Bush to order National Guard to border

[Balta1701]

So I figured since the President has decided that for some reason right now is the crisis moment in the history of immigration along our southern border, tonight's speech and Bush's reported decision to send the National Guard to the southern border probably deserved it's own thread.

 

President Bush will order fewer than 10,000 National Guard troops to the U.S.-Mexico border to support Border Patrol agents in stopping illegal immigration, a senior administration official said Monday.

 

Bush will outline his plan in a televised speech to the nation at 8 p.m. ET Monday, the official said.

 

The troops -- about 3 percent of all National Guard units -- will not be involved in apprehending illegal immigrants, the official said.

 

Currently there are about 350 troops on the U.S.-Mexico border.

Vicente Fox called the President yesterday and expressed his concern over the "militarisation of the border", and in response the White House said that this was only a temporary measure.

 

So, I can imagine we'll have quite the variety of reactions. Personally, I can't help but sit here and think that 10,000 troops who aren't allowed to actually do any apprehending will wind up, you know, not doing much apprehending. But at least it'll get the anti-immigrant base fired up before the election.

Officials suggested the purpose of the border mission would be to play a supporting role by providing intelligence and training, while leaving the guarding of the frontier separating the US and Mexico to the Border Patrol.

 

The National Guard would be a stopgap force until the US Government could hire civilian contractors to take over administrative and support functions from the Border Patrol, freeing more agents to hunt for immigrants slipping into the country.

And of course, we may also be following that up by hiring more mercenaries to do the job after the Guard gets pulled back. What, we didn't give them enough business in Iraq?

 

And then there's the last question; who will be the lucky national guard member who will win the nationwide lottery for the priveledge of being the only guard member not on active duty right now?

[YASNY]

Way too little. Way too late. Send a brick to your congressman for use on the wall.

[NUKE_CLEVELAND]

So I figured since the President has decided that for some reason right now is the crisis moment in the history of immigration along our southern border, tonight's speech and Bush's reported decision to send the National Guard to the southern border probably deserved it's own thread.

Vicente Fox called the President yesterday and expressed his concern over the "militarisation of the border", and in response the White House said that this was only a temporary measure.

 

So, I can imagine we'll have quite the variety of reactions. Personally, I can't help but sit here and think that 10,000 troops who aren't allowed to actually do any apprehending will wind up, you know, not doing much apprehending. But at least it'll get the anti-immigrant base fired up before the election.

And of course, we may also be following that up by hiring more mercenaries to do the job after the Guard gets pulled back. What, we didn't give them enough business in Iraq?

 

And then there's the last question; who will be the lucky national guard member who will win the nationwide lottery for the priveledge of being the only guard member not on active duty right now?

 

 

Balta seems a touch annoyed with this decision.

 

The guard units will facilitate communications and support roles now being performed by BP agents thusly freeing them up to do their jobs apprehending illegals.

 

Whats this mercenaries talk anyway. Methinks you've been reading too much Soldier of Fortune. :rolly

 

 

This is a good decision and it's long overdue.

[FlaSoxxJim]

At least we are one step closer to some good old fashioned major urban race riots after some green weekend soldier shoots and kills someone coming over to try to make a better life for their family.

[Balta1701]

Balta seems a touch annoyed with this decision.

 

The guard units will facilitate communications and support roles now being performed by BP agents thusly freeing them up to do their jobs apprehending illegals.

 

Whats this mercenaries talk anyway. Methinks you've been reading too much Soldier of Fortune. :rolly

This is a good decision and it's long overdue.

Yeah, I am a touch annoyed with this decision. I'm annoyed with the fact that it will almost certainly delay the creation of a real settlement of the issue in Congress. I'm annoyed with the fact that I don't think it'll be even remotely effective. I'm annoyed with the fact that last December, the head of the National Guard said that it was rapidly becoming a "Broken Force" because of Iraq, it has 30% of it's equipment, 20% of it's force is in Iraq at any given time, and we think it can still be used for this.

 

And I think I'm most annoyed with the fact that the President is doing this not because of some crisis, or because we're at a turning point, or because there's an army of Illegals getting ready to cross the border and we need that support down there now, but he's doing this because his poll numbers are sagging so he needs to shore them up.

