CBS News Follow To Guns for Drug Cartels

[rnorris4]

CBS news did a follow up report last week regarding the ATFE allowing arms to be exported to Mexican drug cartels. US ATFE agents came forward and disclosed that it was done with the full knowledge of other US government agencies like DHS, and the DOJ. Needless to say the Mexican government is furious about this having been done by our government. President Obama has said that Eric Holder will have an inspector general investigate this issue. The American people should be outraged! Members of congress should frog march members of the Obama administration to the hill for hearings. What did Obama know and when did he know it? What's your opinion america?

 

[dilloduck]

Nothing Obama does surpirses me anymore but unless some in DC takes some action it's not going to stop.

 

[waltky]

Granny says just declare open season on `em...

Put Mexican Drug Cartels on State Dept’s List of Foreign Terrorist Organizations
Friday, April 01, 2011 – Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) introduced legislation on Wednesday that would direct Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to designate Mexican drug cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO) – a designation that would put them on the same list as al Qaeda, the Taliban and Hezbollah.

The designation by the State Department also would make the named cartels subject to the same sanctions as other terrorist organizations, including the freezing of the cartels’ monetary assets and the criminal prosecution of those that provide “material support or resources” to an FTO. “Cartels kidnap, kill, and mutilate innocent civilians, elected officials and law enforcement, using gruesome tactics to intimidate government officials and citizens to abide by their rules,” said McCaul, chairman of the Homeland Security Oversight, Investigations and Management Subcommittee, which held a hearing on the cartels on Thursday.

McCaul called the violence and killings caused by the cartels “acts of terrorism.” His bill, H.R. 1270, says the State Department’s Office of Counterterrorism reported that “FTO designations play a critical role in our fight against terrorism and are an effective means of curtailing support for terrorist activities and pressuring groups to get out of the terrorism business.” The bill also cites the recent deaths of Americans at the hands of Mexican drug cartels, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement Special Agent Jaime Zapata, who was gunned down by cartel members in Mexico as he was driving back to the United States. Cartel members also shot American David Hartley while he was jet skiing on Falcon Lake, which lies between Mexico and Texas.

“When Americans at home and abroad, including agents assigned to protect the United States borders and national security, are targeted, threatened, and attacked by such foreign entities, it serves as a continual threat to the safety and security of the United States and its people,” the bill states. The cartels named in the bill are the Arellano Feliz Organization, the Los Zetas Cartel, the Beltran Leyva Organization, La Familiia Michoacana, the Sinaloa Cartel and the Gulf Cartel/New Federation.

McCaul called the struggle against the drug cartels a “war on our doorstep,” and said that the United States should “explore a joint military and intelligence operation with Mexico” to stop the cartels. He said this strategy was successful when the United States and Columbia partnered to stop Columbian drug cartels. Democrats at the hearing downplayed the “spill-over” drug cartel violence in the United States and credited Mexico for its efforts to stop the drug gangs.

MORE

See also:

Napolitano: Obama Border Security Approach ‘Is Working’ -- ‘Inaccurate’ To Say Border ‘Out of Control’
Friday, April 01, 2011 Washington (CNSNews.com) -- Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said it is inaccurate to contend that the U.S.-Mexico border is “overrun or out of control,” adding that those who make such claims are just trying to score political points.

The secretary further said that President Barack Obama’s unprecedented border security efforts are working and that the “border is open for business,” but that “misperceptions” that the border is unsafe are making border communities unattractive to business. Drug cartels in Mexico and the potential spillover of violence into the United States “remains a continuing challenge and a continuing concern” for America, said Napolitano, who made her remarks at the Newseum in Washington, D.C. an event that took place at the Newseum in Washington D.C., just a few blocks from the U.S. Capitol.

“I’m not here to run a victory lap about the numbers because while the numbers are significantly better -- and it’s time for the American people to understand that the investments we have been making along the border are producing significant and tangible results -- we have to continue to make those investments and we have to continue to sustain those efforts,” said Napolitano. “But I think the amount of resources we’ve put at the border with Mexico shows how serious this administration is.”

