Posted on 06/21/2012 2:45:15 PM PDT by NoLibZone
The Merida Initiative is the, and was the, basis for the 2008 HR-6028 Bill which specifically funded "Project Gunrunner."
Darrell Issa pretends he has never heard of Project Gunrunner, yet in 2008 he specifically voted to fund Project Gunrunner.
Apparently, there is more than just a huge connection between Merida Initiative and Project Gunrunner whereby Project Gunrunner funding, per HR-6028, is directly enveloped into the Merida Initiative.
In October 2007, President Bush and President announced the Mérida Initiative, is a Billions of dollar aid package to support Mexico's President Calderón's war on drugs by, among other things, sending military grade weapons and helicopters to Mexico. Project Gunrunner was Legislated into the Merida Initiative through HR-6028 in 2008. After ample Congressional debate on conditionality and appropriations, the US Congress approved the initiative in HR-6028 without any strings attached.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/06/21/1101851/-2008-Darrell-Issa-Voted-YES-to-Fund-Project-Gunrunner-Merida-Initiative
So few characters allowed in title- I cant fit the BARF ALERT
This is the beliefs of Liberals at Daly Kos.
Cmon George - you're not above answering your critics.
Sorry rats, no mention of ‘Fast and Furious’ in HR6028.
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/110/hr6028/text
I’ll do my usual thing. Wait 24 hours to see how things fit into place, or not.
Project Gunrunner was an entirely different program, was considered a failure, and was discontinued. Fast and Furious is a whole different animal. Just the Kos Kids grasping at straws.
H.R.6028 — Merida Initiative to Combat Illicit Narcotics and Reduce Organized Crime Authorization Act of 2008
Bill Text
110th Congress (2007-2008) H.R.6028.RH
http://www.opencongress.org/bill/110-h6028/text
Its limited, and restricted to:
SEC. 113. ACTIVITIES SUPPORTED.
(a) In General- Activities that may be supported by assistance under section 112 include the following:
(1) COUNTERNARCOTICS AND COUNTERTRAFFICKING- To assist in building the capacity of law enforcement and security forces of Mexico to eradicate illicit narcotics trafficking and reduce trafficking-fueled violence, including along the United States-Mexico border, including assistance such as—
(A) radar and aerial surveillance equipment;
(B) land and maritime interdiction equipment and training, including—
(i) transport helicopters and night-operating capabilities;
(ii) surveillance platform planes; and
(iii) maintenance and training relating to maintenance of aircraft; and
(C) training of security and law enforcement units to plan and execute counternarcotics operations.
(2) PORT, AIRPORT, AND RELATED SECURITY- To assist in monitoring and controlling the United States-Mexico border and the border between Mexico and Central America to combat illicit narcotics trafficking, including assistance such as—
(A) computer infrastructure and equipment;
(B) secure communications networks; and
(C) nonintrusive monitoring technology.
It didn't morph into F&F until the Obama regime took over. Neal Boortz had a good piece on his radio show this morning explaining the vast differences between PGW and F&F (while conceding it was an extremely stupid idea from the beginning during the Bush administration).
SEC. 123. ACTIVITIES SUPPORTED.
Activities that may be supported by assistance under section 122 include the following:
(1) INSTITUTION BUILDING AND RULE OF LAW- To assist Mexicos efforts to expand the rule of law and build the capacity, transparency, and trust in government institutions, including assistance such as—
(A) rule of law and systemic improvements in judicial and criminal justice sector institutions, including—
(i) courts management and prosecutorial capacity building;
(ii) prison reform activities, including those relating to anti-gang and anti-organized crime efforts;
(iii) anti-money laundering programs;
(iv) victim and witness protection and restitution; and
(v) promotion of transparent oral trials via training for the judicial sector;
(B) police professionalization, including—
(i) training regarding use of force;
(ii) human rights education and training;
(iii) training regarding evidence preservation and chain of custody; and
(iv) enhanced capacity to vet candidates;
(C) support for the Mexican Office of the Attorney General, including—
(i) judicial processes improvement and coordination;
(ii) enhancement of forensics capabilities;
(iii) data collection and analyses;
(iv) case tracking and management;
(v) financial intelligence functions; and
(vi) maintenance of data systems.
