Posted on 02/06/2006 9:01:41 AM PST by bikepacker67
Some officials suggested Wednesday that the confrontation between Texas law officers earlier this week was with drug smugglers, not Mexican soldiers assisting narcotics traffickers across the Rio Grande.
But a Border Patrol agent who spoke on condition of anonymity said continuous cover-ups by Mexican and U.S. officials have put many agents and American lives in danger.
"I think it shows how desperate the situation has become. I think it's insulting to expect Americans to believe what (Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael) Chertoff and the Mexican government are saying," the agent said Wednesday.
"Isn't it the most reasonable explanation that if men are dressed as soldiers, with military vehicles and mounted machine guns that these guys are soldiers - not some cartel trying to ruin diplomatic relations?"
Photos of what appeared to be Mexican troops in the United States during Monday's incident shocked many Americans, although Mexico officials denied the military was involved.
But to most Mexicans it just offered further proof that drug traffickers run rampant in the border area in military-style vehicles, wearing uniforms and, in some cases, using military firepower.
"It is known that these are drug traffickers using military uniforms and they were not even regulation military uniforms," said Mexican presidential spokesman Ruben Aguilar.
T.J. Bonner, president of the National Border Patrol Council, said that he was insulted by the U.S. government's lack of response to the serious nature of the incursions.
"I don't believe they are rogue elements because of the markings of the vehicles and because of the insignias on their uniforms and further we've caught them in the past," Bonner said.
"Mexico is being less than honest with us. I don't understand what the U.S. interest is in aiding and abetting what is going on at the border. I don't have faith that it will stop before some of our law enforcement officers are murdered in the line of duty."
A U.S. law enforcement official speaking on condition of anonymity said the FBI and other agencies found no evidence the uniformed men involved in Monday's incident were Mexican soldiers.
But Hardrick Crawford Jr., a former special agent who was in charge of the FBI's El Paso's office, said he covered numerous narcotics cases along the border and documented military incursions since the mid-'90s. He said he expected both governments to deny the incursions.
"It's an embarrassment to both countries for the truth of these incursions to come out," Crawford said.
"I was concerned about the incursions on the border when I first got to El Paso. I wanted agents to go interview every rancher and resident in the area and I wanted the military incursions to be documented. I thought this would be important information - but many people didn't do anything about these incursions."
Crawford added that investigations in Mexico were difficult to conduct because the honest Mexican residents didn't want to put their own lives in danger by giving law enforcement officials information on the drug cartels.
"The drug trade is too lucrative," Crawford said. "Mexican soldiers and police officials are paid little. So it's just too tempting. With the increased efficiency and effort along the border, narcotics traffickers can bring in whatever they want. And if you go against them they'll kill you."
This week's standoff comes at a time of rising anger over border security, with the United States considering extending a wall along its 2,000-mile-long frontier with Mexico - an idea Mexicans resent.
"We have communicated at the diplomatic level with the government of Mexico on the matter and requested that they investigate the matter - and that U.S. authorities are already investigating the incident," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said in a statement.
The Mexican government also cited its long-standing policy that its soldiers must stay away from the border unless they have special authorization.
Rick Glancey of the Texas Border Sheriffs' Coalition said the confrontation began 50 miles east of El Paso when state police tried to stop three sport utility vehicles on Interstate 10. The vehicles made a quick U-turn and headed south toward the border, a few miles away.
Crossing the border, one SUV got stuck crossing the Rio Grande, and men in a Humvee tried in vain to tow it out. Then a group of men in civilian clothes began unloading what appeared to be bundles of marijuana, and torched the SUV before fleeing.
The Mexican army press office said it had no information on Monday's incident.
Mexico's Foreign Relations Department said in a statement that the confrontation, in which shots were not fired, could have been staged to "damage the image of our armed forces and bilateral cooperation."
The sheeple have been well trained to reject reality at every turn.
At least she was willing to read.
Phyllis Schlafly is a staunch conservative and 100% a patriot.
The bots will toss anyone under the bus who's talk disturbs their tiny little minds.
Rush would be turned off in a day if he ever spoke of this.
He wouldn't because he thinks he will live happily ever after in his fortress while America sinks into hell.
After all, this will really only hurt the little people.
Very interesting scenario. I wonder how many decades it will take for this to be realized.
Two years after the next election it will be done.
The next president is crucial to the plan.
That's why you have such a drive for McLoon and Hillary.
The Council wants someone who will fire on Americans if they refuse or resist.
If all goes according to plan, The Sheeple will never even notice it until it's done and can not be undone.
So a few "nuts" get burned alive in their homes.
Nobody did anything about Bush's assault on Ruby Ridge.
Nobody cared when Clinton burned the church full of "nuts" at Waco.
The Sheeple appear ready for the animal farm.
The powers that be will not let a conservative run for office. The fix is in.
That about covers it.
Trying to find an illegal immigrant to do the job "Americans don't want to do....."
It IS a huge conspiracy. But it's fact not theory.
You know what really gets people's heads spinning?
Go here and browse for your favorite Pols and industry leaders.
http://www.mega.nu:8080/ampp/roundtable/CFRA-Elist.html
Soros, Albright, Clinton, Bush, Cheney,Carter, Pastor, Meisner, Breyer, Ginsburg, and many of your favorite news people and pundits.
This is an older list. The latest keeps dissapearing.
If these people decide they want something, who is going to stop them?
Where did the list come from? Who put it together? (Just a pre-emptive questionnaire so I'm prepared!)
http://www.mega.nu:8080/ampp/roundtable/CFRBlythe.html
I find it amusing when people try to dismiss it as tinfoil hat stuff since the CFR proudly publishes the plan on their own website.
Amusing and completely predictable.
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