Posted on 03/11/2009 6:02:11 AM PDT by Zakeet
On Mondays CBS Evening News, correspondent Ben Tracy filed a report documenting the thousands of guns that are illegally smuggled to Mexican drug cartels which they use in battle with the Mexican army, and suggested that lax gun laws in America are to blame. Without delving into the possibility that greater availability of guns in Mexico might help the countrys citizens to reduce that countrys overall crime rate, Tracy informed viewers that it is "nearly impossible" to buy guns in Mexico legally, as he pointed out Americas less strict laws:
Mexican law makes it nearly impossible to buy guns there legally, but less restrictive gun laws in the U.S. keep the firearms flowing over the border. Court papers in the [George] Iknadosian case claim U.S. border states provide three-quarters of black market firearms to Mexico. And with more than 1,000 people already killed in drug violence in Mexico this year, cutting off the gun supply is now a top concern on this side of the border.
After anchor Katie Couric relayed to viewers that the Supreme Court had ruled in favor of gun manufacturers as New York City had tried to punish the gun industry for not doing more to force gun dealers to block straw purchases, she set up Tracys story: "It's a crime, of course, to smuggle weapons out of the country, and in Phoenix today a gun dealer went on trial for supplying assault rifles to Mexican drug gangs who are locked in a bloody war with the army and each other. Ben Tracy has the latest on a case that's being watched closely here in the United States and Mexico."
Tracy began: "In the escalating drug war south of the border, Mexican cartels supply the drugs, but the guns largely come from the U.S." After filling in viewers on the case of gun dealer George Iknadosian, CBS ran a clip of Tijuanas Mayor Jorge Ramos: "All the killing that they're doing here, are killing with guns that are selling in the United States."
Tracy concluded:
Mexican law makes it nearly impossible to buy guns there legally, but less restrictive gun laws in the U.S. keep the firearms flowing over the border. Court papers in the Iknadosian case claim U.S. border states provide three-quarters of black market firearms to Mexico. And with more than 1,000 people already killed in drug violence in Mexico this year, cutting off the gun supply is now a top concern on this side of the border. Ben Tracy, CBS News, Los Angeles.
Below is a complete transcript of the report from the Monday, March 9, CBS Evening News:
KATIE COURIC: In other news, a Supreme Court victory today for gun manufacturers. New York City had sued several of them claiming their failure to monitor dealers allowed guns to wind up in the hands of criminals. A lower court ruled federal law protects the gun industry from such lawsuits, and today the Supreme Court let that decision stand.COURIC: Its a crime, of course, to smuggle weapons out of the country, and in Phoenix today a gun dealer went on trial for supplying assault rifles to Mexican drug gangs who are locked in a bloody war with the army and each other. Ben Tracy has the latest on a case thats being watched closely here in the United States and Mexico.
BEN TRACY: In the escalating drug war south of the border, Mexican cartels supply the drugs, but the guns largely come from the U.S.
WILLIAM NEWELL, ATF PHOENIX FIELD DIVISION: Firearms trafficking to Mexico is a huge problem. You know, drugs come North, guns go South.
TRACY: This man, George Iknadosian, is accused of being a top gun supplier. When government agents raided his Phoenix gun shop last May, they found hundreds of weapons destined for Mexico. Hes now on trial, accused of knowingly selling more than 700 guns to so-called "straw buyers," U.S. citizens who buy the guns legally and then turn them over to a trafficker.
PETER FORCELLI, ATF SUPERVISORY SPECIAL AGENT: They get $100 for their trouble, and the trafficker will take the gun down to Mexico and sell it for exponentially more than they pay here.
TRACY: As many as 2,000 firearms are believed across the border into Mexico every day, and they are often assault weapons. The ATF says that nearly 7,700 guns found in Mexico last year were traced to sellers in the U.S.
JORGE RAMOS, MAYOR OF TIJUANA, MEXICO: All the killing that theyre doing here, are killing with guns that are selling in the United States.TRACY: Mexican law makes it nearly impossible to buy guns there legally, but less restrictive gun laws in the U.S. keep the firearms flowing over the border. Court papers in the Iknadosian case claim U.S. border states provide three-quarters of black market firearms to Mexico. And with more than 1,000 people already killed in drug violence in Mexico this year, cutting off the gun supply is now a top concern on this side of the border. Ben Tracy, CBS News, Los Angeles.
We need to grab Gringo's guns because Mexicans can't enforce their own laws.
It’s all those American guns running for the border.
Hugo Chavez is supplying the weapons to the drug trade. Good for business. He just bought a boat laod of Chinese AKs.
They are talking about the self propelled robot drone guns.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
CBS....one word...RATHER
Katie Couric, CBS and the corrupt MSM: always ensuring that the “Kick Me” sign is firmly attached to America.
This story has been debunked.
Drug cartel (who transport illegal drugs) buying illegal guns?
O the huge manatee.
[This is the kind of twisted logic the media spreads as news. Unbelievable.]
60 Minutes did a piece a couple weeks back on the subject, and the wepaons they claimed were from the USA were not legal for sale here.
Liars!
So according to CBS the Mexican Drug Lords are buying their guns at Wal Marts, gun shows and sporting goods stores in in the US and smuggling them back into Mexico and aren’t stealing them from the Mexican military or simply buying them directly from the Chinese, Russians etc. Couric is such an airhead.
“And with more than 1,000 people already killed in drug violence in Mexico this year, cutting off the gun supply is now a top concern on this side of the border.”
For decades we have been plagued with the problem of poor people flooding into the US and bringing the attendant social and economic problems. The economy never improves in Mexico or other southern nations and the political systems there worsen because the US distracts the populace and provides money to the people.
Drugs have for decades flowed into the US with devastating effect on American lives.
NOW, and only now, the problem of cross-border illegality is a “top concern” and the concern is not for harm caused to the US. I am at a loss for words.
LOL
Yup. I just brought home a pallet of full-auto AKs from Wal-Mart last night, and before leaving I cleaned out their M249 display, too.
Simple solution: make drugs illegal. Poof, no smuggling, no shooting, because nobody will buy drugs.
Maybe Mexico should build a wall along the border to keep the guns out.
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