(2) ANTI-CORRUPTION, TRANSPARENCY, AND HUMAN RIGHTS- To assist law enforcement and court institutions in Mexico to develop mechanisms to ensure due process and proper oversight and to respond to citizen complaints, including assistance such as—
(A) enhancement of polygraph capability in the Mexican Police agency (SSP);
(B) support for greater transparency and accountability in the Mexican legal system, including—
(i) establishment of a center in the Mexican Office of the Attorney General for receipt of citizen complaints;
(ii) establishment of clerk of the court system to track cases and pretrial detentions;
(iii) reorganization of human and financial resources systems; and
(iv) equipping and training of criminal investigators; and
(C) promotion of human rights, including—
(i) support for human rights organizations, bar associations, and law schools; and
(ii) training for police, prosecutors, and corrections officers.
(3) PREVENTION- To assist in the prevention of individuals from participating in illicit narcotics-related violent activities, such as—
(A) establishment of programs that address domestic violence and increase school attendance rates; and
(B) expansion of intervention programs, including after-school programs and programs for at-risk and criminal involved youth.
(4) DEVELOPMENT- To assist in the development of areas where lack of jobs breeds illicit narcotics-related violence, including—
(A) expansion of alternative livelihood programs, including job creation programs and rural development programs and the provision of microenterprise development assistance under title VI of chapter 2 of part I of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2211 et seq.); and
(B) establishment of gang reeducation and training programs.
(a) Sense of Congress- It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) much of the increased violence in Mexico is perpetrated using firearms and ammunition smuggled illegally from the United States into Mexico;
(2) the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has told Congress of an iron river of guns with thousands of weapons per week illegally crossing into Mexico from the United States;
(3) more than 90 percent of the guns confiscated yearly in Mexico originate in the United States and approximately 40 percent of the total trafficked weapons are linked to drug trafficking organizations;
(4) along the 2,000 mile border from Brownsville, Texas, to San Diego, California, there are 6,700 licensed gun sellers, but only 100 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) special agents to investigate allegations of weapons trafficking and only 35 inspectors to ensure compliance with United States laws;
(5) on January 16, 2008, ATF announced that it will add 25 special agents and 15 inspectors to their Project Gunrunner along the Southwest Border. And, the ATF budget request for fiscal year 2009 includes funding for another 12 inspectors; and
(6) an effective strategy to combat these illegal arms flows is a critical part of a United States contribution to a jointly executed anti-narcotics strategy with Mexico.
(b) Project Gunrunner Initiative-
(1) IN GENERAL- The Attorney General shall, to the extent amounts are made available to carry out this subsection pursuant to paragraph (4), use such amounts for the Project Gunrunner initiative (hereafter in this subsection referred to as the initiative) of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives to expand the resources provided to identify, investigate, and prosecute individuals involved in the trafficking of firearms across the United States-Mexico border.
(2) ACTIVITIES- In carrying out paragraph (1), the Attorney General shall--
(A) assign additional agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives to the area of the United States adjacent to the United States-Mexico border to support the expansion of the initiative;
(B) establish not fewer than 1 initiative team in each State along the United States-Mexico border; and
(C) coordinate with the heads of other relevant federal law enforcement agencies and State and local law enforcement agencies to address firearms trafficking in a comprehensive manner.
(3) ADDITIONAL STAFF- The Attorney General may hire additional persons to be Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives agents for, and may use such other resources as may be necessary to adequately support, the initiative.
(4) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- To carry out this subsection, there are authorized to be appropriated to the Attorney General $15,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2008 through 2010.
(c) Enhanced International Cooperation-
(1) IN GENERAL- In carrying out this subsection, the Attorney General, in cooperation with the Secretary of State, is authorized and encouraged, as appropriate, to--
(A) assign agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives to the United States mission in Mexico, specifically in areas adjacent to the United States-Mexico border, to work with Mexican law enforcement agencies in conducting investigations relating to firearms trafficking and other criminal enterprises;
(B) provide the equipment and technological resources necessary to support investigations and to trace firearms recovered in Mexico; and
(C) support the training of vetted Mexican law enforcement officers in serial number restoration techniques and canine explosive detection.
