Posted on 03/12/2009 7:22:54 AM PDT by Danae
WASHINGTON — President Obama weighed in Wednesday on the escalating drug war on the U.S.-Mexico border, saying that he was looking at possibly deploying National Guard troops to contain the violence but ruled out any immediate military move.
"We're going to examine whether and if National Guard deployments would make sense and under what circumstances they would make sense," Obama said during an interview with journalists for regional papers, including a McClatchy reporter.
"I don't have a particular tipping point in mind," he said. "I think it's unacceptable if you've got drug gangs crossing our borders and killing U.S. citizens."
(Excerpt) Read more at mcclatchydc.com ...
Gotta build that CIC street cred somehowse.....
He THINKS it is acceptable? Why doesn't he just say it IS acceptable?
What Would Bush Do?
“Last week Mexico sent an additional 3,200 soldiers to the border,” Sanchez said in a prepared opening statement for the hearing, “increasing the total number of Mexican soldiers combating drug cartels to more than 45,000.””
45K is not enough to deal with the Cartels. This is really a very disturbing situation.
He needs to see if its a popular decision based on polls before he commits. Plus, he needs to take the focus off of the economy.
I don’t know, all I know is what President Bush did not do as far as Mexico and the border goes. Which is to say, nothing. I love President Bush, but that is one area he did not do well in.
moron
The Administration is working so had to distract from the Economy its attacking Rush Limbaugh, which is of course having the opposite effect and making the White House look like its filled with a bunch of schoolyard punks. Oh wait, right, it IS full of punks.
pleasse. how many are aiding and abeting the cartels?
Sadly FRiend, we have already seen what Bush would do. He ignored it enough that Phoenix, AZ has become the #2 kidnapping capital of the WORLD...
And as much as we know Bush was better than Obama in every aspect, Bush still dropped the ball on this to the point where we are literally under invasion.
Even worse, Obama will likely send these troops in as relief...to AID the enemy as they cross our border, may even passing out food, water and maps of local sanctuary cities.
"Welcome to America! Here is your democrat registration and directions to the polls..."
So its ok that millions of illegals cross the border and take jobs from Americans. But he will put his foot down at drug gangs crossing the border... Guess you have got to have standards. I guess he doesn’t want the Mexican drug gangs competing with his boys in Chicago...
The plan to use Rush to deflect attention away from the economy and the incompetence of the Bush Administration isn’t working so no on to Plan B.
The problem is that at least a third of those Mexican troops are working for various cartels.
Sending a lot of our troops near a volatile border with so many sketchy gun holders on the other side is tossing matches at the truck of fireworks.
Will a match hit a fuse? Probably not, but if it does, we are in a shooting war with Mexico.
This is the one area that I really disagreed with Bush on. If he had taken steps to secure the border 5 years ago, it wouldn’t be as dangerous to send troops today.
Way to take a stand, there, B. Hussein. Positively inspiring.
Scrappleface could have fun with this one, in which Obama calls up GWB to make up for his “AWOL years” with the TANG.
on whose side will they be ordered to take?
any word on that?
Not a good idea. He does not have the constitutional authority to use the military within the domestic borders. This is reserved for the states and states alone. Very troubling....
0bama is saying this only because he thinks the public wants to hear it said.
It has nothing to do with whether he actually believes it or intends to implement it.
the soldiers will be told not to stop illegal immigrants and drug couriers, we’re just going to stop the violence from crossing.
keep an eye out for violence!
HOPE you like your CHANGE
Nothing, this problem didn't begin in January.
What could President Bush have done when Congress was run by Democrats for his last two years? Whatever he would have proposed, they would have yanked the funding on knowing they could do so with Hispanics support - cause Bush would be accused of making war on — MEHICO —.
It's going to present The One with a tactical problem. A militarized wall can keep the bad guys out, Israel has one as we all know, but so does Egypt and Saudi Arabia, among others. The problem, how do you let the illegals in?
Exactly.
Talk is cheap, Zero.
IF he does it, it'd be the first damn thing he's done that I favor, and it's likely more than W did. I just wonder if he'd prosecute the troops if they return fire on the drug dealers.
Can they fire on the Mexican military troops that are escorting drug smugglers across the border?
Our own border patrol has been instructed to stand down when they encounter the foreign troops on US soil.
or to keep US Citizens from stopping the incoming flow of new Democrat voters?
Troops to escort thousands of “refugees” to sanctuary in US in humanitarian mission.
If this is declared an invasion I believe he could, but I'm not 100% sure
Gee, where did I see those tactics before??? from ‘98 to 2000?
I agree, I have great respect & admiration for Bush, but the border is one of his biggest screw-ups. The National Guard should have been there in 2006; instead it’s escalated into war.
Good point. Will he say he is protecting the US while making sure that its citizens can't protect America?
I spent too many years under Clinton. What will be their mission? It would be just like a Dem to park them at the border, take away all of their weapons and not allow them to leave camp or interact with suspected illegal crossings.
I believe you’re referring to Posse Comitatus?
Because if so, that’s a federal act...but it’s not in the Constitution.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posse_Comitatus_Act
This act explicitly prohibits the military or any other such unit (like the National Guard) under federal control from acting in a law enforcement capacity within the United States.
Now the question becomes: is halting the drug cartels streaming past our open border a matter of law enforcement, or is it more of a military matter?
What I heard on Geraldo’s border report in El Paso the other night had some very disturbing news. There is a high percentage of El Paso police and border patrol agents that have family members living in Ciudad Jaurez. There is no doubt that through intimidation and money that some of these officers are corrupt. Voluntary polygraph testing would help. Also randomly rotate the border patrol agents at the check points every hour. I’m sure phone calls are made to let the smugglers know which lanes are being manned by a corrupt official for safe passage. It wouln’t hurt to have some spanish speaking FBI agents acting as border patrol.
Just wait a little bit then Obummer will be Farting in the wind about the borders.
He’ll say whatever he thinks people want to hear,
but it will have no relation to his actions or beliefs.
political football, punt or get funding ???
Yeah, kinda like the NG in the airports after 911 with unloaded weapons
That is correct in terms of the United States Military as defined by the respective branches. However, the President can call forth the Militia(National Guard)and the President cannot organize, arm or discipline the Militia. All of those powers belong to Congress....
Article 1, Section 8
What I am worried about is that he might be trying to protect these people from armed citizens. Good excuse for a gun roundup.
"The military is here. No need for guns on private citizens. To dangerous."
Don’t worry, he is sending the troops down there to provide “humanitarian aide” to the illegals and help them carry their backs across the border and to clean up the thousands of tons of garbage the illegals leave behind.
I believe it could be considered an invasion which would justify military action
Good question. IMO that's one of our biggest problems we face, political considerations trump the good of the Country.
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