05-25-2010, 02:31 PM
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Confirmed User
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Behind The Lens
Posts: 6,323
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Quote:
Originally Posted by brassmonkey
lets see what names they call obama the leader
its about fucking time! 
President Barack Obama will deploy up to 1,200 National Guard troops to help secure the Southwest Border against Mexican drug cartels, White House officials said Tuesday.
Obama also is requesting that Congress approve $500 million for enhanced border protection and law enforcement activities as part of an emergency spending bill expected to come to the Senate floor this week.
Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, Texas Gov. Rick Perry and a bipartisan group of border state lawmakers in Congress have been urging Obama to send in National Guard troops to respond to the high-profile violence along the U.S.-Mexico border. More than 20,000 Mexicans have died in drug-related violence, and Arizona law enforcement officials have complained of increased home-invasion robberies and other crime in the state's border towns.
"Washington has heard our message, the president has responded with more boots on the ground, and we're going to work to make sure that we continue to take border security seriously," said Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz.
Giffords has been calling for the deployment since immediately after the March 27 murder of Cochise County rancher Robert Krentz.The White House has not said exactly where the troops will be stationed, but Giffords said no place is as desperate for help as Southern Arizona.
While Giffords welcomed the announcement, the White House action is not expected to satisfy everyone. Arizona Sens. John McCain and Jon Kyl, both Republicans, unveiled a border action plan last month calling for the immediate deployment of 3,000 National Guard troops ? more than twice as many as Obama is sending.
In 2006, President George W. Bush dispatched National Guard troops to the border to help with support duties until the Border Patrol was able to increase its staffing levels. The Border Patrol today has more than 20,000 agents nationwide, the vast majority of whom are assigned to guard the U.S.-Mexico border.
The border issue is one with far-reaching political ramifications in Arizona, which is about to enter its hotly contested mid-term election season.
Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard, who is the presumptive Democratic nominee for Governor, called a press conference at 1:30 to discuss the issue, and put out a news release in which he lauded a letter he sent to the Obama administration on April 20, outlining the state's border security needs. He is expected to face the winner of the crowded Republican primary in a bid for the state's highest elected office this fall.
"These decisions are extremely important in the fight against border crime as recommended in my letter to the President last month," Goddard said. "I have been calling for these actions for more than a year, and I'm pleased the Administration is listening.
One person who was oddly silent Tuesday morning: Brewer.
Her office has not yet released any kind of comment on the troop announcement, despite the fact that the Governor has been all over local and national airwaves in recent weeks blasting the administration's inaction on the border.
Brewer, who has seen her job approval ratings soar in the wake of signing Senate Bill 1070, the state's tough new immigration law, has jumped on the immigration issue as a major campaign cornerstone. Her office has previously released multiple letters she has written to the Administration and Congressional leaders, including one dated last Thursday in which she asked the federal government to reallocate some of the nation's network of OH-58 Kiowa helicopters to Arizona for use in border missions.
Brewer, in interviews with The Arizona Republic, has said that the federal government has "turned a blind eye" to her requests and that she has never "been dignified with a response."
A spokesman for her office told the Associated Press that the governor hadn't been told of the move prior to her office being contacted by the media, and that he had no immediate comment.
The White House did not say Tuesday what prompted President Obama to authorize the deployment.
But an administration official released a statement that said deploying the guard is part of the President's "strategic and integrated approach" to border security.
"(It) will provide immediate enhancement to the unprecedented and ongoing border protection and security efforts that over the last 16 months have increased pressure on illegal trafficking organizations," the officials said, adding, "it will also help build on a complement the strong security partnership with Mexico on display during last week's State Visit.
The White House said it plans to continue to work with Congress to fix the nation's immigration system through "comprehensive reform."
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The only problem is, is that they may not be able to use deadly force. If I recall correctly, in the past when the national guard was on the border and could not return fire to those throwing rocks or shooting in the general area of the National guard. They also had to sit with hands tied and watch illegals cross over the border...hopefully not any more!
Any confrontation should be dealt with swift action and no more bullshitting around!
I hope the government has grown some balls and given the word to use deadly force when needed.
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