(2) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- To carry out this subsection, there are authorized to be appropriated to the Attorney General $9,500,000 for each of the fiscal years 2008 through 2010.
Funny how something which got no press outside of FOX suddenly has the Uber-Libs now doing damage control.
This must go all the way to the top for KOS to get their marching orders.
TITLE III—ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS
SEC. 301. CONDITIONS ON PROVISION OF ASSISTANCE.
(4) Equipment and material provided as support is being used only by officials and employees of the government of the foreign country who have been approved by such government to perform counternarcotics activities, including on the basis of the background investigations by such government.
(b) Project Gunrunner Initiative-
(1) IN GENERAL- The Attorney General shall, to the extent amounts are made available to carry out this subsection pursuant to paragraph (4), use such amounts for the Project Gunrunner initiative (hereafter in this subsection referred to as the initiative) of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives to expand the resources provided to identify, investigate, and prosecute individuals involved in the trafficking of firearms across the United States-Mexico border.
(2) ACTIVITIES- In carrying out paragraph (1), the Attorney General shall—
(A) assign additional agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives to the area of the United States adjacent to the United States-Mexico border to support the expansion of the initiative;
(B) establish not fewer than 1 initiative team in each State along the United States-Mexico border; and
(C) coordinate with the heads of other relevant federal law enforcement agencies and State and local law enforcement agencies to address firearms trafficking in a comprehensive manner.
Obama has violated this portion along with many others:
SEC. 502. METRICS AND OVERSIGHT MECHANISMS.
(a) Sense of Congress- It is the sense of Congress that—
(1) to successfully support building the capacity of recipient countries civilian security institutions, enhance the rule of law in recipient countries, and ensure the protection of human rights, the President should establish metrics and oversight mechanisms to track the effectiveness of activities undertaken pursuant to this Act;
(2) long-term solutions to Mexico and Central Americas security problems depend on strengthening and holding accountable civilian institutions;
(3) it is difficult to assess the impact of United States assistance towards these goals absent specific oversight and monitoring mechanisms; and
(4) the President, in developing metrics, should consult with Congress as well as the Government of Mexico and the Central American Integration System (SICA).
(b) Requirement- The President shall develop metrics to identify, track, and manage the progress of activities authorized pursuant to this Act and use these metrics to determine the allocation of resources for such activities.
F&F was a sub operation (2009) named by or for the BATFE Phoenix, AZ division under the umbrella of Project Gunrunner.
I don’t buy that, but ok, let Cheney, or Mueller, or Sullivan, or ANYONE in authority during that time had better refute the Gunrunner=F&F or people will become confused and lose interest.
Operation Wide Receiver ended in 2007.
This article is bullshit ~~~ walking!
obama and company perverted this op and used it for nefarious purposes resulting in the deaths of at LEAST 2 American agents and countless mexican nationals.
No way they should be allowed to get away with slandering Issa like this.
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/110/hr6028
Section 401 -
Directs the President to report to the appropriate congressional committees concerning measures taken to reduce U.S. drug demand.
Section 402 -
Directs the Attorney General to: (1) expand resources for the Project Gunrunner initiative of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) to identify, investigate, and prosecute firearms trafficking across the U.S.- Mexico border; and (2) provide ATF agents, equipment, and training to assist Mexican law enforcement officers in combating firearms trafficking and other criminal enterprises. Authorizes FY2008-FY2010 appropriations.
Section 404 -
Directs the President to report to the appropriate congressional committees regarding measures taken to stop the flow of illegal precursor chemicals and bulk cash into Mexico
Project started under Bush is not Fast & Furious.
Irresponsible to try to imply Obama merely extended what Bush started.
Bush didn't kill, 2 federal agents and hundreds of foreign personnel got killed by Obama/Holder & Co.
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