“So, given the deployment of resources, given the statistical framework, it is simply inaccurate to state -- as too many have -- that the border with Mexico is overrun or out of control,” she said. “This statement -- I think sometimes is made to score some political points you know -- but it’s wrong. It’s just plain wrong.” Continuing to make those “assertions in the face of everything that’s happening and everything that’s been done” has a negative consequence on the U.S. side of the border, she said, and “also disrespects the significant efforts of the law enforcement men and women” who work every day to ensure that “we do have a safe and secure border region” and “we keep it that way.”

MORE

 

[waltky]

Mebbe dey gettin' weapons the CIA gave the Sandanistas...

U.S. Embassy Cables: 90 Percent of Mexican Drug Cartels' Most Lethal Weapons Come From Central America--Not USA
Friday, April 01, 2011 -- The most lethal weapons used by drug cartels in Mexico are smuggled from Central America, not from the United States, according to U.S. Embassy cables unveiled by WikiLeaks, reported La Jornada, a leading newspaper in Mexico City.

The U.S. Embassy in Mexico City reportedly wrote the cables following three bilateral conferences on firearms trafficking that took place in Mexico between March 2009 and January 2010. The cables from the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City to the State Department in Washington, D.C., reported that lethal weapons, including anti-tank firearms and grenades, were stolen from military forces in Central America and then smuggled into Mexico through the Guatemala border, reported La Jornada on Mar. 29. That information was in turn provided to officials at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency, a component of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms and Explosive (ATF ) component of the U.S. Department of Justice.

The cables noted a trend that was not detected between 2008 and 2009--that demand by drug trafficking organizations in Mexico for more firepower was increasing. Drug cartels are increasingly demanding military-style arms such as grenades and light anti-tank weapons, in addition to guns that penetrate bullet-proof vests known as “cop killers” in Mexico, according to one cable. Among the high-powered artillery that Mexican authorities were able to confiscate from drug cartels, 90 percent came from arsenals of armies in Central America, stated the the U.S. Embassy.

The cables do not provide specifics about the Central American countries involved or any supporting data about the allegations. They do state, however, that the vast majority of the small artillery used by drug cartels, such as handguns and assault rifles, are smuggled from the United States. The U.S. Embassy blamed the Mexican government for not devoting enough manpower to secure the international boundary that separates Mexico from Guatemala, according to the cables. “While there are 30,000 U.S. CBP (Customs and Border Protection) officers on the 1,926 mile Mexican/U.S. border, only 125 Mexican immigration officials monitor the 577 mile border with Guatemala,” stated the embassy cables. The Obama administration has repeatedly said that 90 percent of traceable guns seized from drug cartels in Mexico come from the United States, a rate that has been questioned by analysts.

More U.S. Embassy Cables: 90 Percent of Mexican Drug Cartels' Most Lethal Weapons Come From Central America--Not USA | CNSnews.com

 

[taichiliberal]

CBS news did a follow up report last week regarding the ATFE allowing arms to be exported to Mexican drug cartels. US ATFE agents came forward and disclosed that it was done with the full knowledge of other US government agencies like DHS, and the DOJ. Needless to say the Mexican government is furious about this having been done by our government. President Obama has said that Eric Holder will have an inspector general investigate this issue. The American people should be outraged! Members of congress should frog march members of the Obama administration to the hill for hearings. What did Obama know and when did he know it? What's your opinion america?

Sounds like the ATF is following in the footsteps of the CIA and FBI in classicly screwed up sting operations. If heads don't roll on this, it's a serious crimp in Obama's administrative credibility to clean house.

 

[MikeK]

Sounds like the ATF is following in the footsteps of the CIA and FBI in classicly screwed up sting operations. If heads don't roll on this, it's a serious crimp in Obama's administrative credibility to clean house.

The BATF is a rogue agency that should be disbanded. But it remains a major component of the emerging American police state, which Obama seems at least as content as George W. Bush was to accommodate. So if anything comes of this latest criminal abuse, which will depend entirely on the willingness of the corporatist press to pay attention, it will take the form of a drawn-out theatrical production along the lines of the Waco "hearings" and will similarly conclude with two or three junior agent scapegoats being fired (only to be quietly re-hired in two years with full back-pay and benefits).

