Armed standoff along U.S. border

[Jeff_in_Atl]

Interesting web site;
http://www.americanpatrol.com/
http://www.americanborderpatrol.com/

[Red20170]

One note about the Berlin wall was it was built to keep people in not out

You are very right Jeff. I guess The point I was making was that you can not stop someone who is determined to get across or around it. Remember too lots of folks went around the wall by migrating through the current czech republic austria switzerland and made it to West Germany, France, Italy.

I thought that only effected federal troops? The national guard are state controlled troops. The state can call for national guard in protection of their state which I think was recently done on one of the border states.

You are also right.. It was New Mexico, Arizona, and Texas I believe declaired a state of emergency. Giving power to activate the national guard. I don't know if anything came of this. I wish there was more news on it. Maybe some else could chime in. I mentioned the Posse Comitatus Act Because some one mentioned securing our borders with 150,000 troops we're currently using in Iraq.
I wonder which area is being built with this version? I take it is to stop the trucks and suv making a run for the current fence.

[Red20170]

Strykers on the border. Well... That is an excelent start.... good find Jeff

[2Fbodcru]

As far as the border control problem, I believe that I have come up with the perfect solution, or at least a better one. They need to dig a long trench along the whole border between us and Mexico. Then fill it with water and all of the “nuisance” alligators from Florida, the ones that get into swimming pools and have to be caught and killed , plus any excess ones that can be caught and released there. Piranhas would be a good addition as well. Then with all of the dirt that they have left over from digging the trench, they can take it and fill in New Orleans, thus solving the levee problem, because New Orleans will be raised well above sea level from all of the additional soil, and wouldn't need levees anymore

BTW, I am just joking around and not looking for a flame war

[Dave M]

The pentagon folks are no dummies. If you look at Afghanistan and Iraq. Both former U.S enemies. Now U.S allies This sets the perfect stage. For a future invasion on Iran. The single biggest sponsor of state terrorism. If I were Iran I would be nervous knowing that the U.S is occupying the country to my left and the country to my right.

That's another problem exactly because Iran is getting nervous. Now they want nuclear weapons. If I were in Iran's position I'd want them too. With the most powerful military in the world surrounding you and unhappy with you, your only defense may be for them to believe you're crazy enough to use nuclear weapons should they invade.


As for the border, we need to stop pi$$ing around and worrying about offending other countries. Defending our border should be considered a matter of National Security. After all, terrorists could just as well use the porous border to get across rather than simply illegal aliens. So we offend Mexico? So what? They should be keeping their people from jumping ship anyway. As I said, I consider our border a matter of National Secuirty, and it should be treated as such.





And you guys think I'm a liberal.....

[TraceZ]

That's another problem exactly because Iran is getting nervous. Now they want nuclear weapons. If I were in Iran's position I'd want them too. With the most powerful military in the world surrounding you and unhappy with you, your only defense may be for them to believe you're crazy enough to use nuclear weapons should they invade.


As for the border, we need to stop pi$$ing around and worrying about offending other countries. Defending our border should be considered a matter of National Security. After all, terrorists could just as well use the porous border to get across rather than simply illegal aliens. So we offend Mexico? So what? They should be keeping their people from jumping ship anyway. As I said, I consider our border a matter of National Secuirty, and it should be treated as such.





And you guys think I'm a liberal.....

I actually agree with you completely. All I meant to say was that it wont happen. I wish things were different. It would require an "event" on the border to change the oppinion of the general public. This "event" would have to get major prime time news coverage to get the general public upset enough to make military border presence popular.

[fastTa]

By fighting in Iraq they are learning valuable fighting and explosive techniques. In effect, we are providing the terrorists we're fighting with training opportunities.

This is what the mujahideen did fighting the Soviets. They mastered guerrilla tactics against a super power's army and then used that knowledge to train others to fight a future enemy.

Surely you guys aren't minimizing this War to such a narrow minded extreme. War is War. The opposing forces are going to always obtain greater experience, combat techniques, and intel from fighting against the US. Are you suggesting that this inevability of war somehow overshadows the significance of the REAL mission.....the mission to start the conception of a free and Democratical Country.

The Posse Comitatus Act forbids us from doing such actions. In summary you can use the military for domestic police work. I don't agree with the law but that is why we don't see armed troops down there. They are building that very expensive wall down there. You would think we learned from the Berlin wall that you can stop a determined individual.

It does not limit the National Guard in any way. They are regulary called upon to assist the Border Patrol and Border Agents with border related issues...especially in Texas, New Mexico, and California.

It is not any specific law which inhibits a greater military presence at the US/Mexican border, it is a very sensitive political and global effort to maintain a "desirable" realtionship with countries around the World.

I read an article recently that legal and illegal El Salvadorians in Virginia sent close to 2 billion back to that country. Another fix I believe is to change laws that allow children born here from illegal parents to be U.S citizens. This would put a stop to the practice of anchor babies.

