Border Standoff Rattles National Guard

Newsday ^ | 1/31/07 | ALICIA A. CALDWELL

[The Blitherer]

No one fired a shot, and the confrontation ended when American troops retreated to contact the Border Patrol.

A sad commentary on the state of affairs on our border.

[43north]

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!

[TXBubba]

And some lawmakers have questioned why the rules prohibit soldiers from opening fire unless they are fired upon.

Gee, I wonder why? Let's think about it awhile. Thinking Thinking Thinking, hmmmmmm.......

[Domandred]

American troops retreated to contact the Border Patrol.

I wanna know why in the frak our ROE says we have to retreat from our own damned borders.

[rednesss]

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.

[spectre]

Fault them? Nahhh..they all just got Citations for showing restraint.

sw

[bobby.223]

because the big man says that is the way the SOP is going to be preformed on the border.

[Frohickey]

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.

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.

[Lacey13]

Does the governor of Tenn. have the authority to pull his troops? If so I would pull the troops.

[TomGuy]

incident made some National Guard commanders nervous

They should be screaming all the way to their respective governors and to the White House for the insane ROE's they are under.

The current ROE's put their lives in danger. They are not just encountering poor Hispanics who are trying to get here to pick lettuce. They are encountering drug dealers, criminal elements, possibly terrorist infiltrators.

Where else are we having a problem with ROE's? Oh, yeh, Iraq.

Maybe we have stumbled upon the Bush Administration's major problem -- issuing insane ROE's.

[sheana]

Cause President Bush doesn't want the NG to harm any of his 'willing workers'.........even if those willing workers are drug smugglers.

[DeaconBenjamin2]

move up training dates for handling hostage situations.

HOSTAGE SITUATIONS? TRAINING NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS FOR WHEN THEY ARE MADE HOSTAGES BY ARMED GANGS?

I'm speechless.

[kiriath_jearim]

"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....

[thiscouldbemoreconfusing]

No one fired a shot, and the confrontation ended when American troops retreated to contact the Border Patrol.

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?

[thiscouldbemoreconfusing]

I wanna know why in the frak our ROE says we have to retreat from our own damned borders.

For the same reason they should be removing the urinals from the White House.

[thiscouldbemoreconfusing]

Does the governor of Tenn. have the authority to pull his troops? If so I would pull the troops.

No.

[fishergirl]

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.

[fishergirl]

"cranial rectal inversion" - I love that one!

[fishergirl]

Thank you, sir!!