Toy soldiers on the border

The Washington Times ^ | January 9, 2007 | editorial

[Gritty]

It sounds like Iraq or some other foreign land, but it happened on U.S. soil last week. Outside Sasabe, Ariz., a band of armed assailants stormed a National Guard border post and forced the Guardsmen to retreat without a shot. It was a personal affront to the Guardsmen, who should never have been in the unnatural position of being incapable of defending themselves in the first place. But they were, thanks to the Bush administration's look-tough, act-weak immigration policy.

*snip*

It's past time to rethink this policy of placing Guardsmen at the border but defanging them with overly restrictive rules of engagement, which now results in a humiliation for the Guard, and for the rest of us.

The center of the problem is President Bush's "Operation Jump Start," which is showcased as a supposed key element of the administration's generally toothless border policy. This farcical "initiative" has placed 6,000 Guardsmen on the border but disallows them the ability to do much of anything -- not even defend their positions. No wonder the uniformed personnel we know are so angry.

*snip*

"The nanny patrol" is how unnamed Border Patrol agents have described the current arrangement...

*snip*

If the administration can present any evidence whatsoever that "Operation Jump Start" is not simply a gimmick to look tough on illegals, it should do so now. We haven't seen any. Instead, we've seen an utterly ineffectual border policy and an "Operation Jump Start" which places Guardsmen in harm's way without allowing them to defend themselves. That's an abuse of the Guard.

*snip*

[Gritty]

I'm thinking its about time for us peons to grab our rifles and go secure the border ourselves

You may get the opportunity to grab your rifle, and you may not have to go all the way to the border.

Check these out...

'Here we are prisoners' (Extensive look at how Mexican drug cartels control our border) and also Cartels' hands seen in border abductions

[Gritty]

I think you're right. It's about "follow the money".

How much illicit wealth is making it into politician's pockets from bribes by drug cartels? I don't know, but it is would explain a lot of the inaction on both sides, even moreso than the usual shameless pandering for votes from various legitimate constituencies.

It works in Mexico. Why wouldn't it work here?

'Here we are prisoners' (Extensive look at how Mexican drug cartels control our border)

[wolfcreek]

"These soldiers were given a law enforcement job to do and not provided with the means (live ammo) of enforcing their will."


Sorry but, the NG was sent to spell the BP from duties such as maintenance and office work with a little surveillance thrown in. As far as I know, they were issued ammo but, told not to even think about using it. You're correct about the kill and destroy things.

[sit-rep]

Well, I hope you all are waking up and realize there is a problem with this administration. To think of all the folks who have been banned, knowing what was what back then, when we could have used the numbers to our advantage.

I suggest we/you'all start defending the constitution and liberty again instead of pandering to a lost republican party. A lot of folks are looking real silly with the AMOUNT of egg on their faces.

What is it going to take?

[Levante]

You can be sure that if the NG's were armed, and killed a couple of the scumbag SOB drug/shitbags, they would be charged with murder.

[thegreatbeast]

[Real likely hints *here* and *here*] Huh?

[GrouchoTex]

So why are they called the "National Guard" when they do not have the authority necessary to "Guard" the "Nation" in what obviously amounted to an armed invasion from another country? Unbelievable.........

[GrouchoTex]

I agree 100%.

Perhaps we should take 15 million of us or so and set up camp on the other side of the Rio Grande and start demanding Rights and see how they like it!

[BnBlFlag]

Oh, they didn't retreat. They "tactically repositioned themselves". That's rich.

[ansel12]

Having served in a LRRP unit, it sure made sense to me.

[Dante3]

bttt

[archy]

[Real likely hints *here* and *here*]
Huh?

References to the Albanian peoples' uprising of January 1997 and the similar uprising/coup in Romania on 25 December 1989. In which the rulers were quickly executed.