 

Put this stupid plan to rest, Mr. President, and act like a President. Start calling your Republican Congresspeople, who've been subservient to you so damn often, into your office, and work with them to try to find the votes for a compromise. Take care of this problem forever, and stop with the stupid window dressing.

[YASNY]

At least we are one step closer to some good old fashioned major urban race riots after some green weekend soldier shoots and kills someone coming over to try to make a better life for their family.

 

You mean that these fine upstanding wanna-be American citizens would resort to violence? Surely, not.

[NUKE_CLEVELAND]

At least we are one step closer to some good old fashioned major urban race riots after some green weekend soldier shoots and kills someone coming over to try to make a better life for their family.

 

 

You don't know a damn thing about the Guard if you refer to them as "green weekend soldiers". Guardsmen and Reservists are every bit as well trained as the active force and many of them are combat vets. They get the same training the active force gets. They perform the same missions the active force does and they are every bit as professional as the active force.

 

The amount of whining and complaining I hear coming from the left is just rediculous regarding this issue. The border needs to be sealed. PERIOD! The fact that the left is making excuses for and apologizing for illegal aliens just goes to uphold their long standing tradition of coddling criminals. At the end of the day thats all these people are. Criminals.

[southsider2k5]

LMAO! Vincente Fox is upset about the "militarization" of the border!?!? Maybe if we weren't under invasion from his country, with direct aid from his government, it wouldn't be necesary for our troops to protect our borders. I wonder if he ever thought about stopping the tide of migration out of his country would stop the border problem. Canada doesn't have half a million people streaming in here illegally every year, and guess what, we haven't had to worry about sending troops to that border.

[FlaSoxxJim]

You mean that these fine upstanding wanna-be American citizens would resort to violence? Surely, not.

 

I mean that killing fathers and mothers and children coming across the border is not going to play well in a whole lot of parts of the country when it happens.

[NUKE_CLEVELAND]

Yeah, I am a touch annoyed with this decision. I'm annoyed with the fact that it will almost certainly delay the creation of a real settlement of the issue in Congress. I'm annoyed with the fact that I don't think it'll be even remotely effective. I'm annoyed with the fact that last December, the head of the National Guard said that it was rapidly becoming a "Broken Force" because of Iraq, it has 30% of it's equipment, 20% of it's force is in Iraq at any given time, and we think it can still be used for this.

 

And I think I'm most annoyed with the fact that the President is doing this not because of some crisis, or because we're at a turning point, or because there's an army of Illegals getting ready to cross the border and we need that support down there now, but he's doing this because his poll numbers are sagging so he needs to shore them up.

 

Put this stupid plan to rest, Mr. President, and act like a President. Start calling your Republican Congresspeople, who've been subservient to you so damn often, into your office, and work with them to try to find the votes for a compromise. Take care of this problem forever, and stop with the stupid window dressing.

 

To say this is being to shore up poll numbers is every bit as ludicrous as when Republicans bashed Clinton for his "wag the dog" war in Kosovo back in 1999.

 

If you want to complain about immigration reform not being passed I suggest you look to your own f***ing democratic senators who have been obstructing immigration reform all year long. Their goal is to hold up this legislation as long as they can so as to deny Bush any manner of legislative victory ahead of the mid-terms. Their obstructionism is petty politics at its worst and you choose to ignore it.

 

I guess I shouldn't be surprised though.

[YASNY]

I mean that killing fathers and mothers and children coming across the border is not going to play well in a whole lot of parts of the country when it happens.

 

If they'd come in legally, your perceived crisis would never happen.

[NUKE_CLEVELAND]

LMAO! Vincente Fox is upset about the "militarization" of the border!?!? Maybe if we weren't under invasion from his country, with direct aid from his government, it wouldn't be necesary for our troops to protect our borders. I wonder if he ever thought about stopping the tide of migration out of his country would stop the border problem. Canada doesn't have half a million people streaming in here illegally every year, and guess what, we haven't had to worry about sending troops to that border.

 

 

Vicente Fox is the most crooked, corrupt son of a b**** I have ever seen hold office. He is running a corrupt, impoverished, narco-state who's 2 main exports are narcotics and impoverished people.

[YASNY]

Vicente Fox is the most crooked, corrupt son of a b**** I have ever seen hold office. He is running a corrupt, impoverished, narco-state who's 2 main exports are narcotics and impoverished people.

