Texas Officers Involved in Standoff at Border: Involved Men in Mexican Army Uniforms

FOX News ^ | 1-24-2006 | AP

[Main Street]

Texas — Men dressed as Mexican Army soldiers, apparent drug suspects and Texas law enforcement officers faced off on the U.S. side of the Rio Grande...

...Texas Department of Public Safety troopers chased three SUVs, believing they were carrying drugs, to the banks of the Rio Grande during Monday's incident.

Men dressed in Mexican military uniforms or camouflage were on the U.S. side of the border in Texas...

...included an armed standoff involving the Mexican military, suspected drug smugglers and nearly 30 U.S. law enforcement officers. ...Mexican military Humvees were towing what appeared to be thousands of pounds of marijuana across the border into the United States.

...in the Bulletin on Jan. 15 that said the Mexican military had crossed into the United States more than 200 times since 1996.

...Border Patrol agents called for backup and were joined by Hudspeth County deputies and DPS troopers. Mexican army personnel had several mounted machine guns on the ground more than 200 yards inside the U.S. border...

...deputies captured a Cadillac Escalade that had been reported stolen from El Paso, and found 1,477 pounds of marijuana inside. He said Mexican soldiers set fire to one of the Humvees stuck in the river.

"It's been so bred into everyone not to start an international incident with Mexico that it's been going on for years,"..."When you're up against mounted machine guns, what can you do? Who wants to pull the trigger first? Certainly not us."

After the...reported on Mexican military crossings, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said the report was overblown and most of the incursions were just mistakes.

In November,...Border Patrol agents...called for help after confronting more than six men dressed in Mexican military uniforms. The men allegedly were trying to bring more than three tons of marijuana across the Rio Grande...

[Paulus Invictus]

Send a Predator loaded with missles and take out a few of the Mexican vehicles. That should stop the invasion of the drug traffickers.

[Paulus Invictus]

That would be huevos, por favor! (Spanish language police again)

[Paulus Invictus]

They already have border areas where the "unfortunate illegals" can find water, fraudulent documents and guides around the BC people. These areas are run by the opposite of the Minutemen, they are from liberal churches, RATs from other leftist organizations like La Raza etc. and a number of other orgs that support unlimited invasion by illegals. Until we see a real move by law enforcement and punishment of all companies hiring illegals, we will see more invasions, increased drug imports, and armed incursions by Mexican military. Result? The Republic will die sooner rather than later.

[daybreakcoming]

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. Does he give anyone the warm fuzzies in any way but more bureauracy? What does a lawyer know about the security of our country? I would have been comfortable with Bernard Kerik except he was obviously ok with illegal immigration.

[ExSoldier]

Why bother with TACAIR? It's like a game of Texas Hold 'Em poker: I'll see your Humvees and RAISE you a platoon of Bradleys. Using their 20mm's they have a considerable standoff distance even on an M2HB cal .50. We want enough remains to strain for DNA. Won't get that in an airstrike. Besides you'll scare the cattle into providing some very tough steaks.

[jeremiah]

I'll leave you in charge, give them my number, when they ask where you got the authorization.

[Marine Inspector]

Actually the BP has crossed into Mexico a couple of times. It's usually a new officer or an officer detailed to another area he's not familiar with.

It happens very rarely and it's not in conjunction with smuggling drugs or people into Mexico.

[ExSoldier]

What does a BP Agent have in his SUV that can take on crew served weapons?

Well let's not give the Federales too much credit. It does take a modicum of real skill to actually get on target with a belt-fed weapon. Especially with folks shooting back at you with considerable enthusiasm. It's still spray and pray just on a bigger scale.

[Jasper]

/jasper

[bobwilgo]

these guys could have been either---maybe military dressed up as dope dealers wanting to cash in on some of the profits from the horticultural business.

[little jeremiah]

"After the...reported on Mexican military crossings, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said the report was overblown and most of the incursions were just mistakes."

I wish someone would explain to me why the fedgov is pretending that there's no problem. All I can come up with is either they're all being bribed, blackmailed, they've all gone stark raving mad, or I have.

[Thunder90]

More than sufficient to take on the entire Mexican army, if need be.

[DarthVader]

Nuns with Guns!!

[Thunder90]

We lose a term or two, and there will be no border patrol. Instead, there will be welcome stations and welfare collection points.

[SealSeven]

Was this actually a military operation or were they drug dealers dresed up as military?

Does it really matter? Ill give Mexico the benefit of the doubt... Since the border is such a dangerous place (due to Mexicans), why doesnt Mexico send the "real" military to clean it up?

[pageonetoo]

I live part time in eastern NC, and see those things all the time. I spend a lot of time on the White Oak River, just north or J-ville (Camp LeJeune), and South of Cherry Point.

I was paddling my kayak about 5:30 one morning, and two of the Warthogs came over me (one directly, the other about 150-200yds behind, and to the left), about 200 ft off the deck. I had no warning of their approach, and they were gone as suddenly as they came. But, I almost had to clean out my drawers.

I get to see Harriers and Osprey, Warthogs and Jolly Greens, about any time I am down there. Here in WV, I am in the flightline for Dulles, and National, as they come out of the heights, and descend for approach. I constantly hear the sounds of deceleration, as the Boeing's, and asst other heavy's make their entrance. But, I love the sound of fighers, and C-130's, just as much. Martinsburg is due to get some of the BIGGGGGGGG C-5's... but they don't get me excited like fighters!

[Don W]

I dunno: the unholy SCREAM of the C-5's turbofans is a sound to remember.

There's something about inconceivable horsepower (jet thrust and lift, that is) that definitely puts me in awe.

[Smokin' Joe]

"..."When you're up against mounted machine guns, what can you do? Who wants to pull the trigger first? Certainly not us."

Shoot the sumbeech with the machine gun first, imo, and any other SOB that gets near it. These guys need a couple of good, scoped rifles.

[Halgr]

Its terrible but you are right Travis....its obvious to some of us that the Gov has no intention of doing anything substantive about the border.

They did add another layer of bureaucracy though just to slow the rest of us down in our protests.

What crosses my mind are some dark and frightening thoughts.

---

I have a close friend who is second generation Mexican American who says that Mexico is so much more corrupt than most of us could possibly imagine.

He says the movie "Man on Fire" is a pretty accurate depiction of what its really like down there.

Does someone have a dark and nefarious plan....I think so.

[BigCinBigD]

We don't need a fence. We need a wall from the Gulf of Mexico to the pacific ocean and a One mile razed buffer zone on the South side of the boarder. Kill anything that moves there.