Posted on 01/04/2011 1:37:20 PM PST by RnMomof7
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano rang in the New Year with a visit to Afghanistan. (Photo courtesy of U.S. Embassy in Kabul)
(CNSNews.com) The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which by its own admission has thus far failed to control even half of America's nearly 2,000-mile-long border with Mexico, is now sending personnel to Afghanistan to help that country secure its border with Pakistan.
On a New Years visit to Afghanistan, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said there are now 25 Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CPB) personnel on the ground in Afghanistan. That number could reach 65 or more by the end of 2011, she said.
Were going to contribute numbers, Napolitano said, in explaining her departments role in helping Afghanistan transition from military to civilian control.
Napolitano said she hoped to leave Afghanistan with an appreciation of what skill sets are most needed there and to make sure thats included in the next wave of individuals that we (Department of Homeland Security) send over.
In July 2002, when the George W. Bush White House released the first national strategy for the Department of Homeland Security, it identified the new agencys three objectives as preventing terrorist attacks within the United States; reducing Americas vulnerability to terrorism; and minimizing the damage from attacks that do occur.
When asked by CNSNews.com if ICE and CBP personnel have been deployed elsewhere in the world to help secure borders, a DHS spokesperson said that they had, but that security issues prevented the department from providing details on those deployments. Such secrecy apparently does not extend to the deployments of CPB and ICE personnel to Afghanistan, however. The DHS spokesperson did not respond to questions about what posts CBP and ICE personnel would be pulled from in order to go to Afghanistan. Nor did the spokesperson say what expertise the Homeland Security Department could provide that NATO and U.S. military forces could not provide.
At her Jan. 1 news conference, however, Napolitano said that some of the advice provided by U.S. border security and customs personnel is very practical in nature. She gave some examples: How do you arrange in-bound versus out-bound lanes? How do you make sure that you can check trucks? How do you employ the right kind of equipment in the right way?
Napolitano said U.S. civilians also are working to prevent criminal activity in general, not just insurgency. She mentioned drug smuggling and bulk cash smuggling and said the goal is to intervene and disrupt.
Napolitano said border protection in any country demands specific skills. Policing at a border, border protection, is not the same as being say an inner-city police officer, Napolitano said. There are obviously different techniques involved, different tactics, different laws oftentimes, and so I think being able to participate and help design that training for this border (Afghanistan) is very important.
Napolitano said border protection is crucial to establishing legitimate trade and revenue -- which needs to happen in Afghanistan.
Napolitano visited the Torkham border crossing with Pakistan, where a number of American border security and customs civilians are serving as advisers. She indicated that in general, she is satisfied with what she saw. So I would say that there is a perception that real progress is being made here and has been made in the last nine months.
However, the commander of a U.S. Army Brigade assigned to the Afghan-Pakistan border told reporters in late December that even the U.S. military has trouble controlling the Afghan-Pakistan border.
As far as the border itself, you know, I think its naive to say that we can stop, you know, forces coming through the border, Col. Viet Luong told a press conference in Afghanistan on Dec. 28. Luong and his troops are in charge of 162 miles of the Afghan border.
Napolitano said she hoped to leave Afghanistan with an appreciation of what skill sets are most needed there and to make sure thats included in the next wave of individuals that we (Department of Homeland Security) send over.
SKILL SET..
Somehow, I doubt that's what Stalinbama and Chavezapolitano have in mind.
Is mac daddy arming them with rubber bullets or is that just a requirement for those trying to protect America?
Is mac daddy arming them with rubber bullets or is that just a requirement for those trying to protect America?
More like a colon cleanse.
Something strange going on...I heard a story on the radio earlier today about a guy being arrested for soliciting sex from a 13 year old boy, and the agency running the sting was DHS! Since when is DHS tasked with sex crime enforcement?
The list, ping
Let me know if you would like to be on or off the ping list
The Border Patrol already has a few drones, and where they are in use they are very effective. They would be even more effective if they were armed.
Good point. So after the airlines privatize security, all the TSA thugs transform into Obama’s Civilian Army.
Makes sense... we have no need for them here.
In the spirit of the DADT repeal, you should have told them that you were a flaming homo and that a guy-grope would get you all hot and bothered.
If I had to bet my own money, I would have bet the TSA agent the felt my genitalia was a homosexual. The reason I say this is the only thing he felt up twice were my inner thighs and testicles. He also looked like he was enjoying himself immensely. Most likely his dream job, getting to touch men's junk all day.
I need a rubber stamp... FUbo!
LLS
Sounds exactly like something P.J. O’Rourke would have written in his old “National Lampoon” days. God help us.
More soldiers killed in 2 years than the whole of Bush’s 8 years, our borders or still in jeopardy and they send personnel to Afghanistan.
Seems all of their efforts are ill timed and not enough.
This has to be satire. It’s satire, isn’t it. PLEASE TELL ME IT’S SATIRE!
So, let’s get this correct: The DHS is sending “experts” on border enforcement to Afghanistan. This is the same government department that refuses to do its job of securing America’s borders and its TSA gropes and prods and fondles everyone but Muslims because that would be “profiling.” What is wrong with this picture? Anyone?
I think you are missing the point, Big Sis has already secured the Drug Trade on our borders. Our Drugs will get here just fine now, unfortunately since we went to Afghanistan OPIUM production has fallen by 50%. We cannot have that, DHS will setup everything so that the Opium producers have established routes with unfettered access. Opium is there #1 Cash Crop and they supply 90% of all opiates to the world. If we are going to have a War on Drugs we have to make damn sure we have a freeflow supply of Drugs.
It's criminal. Sending our border agents to Afghanistan and continuing to leave our borders unprotected, which has led to the deaths of Americans, on US soil, is criminal.
This is absolutely UNBELIEVABLE. I honestly thought it might be satire after first reading the title.
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