 

Really. I couldn't give a rat's ass what that crooked SOB says or thinks.

[SleepyWhiteSox]

Vicente Fox is the most crooked, corrupt son of a b**** I have ever seen hold office. He is running a corrupt, impoverished, narco-state who's 2 main exports are narcotics and impoverished people.

 

lol...Not a hint of negative bias...

[YASNY]

lol...Not a hint of negative bias...

 

Not a hint of inaccuracy.

[NUKE_CLEVELAND]

lol...Not a hint of negative bias...

 

 

There wouldn't be any negative bias if his regime produced anything positive. Instead of trying to help his people with economic reform he chooses to export his poverty problem to the United States. Its a sad commentary about a failed leader.

[SleepyWhiteSox]

Not a hint of inaccuracy.

 

So you agree that he's the most corrupt political official of all time?

 

Wow, I'm no expert in politics, but I think I could could come up with a couple dozen political leaders who would be considered much more...

[Balta1701]

So you agree that he's the most corrupt political official of all time?

 

Wow, I'm no expert in politics, but I think I could could come up with a couple dozen political leaders who would be considered much more...

Yeah, all things considered, he's still IMO head and shoulders above what the PRI would be doing if they still had 100% control over that country.

[FlaSoxxJim]

If they'd come in legally, your perceived crisis would never happen.

 

Tell me where the line is for for legal entry for unskilled non-English speaking laborers and their hungry families and I will pass the information along.

[kapkomet]

So you agree that he's the most corrupt political official of all time?

 

Wow, I'm no expert in politics, but I think I could could come up with a couple dozen political leaders who would be considered much more...

In Mexico, yes. Well, wait a minute. He's actually brilliant, pawning off the poorest of his country on the good ol' US of A.

 

Tell me where the line is for for legal entry for unskilled non-English speaking laborers and their hungry families and I will pass the information along.

So, by your logic, it's ok then. Nice.

[NUKE_CLEVELAND]

So you agree that he's the most corrupt political official of all time?

 

Wow, I'm no expert in politics, but I think I could could come up with a couple dozen political leaders who would be considered much more...

 

 

Can you at least agree that he's a really bad leader?

[southsider2k5]

So you agree that he's the most corrupt political official of all time?

 

Wow, I'm no expert in politics, but I think I could could come up with a couple dozen political leaders who would be considered much more...

 

And that is just in Mexico alone... The PRI has a huge history of corruption and Fox was actually elected because of that. He has been cleaner than his predessors, but that isn't saying much. I think the Daley clan would be cleaner than these guys.

[Texsox]

It worked so well last time

 

On May 20, eighteen-year-old high school student Esequiel Hernandez Jr. was shot and killed near his house by the leader of a U.S. Marine Corps patrol on an anti-drug operation near the U.S.-Mexico border in Redford, Texas. Hernandez was tending goats about a mile from his home when the shooting occurred. The incident is the first time that military forces on anti-drug duty have shot and killed a U.S. citizen. After the incident, border patrol activities by the military were suspended (Thaddeus Herrick, "Marine on anti-drug duty shoots, kills student," Houston Chronicle, May 22, 1997, p. 37A; "Border Drug Patrols Are Halted After Killing," New York Times, July 11, 1997, p. A17).

 

MARINES SAY TEENAGER SHOT AT THEM, BUT AUTOPSY RESULTS DON'T MATCH STORY

Military officials claim Hernandez inexplicably fired his antique .22-caliber rifle twice at four Marines, and was preparing to shoot a third time when he was fatally shot in the side with an M-16 combat rifle. The soldier named in the shooting is Cpl. Clemente Banuelos. The Marine patrol was on loan to the Border Patrol from Camp Pendleton (CA), and was participating in operations under Joint Task Force-6, which runs military anti-narcotics efforts on the Border. By law, military personnel involved in domestic law enforcement are not allowed to search, seize, arrest or confront a suspect. Military involvement is strictly limited to activities such as surveillance and intelligence (10 USCA Sec. 375). Soldiers are allowed to return fire in self-defense.

