex

Originally Posted by Texas2step

FABENS, Texas — National Guard troops some 1,200 strong are starting a new assignment — helping secure the U.S.-Mexico border.

I sure wouldn't call it 1200 strong when the 1200 have to cover 2000 miles of border. Plus I hear yesterday that it may be late in the fall before any of them show up anywhere. Let's not celebrate yet.

That's correct, some of the "1200" won't be anywhere until the end of August and into September. Let's not get over-excited folks. Mr. Obama is feeding us sugar a grain at a time.