Just after the release of the news that there have been over 200 unauthorized border crossings unto US soil by the Mexican military, it appears that people dressed as Mexican military provided armed cover for drug dealers fleeing Texas into Mexico. Mounted machine guns were pointed at law enforcement apparently by the Mexican military inside the borders of the United States.
Some will dismiss this as meaningless posturing despite the fact that if the US military ever crossed a border in an unauthorized fashion they'd scream bloody murder. Some may dismiss this as another attack on immigration, despite the fact that no immigrants were involved. In this case, suspected drug dealers fleeing with over a half-ton of drugs were trying to escape Texas law enforcement inside the Texas border, and they were provided armed cover by what appears to be the Mexican military. Some may say it just appears they were dressed like that, and it remains to be seen exactly who those people were, but if there are people running around in military uniforms using military-grade weaponry, Mexico ought to be doing something about it. Especially if they make a habit of causing international incidents on American soil.
For too long the border has been underprotected. This isn't about immigration, per se. The United States should significantly loosen the restrictions on those who wish to come here to work and have a better life. However, that has largely been lost in the debate where few people understand that there is even a legal way to immigrate and equate those who illegally enter the country with those who follow the proper process. The political cowardice of those in office to enforce the laws related to the border have led not only to rampant illegal immigration but outright mockery of the law. Mexico provides guides for people wishing to enter the US illegally and then the Mexican government demands that Social Security checks be sent to Mexico.
Article comments
1 - Howard Dratch
Fanning the flames of US isolationist fears with stories of the Mexican military covering for "drug dealers" is not the way to approach the serious problem of Mexican-American relations.
Mexico has many problems and the border has obviously become dangerous due to the organized crime that has been engendered by US drug laws and drug demand. Nuevo Laredo is, indeed,a dangerous place that President Fox has taken steps to control. Even here in the southeast which was a paradise we are suffering anti-American violence and threats.
However, getting Americans worked up over mythical threats by a military force will have, in the end, only one effect. Those of us who live here will suffer the backlash.
Further, of all Mexican institutions the military is perhaps the least corrupt and least likely to have provided fire cover for criminals. That may not have always been true (in the late '60s the Mexican military was even more violent than the Ohio National Guard). In this era they are a bastion of stability. In all the roadblocks, checkpoints and searches we have been through exploring Mexico, the military ones have been the most professional, usually the most polite and the least threatening (except for assault weapons).
Our bodyguard is an ex-Mexican paratrooper and has far more to say for himself than do most American cops or rent-a-cops. And, best, he scares off the bad guys.
2 - Victor Lana
My feelings are that the troops in Iraq, Korea, Germany, and the rest of the world should be pulled and immediately placed along the northern and southern borders of this country. We can better fight terrorism here if we control who gets in here.
If this story is true, then that is even more of a reason for this to happen immediately.
3 - Bennett
"Some will dismiss this as meaningless posturing despite the fact that if the US military ever crossed a border in an unauthorized fashion they'd scream bloody murder."
The USA would never invade a sovereign country, even on a small and woefully inadequate scale, for profit or for the protection of our profitable enterprises.
"Mexico provides guides for people wishing to enter the US illegally and then the Mexican government demands that Social Security checks be sent to Mexico."
Could you reference some credible report to back this statement up? I must have missed that episode of Oprah.
"In this case, suspected drug dealers fleeing with over a half-ton of drugs were trying to escape Texas law enforcement inside the Texas border, and they were provided armed cover by what appears to be the Mexican military."
But even your link (from FOX News online) goes on to state:
"The Mexican government denied its military was involved."
and
"The Mexican Foreign Relations Department issued a statement saying that drug traffickers and other organized criminals have used uniforms and vehicles before. "It is possible that these actions were designed to damage the image of our armed forces," it said."
Your last paragraph is pretty right-on, right up to:
"There are those who say we can't win the drug war. They have a point when a foreign military can invade the United States and provide cover for drug dealers while the White House remains silent."