 

Neighbors said Hernandez used his rifle to ward off coyotes, and for target practice, and suggest that is what the teenager thought he was doing if he fired any shots. "Personally, I don't think this kid ever saw them, by the indication my Rangers are telling me," said Captain Barry Caver, spokesman for the Texas Rangers, the state law enforcement agency that is investigating the killing. The Marines were heavily camouflaged, and were trained to conceal themselves so as not to be detected. The shooting appears to have taken place from a distance of 375 to 600 feet (James Pinkerton, "Ranger says Marines' account doesn't `exactly jibe,'" Houston Chronicle, May 24, 1997, p. 18A).

 

Family and neighbors say Hernandez was law-abiding and respectful and would never have knowingly shot at people, much less soldiers. Officials found no evidence that the teenager was involved in illegal activities, and an autopsy showed that he did not have any drugs or alcohol in his system. Before he was killed, Hernandez was studying for his drivers license, and dreamed of going to college, working as a wildlife ranger, or possibly joining the Marines.

 

An autopsy contradicted statements that the Marines had acted in self-defense. "The angle [of Hernandez's bullet wound] is consistent with him pointing away from the Marines. He would have been shooting away," said James Jepson, first assistant district attorney in Fort Stockton. Investigators say they asked the Marines involved in the incident to remain in Texas so they could reenact the shooting at the site, but they were sent back to Camp Pendleton after four days. Tests on Hernandez's rifle are incomplete, and investigators have not been able to corroborate that the teenager fired two shots in the incident. Neighbors report only hearing one shot (Thaddeus Herrick, "Doubts raised in border case," Houston Chronicle, June 11, 1997, p. 1A).

 

Apparently, investigators said, the Marines followed Hernandez from "bush to bush" for 20 minutes after he fired his .22 caliber rifle. At a news conference two days after the incident, Marine Corps Col. Thomas Kelly, deputy commander of Joint Task Force-6, said only that the Marines "took immediate defensive posture" and tried to "maintain visual observation." Caver said the Marines may have violated military policy when they followed Hernandez. "My understanding is that this is totally against the rules of engagement," said Caver, adding, "I'm not sure what their intent was" (Thaddeus Harrick, "More questions in border shooting," Houston Chronicle, June 21, 1997, p. 1A).

 

 

MARINES FAILED TO GIVE FIRST AID OR CALL FOR MEDICAL HELP; HERNANDEZ BLED TO DEATH

The investigation has revealed that the Marines failed to administer first aid or call for emergency medical help for Hernandez. Hernandez suffered massive internal bleeding while the Marines checked his pulse and called the Border Patrol. The Marines reported a "man down" at 6:27 p.m., but the call for a helicopter did not go out until 6:49 p.m. "Apparently the Marines did not treat him until the responding Border Patrol agents got there and called for an ambulance," said Sergeant David Duncan, head of the investigation of the shooting. The 4-man Marine team included a member trained as an emergency medic. An autopsy later revealed that Hernandez did not die instantly, but bled to death (Staff and Wire Reports, "Teen shot by Marine at border bled to death, autopsy finds," Houston Chronicle, June 24, 1997, p. 15A; Eduardo Montes, "Autopsy shows how Marine fire killed teen," Austin American-Statesman, June 24, 1997, p. B3).

 

 

CRIMINAL AND CIVIL RIGHTS INVESTIGATIONS PURSUED

Cpl. Banuelos and the three other Marines will be subject to a grand jury investigation in July, said Presidio County prosecutor Albert Valadez. "This is not government soil, and we're not on a military base," Valadez said. "We're going to act as we would in any case involving a shooting" (Douglas Holt, "Marine who killed herder faces inquiry," Dallas Morning News, May 24, 1997).

 

On June 24, Texas Rangers served Brigadier General James Lovelace, commanding officer of Joint Task Force-6, with a subpoena, asking him to provide a list of military reports, notes, witness statements and communications logs related to the shooting. A military lawyer told the Rangers that federal law may prohibit the military from turning over all of the documents requested. Service of the subpoenas, which were signed on June 5, apparently was delayed by miscommunications and unreturned phone calls, according to the Dallas Morning News (Douglas Holt, "Subpoena served in shooting," Dallas Morning News, June 25, 1997).

 

The U.S. Attorney's office is expected to begin a civil rights investigation into the incident. The U.S. Attorney's office in El Paso has presented the U.S. Department of Justice with the names of several defense lawyers if they are needed to defend the Marines.