I agree. Illegal's offspring should not be automatically given a US Citizenship. It is rediculous. The parent's shouldn't even be here in the first place. This is the land of oppurtunity, not the land of free rides.

It was New Mexico, Arizona, and Texas I believe declaired a state of emergency. Giving power to activate the national guard. I don't know if anything came of this. I wish there was more news on it. Maybe some else could chime in.

It was here in Texas. There is alot of illegal activity on the border near El Paso and the Fort Hancock area. I believe the most recent crossing indicated in RangerBob's article, ended up with the drug smuggler's being caught in Sierra Blanca along I-10.

And you guys think I'm a liberal.....

Maybe you are a wolf in sheep's clothing because you know that you are amongst a flock of sheep.

[Red20170]

Are you suggesting that this inevability of war somehow overshadows the significance of the REAL mission.....the mission to start the conception of a free and Democratical Country

I personally don't believe the real mission is to start the conception of a free and democratical country. But it is a good plan "B" of our presence being there currently. I think our main efforts should still be in afganistan/pakistan.

The opposing forces are going to always obtain greater experience, combat techniques, and intel from fighting against the US.

Very valid point you make... I will say I do take issue with our government training forigeners to fight like the mujahideen now alqadea. History has shown us that it bites us every time.

It was here in Texas. There is alot of illegal activity on the border near El Paso and the Fort Hancock area. I believe the most recent crossing indicated in RangerBob's article, ended up with the drug smuggler's being caught in Sierra Blanca along I-10.

I'm glad to see texas doing something about the ileagal problem. Unlike here in fairfax county where the old Herndon police station was turned into a day labor center. With a tax payer cost of 160,000 a year. Thank God the miniute men are out constantly disrupting the practice of picking them up.By taking pictures of contractors license plates.

[fastTa]

I personally don't believe the real mission is to start the conception of a free and democratical country. But it is a good plan "B" of our presence being there currently. I think our main efforts should still be in afganistan/pakistan.

I realize that some would say that our US Foreign Policy targets a regime change in Iraq as a primary objective. I also realize that some would say that the War in Iraq is simply to set the stage for the permanent US military occupation in Saudi Arabia. We all have heard the news of the volatile nature of the Saudi royal family and the Saudi countrymen and others of Islamic decent. The lefty's would like for us to believe that the Bush administration is just scared that one day the Saudi royal family may fall, and all that power of OPEC influence and maniopulation may fall into the hands of some maliciously oppurtunistic radicals.

Do I believe this? I honestly think the only people that can genuinely answer that are those that are intimately involved with or have a significant role in our US Foreign Policy and military operations on a Federal level.

I suppose if laying the foundation of a free and democratic country is a by-product or a plan "b", I will take it.

I'm glad to see texas doing something about the ileagal problem. Unlike here in fairfax county where the old Herndon police station was turned into a day labor center. With a tax payer cost of 160,000 a year. Thank God the miniute men are out constantly disrupting the practice of picking them up.By taking pictures of contractors license plates.

Me too, but I am interested to see what the long term convictions are of the Government. The largest minority group in the US is Mexican and they historically have voted Liberal. Unfortunately, when it comes to border policies, some of our conservative politicians our thinking more of future votes rather than focusing on the real and present issues at hand. I hope they step up and start flexing a little border muscle.

[RangerBob]

One Kilometer Long Tunnel Found

US, Mexican Authorities Discover Tunnel, Marijuana
By VOA News
26 January 2006



U.S. and Mexican authorities have discovered an unusually long and well-built tunnel running from the Mexican town of Tijuana to just across the border in California.

Officials on both sides of the border said about two tons of marijuana were found inside the tunnel.

Many tunnels have been found recently beneath the U.S.-Mexico border, but officials say this was one of the best-constructed and, at about one kilometer, one of the longest. The Associated Press says the tunnel included a cement-lined floor, lighting, and fresh-air vents.

AP reports the U.S. Attorney's office in San Diego, California, has opened a criminal investigation.

[Dave M]

just another twist to the puzzle.....


http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/americ....ap/index.html

[jims69camaro]

I don't mean to start a debate here, but I think we'd do more to secure this country by using our miltary to close our porous borders than over in Iraq. The whole mid east is a breeding ground for terrorists and shutting them down in Iraq (if that's even possible) won't stop them from training somewhere else. But if we can secure our borders and ports than maybe we can keep them from coming into the country. It would also help shutdown the drug trade like we see in this article.

I'm all for stepping up the level of security in and around our borders, airports, and shipping ports, but that does not mean that we should abandon our efforts abroad in stopping terrorism. That would be absolutely stupid. You don't put extra locks on your doors at home to keep the bad guys out, you go out to their turf and pro-actively eliminate them and their wrongdoings before they ever even reach your doorstep.

There is no question that we are doing the right thing by fighting the war on terrorism abroad in their breeding and training grounds rather than attempting to stop them at our borders. It is just physically impossible to secure every inch of the thousands of linear miles along our borders.

well said.

But fighting full scale wars is not working.

how did you arrive at this opinion?