Posted on 01/17/2006 12:23:17 AM PST by neverdem
The U.S. Border Patrol has warned agents in Arizona of incursions into the United States by Mexican soldiers "trained to escape, evade and counterambush" if detected -- a scenario Mexico denied yesterday.
The warning to Border Patrol agents in Tucson, Ariz., comes after increased sightings of what authorities described as heavily armed Mexican military units on the U.S. side of the border. The warning asks the agents to report the size, activity, location, time and equipment of any units observed.
It also cautions agents to keep "a low profile," to use "cover and concealment" in approaching the Mexican units, to employ "shadows and camouflage" to conceal themselves and to "stay as quiet as possible."
Border Patrol spokesman Salvador Zamora confirmed that a "military incursion" warning was given to Tucson agents, but said it was designed to inform them how to react to any sightings of military and foreign police in this country and how to properly document any incursion.
Mr. Zamora added that although incursions by the Mexican military do occur, they usually have taken place in areas of the border "not marked by monuments or signs." He said U.S. military units also have crossed mistakenly into Mexico.
But Rafael Laveaga, spokesman for the Mexican Embassy in Washington, denied that Mexican military personnel are crossing into the United States.
"I strongly deny any incursions by the Mexican military as inaccurate allegations," Mr. Laveaga said. "The Mexican military is a well-respected institution with strict rules on how to control Northern Mexico. It maintains a protocol of not going within a mile of the border, and those who would trespass would be severely punished."
Mr. Laveaga said some drug smugglers headed "both north and south" wear uniforms and drive military-type vehicles, and might have "confused"...
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
A rather rude reply especially considering I was agreeing with you that the incursions were most likely not official policy of the Mexican Government. Maybe you should read all of my posts before replying rudely when there is no need.
Actually, the point is even more subtle than you suggest.
Fact: The Mexican army is corrupt to the core.
Fact: The Mexican government knows that the Mexican army is corrupt to the core and does nothing to stop said corruption.
Result: The actions of the Mexican military reflect the actual policy (albeit not the stated policy) of the Mexican government.
If the first two statements above are true, then the Mexican government is complicit and it is an act of war.
I could not locate the letter, but here are some links you and others may find interesting.
http://federaldaily.com/federaldaily/archive/2003/Mar/FD032103.htm
http://www.usdoj.gov/ola/2001reportz.pdf
http://66.102.7.104/search?q=cache:AM1MYYbeUM8J:www.wola.org/publications/ddhr_mexico_brief_text.htm+Mexican+Military+Incursions+&hl=en
http://www.ndu.edu/library/n2/n015605j.pdf
Newspapers along the border that have reported incidents are Sign on San Diego, El Paso Times, The Arizona Daily Star and Sierra Vista Herald.
140 Additional Federal Agents Being Sent To U.S.-Mexico Border
Nearly 140 new federal agents will be assigned to the U.S.-Mexico border in Arizona this year to protect against terrorists, a rising flood of illegal immigrants, and drug and alien smugglers. That is the word from Asa Hutchinson, under secretary for border and transportation security at the Department of Homeland Security. Seventy Border Patrol agents and 69 Customs Service inspectors would be assigned to the new Bureau of Customs and Border Protection at ports of entry. The enhanced border effort will include a review of suspected incursions into the United States by Mexican military units and will target drug and alien smugglers who have focused on the Arizona border because of its easy access into the U.S. Last August, U.S. National Park Service ranger Chris Eggle, 28, was killed at the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument on the Arizona border while trying to apprehend two men who had crossed the border into the United States. One of the men fatally shot Mr. Eggle just below his bulletproof vest. Mexican drug lords, backed by corrupt Mexican military officers and police officials, are expected to move tons of marijuana, cocaine and heroin across the Arizona border this year. Authorities said the smugglers would spend more than $500 million in bribes and payoffs to a cadre of Mexican military generals and police officials to ensure delivery.
70 BP agents doesn't even cover attrition.
That was back in '03, when DHS had not yet gotten serious about the Border.
I don't think they are even now, but they are sending more than 70 agents per year now.
Personally, I think USBP needs a top-to-bottom reorganization to get refocused on their job. IMHO, they've kinda lost their way as an organization.
I apparently misinterpreted your initial post to me. My apologies.
Apology accepted, my post to you may not have read as I intended it to.
Foreign military "incursions" - sounds like invasion to me.
If they've lost their way as an organization (and this is just my opinion) it's because they have neither clear-cut guidance nor a meaningful mission from above. DHS is clearly delinquent regarding border security.
Congressman J.D. Hayworth (R-AZ) was on Sean Hannity yesterday and he blasted both DHS and his brethren in the Congress for their inability to see border security as an issue of immediate National Security instead of an incremental political problem.
Why does the White House put up with this?
Does Bush believe we won't notice the blatant incongruity between what we are doing in the Middle East with the WoT and what we are doing to protect and defend our own sovereignty vis-a-vis Mexico (i.e., nothing)?
Incredible, simply incredible...
It is in the news. There have been many articles here on FR. Yesterday Lou Dobbs talked about it. Today John Gibson/FoxNews had a report. As for Bush being "fired in a heartbeat", I don't know what to tell ya.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1558985/posts
The Inland Valley Daily Bulletin ^ | Sara A. Carter The Mexican military has crossed into the United States 216 times in the past nine years, according to a Department of Homeland Security document and a map of incursions obtained by The Sun's sister newspaper
Lest we forget the Mexican Government's cute little comic book on how to illegally enter our country.
Mexico's blatant disregard for the rule of law is an obvious act of war (Mexican military incursions notwithstanding).
Mexico is an enemy of the US and should be treated as such.
My BS meter pegged when I read your post. Bush's track record as a proponent of the open border is there for all to see. So yes, it's logical that he would let this happen. The rats stay quiet because they are in the same camp as President Bush on this issue. You can believe that or not, but it's the truth.
Good question, have no idea why our government puts up with it, but every US President begining with Carter has pandered to Mexico and put up with what ever Mexico chooses to do. I wish President Bush would secure the border; but for some reason in recent history the US has backed away from anything that annoys the Mexican Gov't.
No doubt at all!
Sounds like the people at USBP are in about the same shape as FEMA. While Brown caught a lot of flak for both performance and attitude, he was already in the process of leaving because of total frustration for lack of support at higher levels. Lets hope the BP doesn't develop the same p&a for the same reason.
How about some pictures? If these incursions can be VISUALLY documented for the mass media, the public should be screaming.
I wonder if a FOIA request for satelite pictures of mexican military incursions in the USA would be productive?
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