 

 

FAMILY, COMMUNITY AND ADVOCATES RESPOND

Hernandez's family is considering a lawsuit against the government, and the towns of Redford and Presidio are exploring the possibility of legal action to demilitarize their communities. "We were invaded, and one of our sons was slaughtered," said the Rev. Mel La Follette, a retired Episcopal priest in Redford who is helping residents prepare a class-action suit. La Follette continued, "The whole community has been violated." Military personnel must have permission from landowners before conducting operations on their property. But Hernandez was shot on the property of Albert Carrasco, who said he never authorized the exercises.

 

"The whole community ha

s

been violated."

-- Rev. Mel La Follette, retired Episcopal priest in Redford

The incident has focused the debate over the "militarization" of anti-drug efforts, which opponents contend leads to violence and violations of human rights. "Whether or not the soldiers in the Redford case followed the rules of engagement or broke the law, the problem is the policy that put them there in the first place," said Timothy J. Dunn, a University of Texas scholar and author of The Militarization of the U.S.-Mexico Border, 1978-1992. For more information on the "militarization" of anti-drug efforts, see article in this issue of NewsBriefs.

 

At the Federal Building in El Paso, the Border Rights Coalition and other concerned Americans protested the military presence in their community. On June 20-22, the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) held "National Days of Reflection On the Militarization of the Mexico-U.S. Border" as a time of study, dialogue and mourning of the Redford incident. Kevin Zeese, President of Common Sense for Drug Policy, spoke at the El Paso meeting and went to Redford to meet the family and neighbors of Hernandez. AFSC arranged meetings for Redford residents with top federal officials, including "drug czar" McCaffrey, and the news media in Washington, DC on July 15-17.

 

U.S Representative Silvestre Reyes (D-El Paso), who served as chief of the Border Patrol in El Paso, has urged Congress to replace the military presence on the border with more Border Patrol agents. The White House is calling for an increase in the number of Border Patrol Agents over the next 10 years from 6,200 to 20,000. However, regardless of the number of Border Patrol agents, many members of Congress feel that using the military is necessary to combat sophisticated and well-armed drug traffickers. (The shooting took place in the district of Rep. Henry Bonilla (R-TX).)

 

Comprehensive articles referred to for this story include: Thaddeus Herrick, "Borderline Shootings," Houston Chronicle, June 22, 1997, p. 1A; William Branigin, "Questions on Military Role Fighting Drugs Ricochet From a Deadly Shot," Washington Post, June 22, 1997, p. A3; Jesse Katz, "A Good Shepard's Death by the Military," Los Angeles Times (Washington Edition), June 26, 1997, p. A9.

[southsider2k5]

Tell me where the line is for for legal entry for unskilled non-English speaking laborers and their hungry families and I will pass the information along.

 

Well if we are the worlds largest unemployment office, why are we worrying about Mexico so much, when we could be helping people who REALLY need it, such as the victims of war and genocide in Africa, who would literally kill to be here, or the families torn apart by something like the 2004 tsunami and have nothing left but disease and poverty? If our roll is to help the rest of the world, there are many, many countries in worse shape than our neighbors to the south, including the Central American countries who Mexico refuses to help.

[Balta1701]

Well if we are the worlds largest unemployment office, why are we worrying about Mexico so much, when we could be helping people who REALLY need it, such as the victims of war and genocide in Africa, who would literally kill to be here, or the families torn apart by something like the 2004 tsunami and have nothing left but disease and poverty? If our roll is to help the rest of the world, there are many, many countries in worse shape than our neighbors to the south, including the Central American countries who Mexico refuses to help.

Which is why our President should actually be trying to get the Republicans to accept his guest worker program instead of dithering around with the guard on the border.

 

The more I think about it, the more I worry that this sort of effort is exactly the type of behavior that could prevent a real, geuniunely fair solution from being constructed. By putting the military down there, you're basically giving in to one of the demands of 1 side of the aisle without giving anything back to the other side. So now, the people who refuse to accept a guest worker program will have even less reason to negotiate a final settlement this year, as they'll be able to get by with just waiting and seeing how the Guard works down there.

Edited May 15, 2006 by Balta1701