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by Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas |
January 10th, 2007
For the first time in history, American troops fled from armed gunmen illegally crossing the Mexican-Arizona border. This is a terrible precedent for national security.
Today, Maricopa County County Attorney Andrew Thomas called for an inquiry by Congress and the Arizona legislature into the circumstances surrounding last week's reported retreat by National Guard troops along the Mexican border after they were confronted by four armed gunmen from Mexico. This development was troubling given that Valley streets increasingly are being flooded with crime, drugs and violence flowing from the open border with Mexico.
The Border Patrol acknowledged last week that National Guard troops abandoned a post along the Arizona border after being threatened by armed men entering from Mexico. This confrontation occurred along a porous border where drug lords and their gangs operate freely.
Thomas stated, "This incident cries out for an official inquiry. I am unaware of any other occasion in which American soldiers along the Mexican border were compelled to retreat from armed intruders."
He added, "This incident was a deep embarrassment for our state and nation, and a wake-up call. It needs to be recognized as such."
He called for Congress and the state legislature to inquire into the rules of engagement for National Guard troops, the chain of command, whether they were carrying bullets, and whether their job duties and security arrangements are appropriate. "We are counting on these troops to defend the border. They need to be given the tools to do so."
Thomas noted that the security situation along the Mexican border remains chaotic and Valley streets are being filled with crime, drugs and violence due to the semi-open border. Recent events along the border have highlighted the fact that the illegal immigration problem is only one facet of a broader crisis involving what he called "border security."
Last week, the Arizona Republic reported that Arizona has become the drug gateway to the nation, with record seizures of marijuana (more seizures occurred in Arizona than occurred in the other three border states combined) and massive amounts of meth, cocaine and heroin entering the country. Mexico supplies an estimated 90 percent of the meth entering Arizona, and Phoenix has become the nation's hub for meth distribution and related identity theft. Mexican border cities have become centers of murder and violence.
Although Thomas was not aware of a terrorist entering the nation illegally across the Mexican border and committing a terrorist act, he pointed out that could change at any time given the large number of illegal crossings occurring annually.
Thomas also questioned why Governor Janet Napolitano devoted only a small fraction of the tail end of her State of the State address yesterday to the border crisis. This was despite the fact that the issue figured prominently in last November's elections and four initiatives cracking down on illegal immigration passed overwhelmingly. "This issue requires continued leadership and commitment," he noted.
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Responses to "Maricopa County Attorney Asks why National Guard on Border Retreated from Armed Gunmen"
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Another "Read My Lips!…" attempt to distract us by another left wing Republican. Everyone knew the plan was bogus a year ago. The liberals only pretended to believe it would work; just like wellfare. It was a dumb idea ment only to obfiscate the problem. At that Bush was successful.
The answer is bricks and mortar; IF WE WANT TO WIN THE WAR ON TERROR?!@#! If we do not want to win than any plan will be just fine - like the Guard at the border.
Comment by Rod | January 10, 2007
Why did they retreat instead of fight? Let's see, the last people to fire back at the drug lords were a couple of border patrol agents. Those agents are now on trial for doing so. Gee, we need you to protect our border guys, just make sure that you don't actually use your weapons. We'd hate for those poor drug dealers to get hurt. D-uhhh, I wonder why our border agents and national guard aren't fighting back?
Comment by Ron S. | January 10, 2007
"Thomas also questioned why Governor Janet Napolitano devoted only a small fraction of the tail end of her State of the State address yesterday to the border crisis."
Hmmm. Yes, that is a mystery. I can't possibly imagine why a politician would gloss over an issue like border control– an issue so near and dear not only to the ordinary people of Arizona who passed the initiatives cracking down on illegal immigration…
… but an issue near and dear also to both the politically-correct diversity-police of the media, as well as to fatcat businesses in search of cheap immigrant-slave labor….
… yes, I say again, it's a mystery…
Comment by J.D. | January 10, 2007
One wonders if Bush is so busy with the surge that he doesn't even know that our troops on the Border are surging too…back to safety that only retreat will bring, seeing as they have no support from him or anyone else in the Administration. Without support from the top, I would do the same….
Comment by john | January 10, 2007
One has to wonder at the irony of surviving the blunder of Iraq and the TWOT only to come back and see your own country along with wife and kids threatened by lack of a coherent and strong border policy. Republicans as they stand now are gonna be gone for awhile. Bummer for hard working Americans.
Comment by Dean | January 10, 2007
It does not seem like a pure coincidence that "National Guard troops abandoned a post along the Arizona border after being threatened by armed men entering from Mexico". Due to gross misinterpretation of the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights, invaders are being granted "constitutional protection" and "civil rights" as soon as they put their feet on American soil. Recent convictions of Border Patrol Agents Ramos and Compean are part of the same pattern here.
Read more on this subject (including an in-depth analysis of the relevant clauses of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights) in "The Blessings of Liberty":
http://geocities.com/readerswrite/commentaries/Blessings_of_the_Liberty.htm
Comment by A Reader | January 11, 2007
"If the guardsmen are too cowardly to do their job, then citizens will need to take over."
Well, I wouldn't blame the guardsmen themselves so much as the System which puts them in a Catch-22 situation: A.) Do your job. B.) If you do do your job we will feed you to the SPLC & ACLU with a side of soup, salad, or juice.
Guardsmen are *supposed* to be state militia– it's one sign of how screwed-up our society is that they're seen as a mere augmentory appendage of the centralized national military.
Comment by J.D. | January 16, 2007
This mess is the result of 40 years of leftism.
And it is contagious, even conservatives are catching the leftism virus.
The left brainwashed half the USA and half planet into believing defending your border is wrong, fighting ennemies is wrong,
killing ennemy combatants is wrong, putting criminals in jail is wrong, shooting a criminal who enters your house in the middle of the night is wrong, pretty much everything Western civilisation does - or has done in the past - is wrong.
And more and more people like lemmings follow the sweet music of leftism and jump in the river…
Mark Steyn is right, Western civilisation is comitting a slow suicide.
Common! who can argue punishing guards for defending the border, is not comiting a slow suicide?
Women are afraid of being severely punished for wearing revealing clothes in Muslim countries and in the USA guards are afraid of being punished for defending the border.
See any similarities?
We have leftists one side and Islamic radicals on the other , and we are told by the media, by university professors and by more and more politicians we should be submissive and let them take everything - well not in so many words - but that is the message; Be submissive and Let them take everything.
Mark Steyn is so right.
Every day I read news that confirm he is right, the slow suicide is happening before our very eyes, but it is happening so slowly that most people refuse to believe it is happening.
If the most powerful nation on earth won't defend its border, we Canadians stand no chance. We are the little row boat tied behind the majestic ship that is the USA.
You sink , we sink.
Please wake up and defend your borders.
Comment by Friend of USA | January 16, 2007
"Retreat? Never in my career have I ever left the enemy in command of the field, and I'm not going to do it now." — Gen. Robert E. Lee, after the first day's battle at Gettysburg, July 1, 1863.
Comment by sedonaman | January 18, 2007