Posted on 01/27/2006 10:54:11 AM PST by NormsRevenge
A Mexican official suggested Thursday that it was American soldiers disguised as Mexicans who were involved in an armed standoff Monday along the Rio Grande with U.S. law enforcement officers.
Foreign Secretary Luis Ernesto Derbez said in a news conference that U.S. soldiers have helped drug traffickers in the past, but offered no specific examples.
"Members of the U.S. Army have helped protect people who were processing and transporting drugs," Derbez said. "And just as that has happened ... it is very probable that something like that could have happened, that in reality they were members of some of their groups disguised as Mexican soldiers with Humvees."
White House officials would not comment on Derbez's claim and referred all questions to the Department of Defense.
Defense spokeswoman Lt. Col. Ellen Krenke said officials from both Mexico and the United States are investigating the incident on the Texas border.
"The U.S. and Mexican government are working together to gain control of the border and will continue to collaborate," Krenke said.
On Wednesday, U.S. Ambassador Tony Garza issued a statement asking the Mexican government to "fully investigate" the border incident, which the Daily Bulletin first reported earlier this week.
Rep. David Dreier, R-Glendora, reiterated on Thursday the need for a Congressional investigation.
"Honestly, we need to get information for everybody's understanding," he said. "There are stories everywhere with few answers. We need to get to the bottom of this as soon as possible."
Dreier and Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-San Diego, jointly called for such an investigation after the Daily Bulletin published a story on Jan. 15 reporting more than 200 Mexican military incursions during the past 10 years, as documented by the Department of Homeland Security.
The newspaper also obtained a 2001 map bearing the seal of the president's Office of National Drug Control Policy and showing the locations of 34 of those incursions.
Derbez said his country will send a diplomatic note to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice demanding that U.S. officials tone down their comments on Mexico's security and immigration problems.
State Department officials late Thursday said they have not received any note from the Mexican government and thus would not comment on Derbez's remarks.
Monday's armed standoff began 50 miles southeast of El Paso, when Texas 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 in the Rio Grande, and men in a Humvee with a mounted gun 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.
Mexican officials insisted Wednesday that the men in military-style uniforms were drug smugglers, not soldiers. In Mexico, kidnappers and drug smugglers regularly wear police gear, which is sold at street stands.
Derbez said there was no proof that the men seen in the incident were Mexicans and that the men photographed by Texas law enforcement could have been Americans.
Three U.S. soldiers have pleaded guilty to running a cocaine smuggling ring from a U.S. base in Colombia, and a fourth is being tried in Texas this week.
ROTFLMAO!!! I see Baghdad Bob has a new job with Mexico!
I didn't know Mexico had a immigration problem.
Yep. Who's to say that what was said is accurate or for the sake of the media. Neither of which has any bearing on the subsequent ramifications that were denied over and over. We each have seen this happen and its not fun. Not fun but necessary. And thats what we need to look into. Both for our benefit and the others. Which is critically important as well. Maybe someone can pick up on that and address it in the appropriate time and with the appropriate care. As I've said many times, and the people around me can verify it, these are critical times. And for people that don't hold that point of view, then thats another issue that would need to be addressed.
Mexican officials taking some of their own drugs.
Make that wall high and tight.
I saw this in a wire service story this morning. The explanation is so stupid and over the top, the story convinced me that it's true, the Mexican military is smuggling drugs into the U.S. and is using some military equipment to do it.
Deny then counter accuse. Sounds like they have Democrats in Mexico.
R O T F L M A O
Enough lies. Bomb em!
If there actually were American troops on the border, one might call it a step in the right direction.
I know I was thinking that, and I believe someone else made that observation yesterday.
What a distinction, eh?
We have before, and we ought to again...and this time not give it back.
Illegal Immigrants are posing as legitimate citizens. So, if and that's a big IF our Border Agents were dressing as Mexican Soldiers, at least they are not staying in country, depleting it of it's benefits and costing the Mexican taxpayers trillions of dollars.
It's time to stop this racist "reconquista" invasion from Mexico.
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, HO) SEE PHOTO GALLERY
That's sort of like how DC blames their murder rate on Virginia's lack of gun control laws.
"I didn't know Mexico had a immigration problem."
More of an emigration problem!
Demanding?? Why isn't our American President responding to Mexico's "demands" with a big "NO WAY, JOSE"? Speak up, Mr. Bush!
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