That, Young Bambeneck, is bombastic and laughingly overblown.
Nice try.
4 - Anthony Grande
This is just amazing, but I do not believe what we are hearing is true. This is probably a group of drug dealers dressed like soldiers.
I do agree with Bambenek on that we should make our policies easier for people to immigrate legally and become citizens in this great country of ours.
As for the border, build a 50 foot electric fence. After the first illegal gets fried they will stop comming.
5 - Dave Nalle
"Mexico provides guides for people wishing to enter the US illegally and then the Mexican government demands that Social Security checks be sent to Mexico."
Could you reference some credible report to back this statement up? I must have missed that episode of Oprah.
Come on Bennett, this stuff has been so widely publicized you shouldn't need us to hold your hand. Look it up through google.
And BTW, the guides are in comic book form. They also have offices in border towns to advise people on how to cross the border. There's some question about the federales involved in the border crossing. At one point they were believed to be posted at the border by the government to protect those crossing, but now they appear to be in the pay of coyotes and moonlighting and actually crossing the border without Mexican government approval.
And you can find any of this information in numerous news articles.
Dave
6 - Shark
Headline:
"Hyperventilating Hyperbole Invades Bambineck!"
~Bambi, you know that everything you say is suspect, right?
BTW: Here's a simple suggestion that would immediately change the dynamics of drug dealing, border lawlessness, organized crime, and public officials' corruption:
Legalize drugs & hand 'em out for free.
~NEXT!
7 - Bing
There seems to be some confusion over the truth of who these people actually were.
However it is my belief that if they are Mexican soldiers and they are threatening AMerican citizens they should be shot on site.
Of course the ACLU will file a lawsuit on behalf of the Mexican soldiers and then the ACLU lawyers should be shot on sight.
8 - Dave Nalle
For once shark has hit the nail on the head. But we shouldn't hand the drugs out for free, we should let the market set prices and then tax them on the state and federal level like we do with alcohol.
Dave
9 - Nancy
Ditto with prostitution, perhaps, but then what? Legalized & taxable child porn? Animal abuse? Snuff films? A sincere question: where do we draw the line at legalizing & taxing stuff?
10 - gonzo marx
where does it stop?
simplicity itself...
incestuous gay midget animal snuff porn for drugs
that should about do it...
as i have statedx previously, until you stop allowing american employers to hire illegals, the problem will NEVER stop
make each infraction cost the same as seeing Janet Jackson's boobie ($525,000 per incident) and watch how fast things change
Excelsior!
11 - troll
Dave - hasn't a version of your revenue plan been in effect for a while...what with the CIA/DEA funding so much of its 'foreign policy' by aligning with drug and weapons smuggling assholes
that's what I heard anyway
troll
12 - Dave Nalle
Well, troll, I had in mind doing it through the private sector, rather than as an underground method of raising money for black ops. Doing it the way the CIA has been accused of doing it is not only illegal, but merely feeds the culture of prohibition.
What I was suggesting was legalization which would make that kind of illegal operation impossible.
Dave
13 - Bill O. Writes
We are not only making the "drugs" legal, we have commercial enterprise continually paying them to try it. Start with the "pushers" the ones who hire.
14 - Bill O. Writes
I forgot to add that undocumented immigrants were used to past counterfeit $100 in my area. The bills were perfect down to the ribbon, threads, and watermark. The exception was the bills had the same number. Now why would an organization with such prowness want to use UNDOCUMENTED aliens instead of legal aliens? Weren't the 9-11 murders illegal immigrants who crossed the Canadian border? Maybe we allow those who want to "wipe Israel off the face of the map," and say "death to America." There is a reason immigrants are screened and documented.
15 - MANDM
Its against mexican policy for mexico to invade or start a war with another country why do you think they arent fighting in Iraq with us afterall Mexico is an ally it would only be common sense when it has millions of its citezens in this country
16 - MANDM
Why would an american airport let illegal immigrants on a plane the terrorists were legal immigrants if not citezens of the US