Posted on 01/27/2006 11:41:46 AM PST by robowombat
Border patrol agents and other law enforcement officials are angry that Mexican and some U.S. officials refuse to acknowledge that Mexican soldiers are crossing into the United States.
This photo provided by the Hudspeth County Sheriff's Office shows a SUV on fire along the U.S. Mexican border Monday, Jan. 23, 2006. The SUV got stuck in the Rio Grande River, which marks the border, as it made its escape from Texas law enforcement officers. A group of men in civilian clothes began unloading packages from the SUV. They then torched the SUV, according to Rick Glancey of the Texas Border Sheriffs' Coalition. (AP Photo/Hudspeth County Sheriff's Office/Texas Border Sheriff's Coalition,
Some officials suggested Wednesday that the confrontation between Texas law officers earlier this week was with drug smugglers, not Mexican soldiers assisting narcotics traffickers across the Rio Grande.
But a Border Patrol agent who spoke on condition of anonymity said continuous cover-ups by Mexican and U.S. officials have put many agents and American lives in danger.
"I think it shows how desperate the situation has become. I think it's insulting to expect Americans to believe what (Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael) Chertoff and the Mexican government are saying," the agent said Wednesday.
"Isn't it the most reasonable explanation that if men are dressed as soldiers, with military vehicles and mounted machine guns that these guys are soldiers - not some cartel trying to ruin diplomatic relations?"
Photos of what appeared to be Mexican troops in the United States during Monday's incident shocked many Americans, although Mexico officials denied the military was involved.
But to most Mexicans it just offered further proof that drug traffickers run rampant in the border area in military-style vehicles, wearing uniforms and, in some cases, using military firepower.
"It is known that these are drug traffickers using military uniforms and they were not even regulation military uniforms," said Mexican presidential spokesman Ruben Aguilar.
T.J. Bonner, president of the National Border Patrol Council, said that he was insulted by the U.S. government's lack of response to the serious nature of the incursions.
"I don't believe they are rogue elements because of the markings of the vehicles and because of the insignias on their uniforms and further we've caught them in the past," Bonner said.
"Mexico is being less than honest with us. I don't understand what the U.S. interest is in aiding and abetting what is going on at the border. I don't have faith that it will stop before some of our law enforcement officers are murdered in the line of duty."
A U.S. law enforcement official speaking on condition of anonymity said the FBI and other agencies found no evidence the uniformed men involved in Monday's incident were Mexican soldiers.
But Hardrick Crawford Jr., a former special agent who was in charge of the FBI's El Paso's office, said he covered numerous narcotics cases along the border and documented military incursions since the mid-'90s. He said he expected both governments to deny the incursions.
"It's an embarrassment to both countries for the truth of these incursions to come out," Crawford said.
"I was concerned about the incursions on the border when I first got to El Paso. I wanted agents to go interview every rancher and resident in the area and I wanted the military incursions to be documented. I thought this would be important information - but many people didn't do anything about these incursions."
Crawford added that investigations in Mexico were difficult to conduct because the honest Mexican residents didn't want to put their own lives in danger by giving law enforcement officials information on the drug cartels.
"The drug trade is too lucrative," Crawford said. "Mexican soldiers and police officials are paid little. So it's just too tempting. With the increased efficiency and effort along the border, narcotics traffickers can bring in whatever they want. And if you go against them they'll kill you."
This week's standoff comes at a time of rising anger over border security, with the United States considering extending a wall along its 2,000-mile-long frontier with Mexico - an idea Mexicans resent.
"We have communicated at the diplomatic level with the government of Mexico on the matter and requested that they investigate the matter - and that U.S. authorities are already investigating the incident," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said in a statement.
The Mexican government also cited its long-standing policy that its soldiers must stay away from the border unless they have special authorization.
Rick Glancey of the Texas Border Sheriffs' Coalition said the confrontation began 50 miles east of El Paso when state police tried to stop three sport utility vehicles on Interstate 10. The vehicles made a quick U-turn and headed south toward the border, a few miles away.
Crossing the border, one SUV got stuck crossing the Rio Grande, and men in a Humvee tried in vain to tow it out. Then a group of men in civilian clothes began unloading what appeared to be bundles of marijuana, and torched the SUV before fleeing.
The Mexican army press office said it had no information on Monday's incident.
Mexico's Foreign Relations Department said in a statement that the confrontation, in which shots were not fired, could have been staged to "damage the image of our armed forces and bilateral cooperation."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Sara A. Carter can be reached by e-mail at sara.carter@dailybulletin.com or by phone at (909) 483-8552.
Protect our borders and coastlines from all foreign invaders!
Support our Minutemen Patriots!
Be Ever Vigilant ~ Bump!
The Feds don't dare admit that it's happening - the public outcry for military intervention would be so huge that action would be forced, upsetting both the Business Roundtable (who would lose access to illegal labor) and many senior US politicians (who would lose access to cartel drug money bribes). ;)
This is why we must have twin 15 foot steel fences, with sensors, and the Guard on the border now.
And armed guard towers.
And those CIA unmanned drones.
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