 

[The Rabbi]

CBS news did a follow up report last week regarding the ATFE allowing arms to be exported to Mexican drug cartels. US ATFE agents came forward and disclosed that it was done with the full knowledge of other US government agencies like DHS, and the DOJ. Needless to say the Mexican government is furious about this having been done by our government. President Obama has said that Eric Holder will have an inspector general investigate this issue. The American people should be outraged! Members of congress should frog march members of the Obama administration to the hill for hearings. What did Obama know and when did he know it? What's your opinion america?

Sounds like the ATF is following in the footsteps of the CIA and FBI in classicly screwed up sting operations. If heads don't roll on this, it's a serious crimp in Obama's administrative credibility to clean house.

They have no credibility on house cleaning. Their MO is shut up and blame someone else.

 

[Mad Scientist]

Sounds like the ATF is following in the footsteps of the CIA and FBI in classicly screwed up sting operations. If heads don't roll on this, it's a serious crimp in Obama's administrative credibility to clean house.

The "sting operation" was giving weapons to Mexicans to use in their drug war then the DOJ blaming it on Gun owners and the 2nd Amendment.

That right there, is an impeachable offense. But no "heads are gonna' roll" because the MSM is in the tank for Obama and will cover for him.

Look at all that has happened during his term and ask yourself; "If McCain were President would he get through his term with all that has happened?".

If your honest with yourself, you know the answer is "no".

 

[Trajan]

Its called project gunrunner-
"Project Gunrunner" scandal - CBS News Video


cbs which found the story and has done a great job of follow up is beating the drums.....this is weeks old story and just now gaining any traction.


February 23, 2011 7:02 PM
Gunrunning scandal uncovered at the ATF

WASHINGTON - Keeping American weapons from getting into the hands of Mexican gangs is the goal of a program called "Project Gunrunner." But critics say it's doing exactly the opposite. CBS News investigative correspondent Sharyl Attkisson reports on what she found.

December 14, 2010. The place: a dangerous smuggling route in Arizona not far from the border. A special tactical border squad was on patrol when gunfire broke out and agent Brian Terry was killed.

Read more: project gunrunner posts - CBS News Investigates - CBS News


Read more: project gunrunner posts - CBS News Investigates - CBS News

 

[taichiliberal]

Sounds like the ATF is following in the footsteps of the CIA and FBI in classicly screwed up sting operations. If heads don't roll on this, it's a serious crimp in Obama's administrative credibility to clean house.

The BATF is a rogue agency that should be disbanded. But it remains a major component of the emerging American police state, which Obama seems at least as content as George W. Bush was to accommodate. So if anything comes of this latest criminal abuse, which will depend entirely on the willingness of the corporatist press to pay attention, it will take the form of a drawn-out theatrical production along the lines of the Waco "hearings" and will similarly conclude with two or three junior agent scapegoats being fired (only to be quietly re-hired in two years with full back-pay and benefits).

Please spare me all this bullshit about Waco....it never ceases to amaze me how gun nuts, separatists, survivalist, evangelical wingnuts, quasi-facist wanna-be's have rally to defend a murderer and pedophile because of their rabid hatred of the Federal gov't.

Bottom line: the Wild West is OVER, as society evolved....you're delusion of self sufficiency and "bootstrap" mentality is a delusion. If you are a law abiding citizen, YOU CAN BUY A GUN OR RIFLE anywhere in the 50 states.

That being said, YES there are federal **** ups and cover ups throughout history (COINTELPRO comes readily to mind)....as I said, if Obama and company don't roll some heads (as well they should), it'll cost them in the long run, as their political enemies will have more ammunition in the coming elections.

 

[taichiliberal]

CBS news did a follow up report last week regarding the ATFE allowing arms to be exported to Mexican drug cartels. US ATFE agents came forward and disclosed that it was done with the full knowledge of other US government agencies like DHS, and the DOJ. Needless to say the Mexican government is furious about this having been done by our government. President Obama has said that Eric Holder will have an inspector general investigate this issue. The American people should be outraged! Members of congress should frog march members of the Obama administration to the hill for hearings. What did Obama know and when did he know it? What's your opinion america?

