Perry wants Obama to authorize 1K National Guard troops for border

KVIA ^ | 8/21/09

[Sammy67]

EL PASO -- Governor Rick Perry said he was deeply troubled by drug cartel violence in Mexico, and Juarez in particular, and has asked President Barack Obama to authorize 1,000 National Guard troops for use in support of civilian law enforcement agencies along the border.

"As violence in northern Mexico continues, it is paramount that our international borders be secured to ensure the safety of our citizens and the security of our Homeland," Perry said in his letter to the President.

Perry said drug cartels have recruited Texas teenagers for operations on both sides of the border. He also stressed that cartels have resorted to use "terroristic" tactics and

[traumer]

Good luck with that....

[Eagle Eye]

Guarding the border is a legitimate and required federal duty.

So why isn’t he all over this?

Duh....

[ridesthemiles]

How about the protests in Houston this past week where Mexicans marched with Mexican flags and screamed “La Raza”, demanding that Texas be given back to Mexico???

Not a word on National or local TV about this mess.

[bgill]

2000 miles of border

1000 troops - 3 shifts a day - 40 hour week - sick time = drop in the bucket.

[Tailback]

Knowing the way NG officers think, troops will have rifles but no ammo. Waste of time and money IMO. Just another grandstanding moment for Perry who has to show he’s a conservative until the next election is over.

[bgill]

Not to mention that pos governor of New Mexico would have to request them as well since Juarez is also along his border.

[gaijin]

Guarding South Korea against North Korea, US troops guarding West Germans against East Germans —whoops! Well, still guarding all of Germany against....SOMETHING...also guarding Japan (soon to go on 70 years)...

OTHERS...?

[uncbob]

Legalize the damn stuff

[gaijin]

Three years ago I remember a bunch of machine gun-toting Mexi drug scum approaching an NG border checkpoint and our soldiers RAN, because it turned out they had no weapons, and to flee had been worked out in advance as SOP in just such circumstances as that.

It was posted all over the place here at FR.

[Rodebrecht]

Don't you get it? We have to stop the spread of communism! Just like we did in Viet Nam!

[jkeith3213]

Why does Perry even ask? The governor controls their states national guard, not the feds.

[RAO1125]

I finally agree with Rick Perry on something. We should’ve had the National Guard on the border 20 years ago with loaded weapons.

[Allegra]

Hey, Rick....just DO it.

[RAO1125]

It’s not easy being the World’s policeman. Or cheap. Or intelligent.

[gaijin]

This thing was BORN to guard our southern border. It can fly 40 hours, no pilots get tired...much of the software is automated, it's cheap, reliable, and it's cameras see 20+ miles, especially at night...many other things.

US Customs operates a couple, but since they REALLY WORK, they are not employed nearly enough, and FAA technicalities are trundled out a justification.

The truth is both lib politicians, big business, and statists that WANT a chronic emergency are opposed to performing the most basic of state functions --controlling the border...

[SharpRightTurn]

Here’s hoping Perry will not forget his recent conservative positions when elected.

But the amnesia that affects most Republicans does not make me hopeful.

[gaijin]

I forgot to mention that the range of the Predator --one tank of gas-- is over FOUR THOUSAND MILES. That's just the OFFICIAL range, ok?

Remember --no pilots get killed or even tired. Soon they will be capable of air-to-air refueling.

This means that soon they will fly for weeks or even MONTHS.

The arid, brushy terrain of our southern border is IDEAL for such platforms, and at night the situation gets even better --warm bodies stand out from the colder terrain.

Will they act? No, and that's cuz they DON'T WANT TO.

[org.whodat]

BUtt, BUTT, I thought the Texas witch said she had the wall built. LOL

All election show!!!

[Oldpuppymax]

YOU are the GOVERNOR, Perry! YOU control the friggin national guard troops in Texas. All you want is an EXCUSE for not acting yourself when Hussein says no. You are a cowardly piece of excrement, Rickie! You want action!! Put a BOUNTY on illegals and offer it to residents of TEXAS!! The border would be sealed in 1 hour.