Posted on 01/31/2007 3:33:26 PM PST by kiriath_jearim
DEL RIO, Texas -- A recent standoff between National Guardsmen and heavily armed outlaws along the Mexican border has rattled some troops and raised questions about the rules of engagement for soldiers who were sent to the border in what was supposed to be a backup role.
Six to eight gunmen -- possibly heading for Mexico with drug money -- approached a group of Tennessee National Guard troops at an overnight observation post Jan. 3 on the U.S. side of the Arizona-Mexico border. No one fired a shot, and the confrontation ended when American troops retreated to contact the Border Patrol. The gunmen then fled into Mexico.
But the incident made some National Guard commanders nervous enough to move up training dates for handling hostage situations. And some lawmakers have questioned why the rules prohibit soldiers from opening fire unless they are fired upon.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsday.com ...
A sad commentary on the state of affairs on our border.
This is great strategery!
Our troops in Iraq need a lawyer along to tell them whether or not they can shoot the bad guys and our NG troops retreat from armed banditos on our own soil.
I think our Commander-in-Chief has developed a severe case of cranial-rectal inversion!
Gee, I wonder why? Let's think about it awhile. Thinking Thinking Thinking, hmmmmmm.......
I wanna know why in the frak our ROE says we have to retreat from our own damned borders.
Well I think I read that there were something like 12 gunmen, all heavily armed with body armor, and there were like 4 NG soldiers. They chose to fight again another day. I wouldn't fault them.
sw
because the big man says that is the way the SOP is going to be preformed on the border.
I agree with you to a point. The National Guardsmen were outnumbered 2 to 1 by the illegal border crossers. It was smart of them to run away and finght another day.
But the rules of engagement are still out of whack, which is what the thread is talking about.
Does the governor of Tenn. have the authority to pull his troops? If so I would pull the troops.
Cause President Bush doesn't want the NG to harm any of his 'willing workers'.........even if those willing workers are drug smugglers.
HOSTAGE SITUATIONS? TRAINING NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS FOR WHEN THEY ARE MADE HOSTAGES BY ARMED GANGS?
I'm speechless.
"Does the governor of Tenn. have the authority to pull his troops? If so I would pull the troops."
***
I believe that once NG troops are "federalized", governors no longer have authority over them. However, I could be wrong....
A sad commentary on the state of affairs on our border.
Sad, my friend, is a gross understatement. If this isn't rectified soon, the President should be inpeached. He can secure the borders of Iraq and Afganastan but not the US borders?
For the same reason they should be removing the urinals from the White House.
No.
I think the Guardsmen did the right thing since they were outnumbered and out gunned, BUT it sounds like their Rules of Engagement suck as bad as the ROE for our troops in Iraq. And these soldiers ARE ON OUR OWN BORDER!!! Something bad wrong here. Our Guardsmen in New Orleans have better Rules of Engagement.
"cranial rectal inversion" - I love that one!
Thank you, sir!!
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