Sounds like the ATF is following in the footsteps of the CIA and FBI in classicly screwed up sting operations. If heads don't roll on this, it's a serious crimp in Obama's administrative credibility to clean house.

They have no credibility on house cleaning. Their MO is shut up and blame someone else.

Really? And what little mantra that you've pulled out of Limbaugh's fat ass are you going to present to back up this claim of yours?

 

[taichiliberal]

Sounds like the ATF is following in the footsteps of the CIA and FBI in classicly screwed up sting operations. If heads don't roll on this, it's a serious crimp in Obama's administrative credibility to clean house.

The "sting operation" was giving weapons to Mexicans to use in their drug war then the DOJ blaming it on Gun owners and the 2nd Amendment.

Really? Please provide the documentation were the DOJ is "blaming it on Gun owners and the 2nd Amendment". From what I read, the operation was to track the weapons to identify the various culprits involved in the transactions and receipts. They screwed up, and are now circling the wagons.
That right there, is an impeachable offense. But no "heads are gonna' roll" because the MSM is in the tank for Obama and will cover for him.

Evidently, you have a different opinion/set of facts regarding the standards of proof for an article of impeachment, much less actual removal from office of a sitting President, from what is established legal procedings. To break it down for you, you'd have to PROVE that Obama KNEW of and/or sanctioned said operation. The head of the ATF and his subordinates are on the carpet here...unless YOU have proof the rest of the world does not. And if Obama and company don't take of business, it'll cost them in the long run.

Look at all that has happened during his term and ask yourself; "If McCain were President would he get through his term with all that has happened?".

Are you kididng me? McCain was such a wishy washy joke that he couldn't even get serious support by his own Party in 2008...hell, just look at his choice for VP! Spare me your conjecture and deal with the subject at hand.

If your honest with yourself, you know the answer is "no".

See above responses.

 

[The Rabbi]

Sounds like the ATF is following in the footsteps of the CIA and FBI in classicly screwed up sting operations. If heads don't roll on this, it's a serious crimp in Obama's administrative credibility to clean house.

They have no credibility on house cleaning. Their MO is shut up and blame someone else.

Really? And what little mantra that you've pulled out of Limbaugh's fat ass are you going to present to back up this claim of yours?

Point out examples of the administration cleaning house and you can have some kind of credibility here.
Is Holder still AG?
Is Napolitano still HS Secretary?
Is Salazar still Interior Secy?

No credibility.

 

[bucs90]

Is anyone SUPRISED at this at all? It's obvious. What would happen if a bunch of cartel members were using American-origin assault rifles to commit murder and smuggle drugs?

Well, of course there would be an outrcy to BAN ASSAULT WEAPONS IN THE UNITED STATES.

Sounds like our Commander in Chief "suggested" the ATF do this for his political purposes.

 

[taichiliberal]

They have no credibility on house cleaning. Their MO is shut up and blame someone else.

Really? And what little mantra that you've pulled out of Limbaugh's fat ass are you going to present to back up this claim of yours?

Point out examples of the administration cleaning house and you can have some kind of credibility here.
Is Holder still AG?
Is Napolitano still HS Secretary?
Is Salazar still Interior Secy?

No credibility.

I asked YOU to provide PROOF of your statement, my faux Rabbi, not just to drop names and innuendos.

YOU made the statement, the burden of proof is on YOU. If you can't meet a simple burden of proof, TR, then STFU or continue to babble like a Limbaugh wanna be (answering a question with a question).

 

[taichiliberal]

Is anyone SUPRISED at this at all? It's obvious. What would happen if a bunch of cartel members were using American-origin assault rifles to commit murder and smuggle drugs?

Well, of course there would be an outrcy to BAN ASSAULT WEAPONS IN THE UNITED STATES.

Sounds like our Commander in Chief "suggested" the ATF do this for his political purposes.

the movement to ban assault weapons on the US open market was going on a few DECADES before Obama came onto the political scene, so WTF are you babbling about Bucs90?