Administration to draw down National Guard troops on Southwest border, page 1

Administration to draw down National Guard troops on Southwest border, page

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Topic started on 21-12-2011 @ 12:11 PM by nixie_nox

CNN

Washington (CNN) -- A year and a half after deploying National Guard troops to counter illegal immigration on the Southwest border, the Department of Homeland Security and Pentagon told Congress Tuesday they are cutting the number of troops and changing their mission.

Now I understand that this is not standard use of the National Gaurd and it was a stop gap measure. But just how many border control agents have been added? I am more concerned with the drug war, which has ramped up.

One of the reasons that the article doesn't mention that there are less arrests is because of the recession. There are only so many labor jobs to go around so the quota has to be reached eventually, but the number may havebeen dropped due to less hiring due to the recession.

Rep. Ted Poe, R-Texas, told CNN. Poe said the United States has "operational control" of only 44 percent of the Southwestern border.

I wonder how much this has to do with budget cuts.

The Defense Department budget for the border would drop by half, from $120 million to $60 million, congressional staffers said they were told. Specifics about the ramped-up aerial surveillance are still being worked out, the staffers said.

And there it is.

But for once, I am not sure that is military spending that should be cut.

reply posted on 21-12-2011 @ 12:24 PM by Wrabbit2000

When the guardsmen were down there with 0 arrest and enforcement authority anyway, and as I understand it, playing Sea-bee or glorified secretary so ICE field agents could go out and do their work...I'm not sure this was worth the time and hardship on the NG families anyway. I'd love the guard down there as GUARDS...but not as a silly public relations stunt so the President of the moment can say they're doing something.

This was one of the cheaper stunts Bush pulled to tell the nation he cared about illegal immigration while he watched the problem continue to get worse and worse...It's just as well these guys are going back home.

Lets just hope they aren't pulled off our Southern border to simply deploy out to Afghanistan or the Syria/Iran war we're seeing build. If that is the plan, then heck...on second thought, leave them there indefinitely.

reply posted on 21-12-2011 @ 12:27 PM by beezzer

This is actually called a Democrat Voter Recuitment Drive.

(apologies, couldn't resist)

reply posted on 21-12-2011 @ 01:40 PM by nixie_nox

reply to post by Wrabbit2000

So were they just providing technology backup then?
The article goes on to say that they will be leaving some equipment.

reply posted on 21-12-2011 @ 02:42 PM by Blackmarketeer

Already covered here:
ATS post: Obama to slash National Guard force on U.S.-Mexico border

This was also the scheduled termination of the National Guards "Operation Phalanx" on Dec. 21. They were only meant to be a temporary force until the Border Patrol forces could be beefed up.

reply posted on 21-12-2011 @ 06:38 PM by Wrabbit2000

Originally posted by nixie_nox
reply to post by Wrabbit2000

So were they just providing technology backup then?
The article goes on to say that they will be leaving some equipment.

It's getting to be challenging to get a clear picture of what things mean in the news these days since every new announcement seems to be accompanied by recaps of past achievements and such...which is all just B.S. more often than not. I'm coming to find Google's ability to set date ranges to search to be an invaluable tool.

If you dump the past year of news and run Dec 2010 as the end date, you'll find the stories covering the statements and intent for the Guard in Obama's initial deployments and support for the original Bush mission on the border. They are repeatedly described as being relegated to desk duties and office work, as well as construction support crews when the 'wall' or 'fence' was actually still worked on down there. very specifically prohibited, apparently, is any work by the Guard members in direct law enforcement help. Sad isn't it?

For the folks who bristle at anything wearing a uniform and carrying a gun....Guard IS permitted to act in a law enforcement capacity under state control and for domestic crisis. Examples from natural disaster recovery to the support for law enforcement following Katrina show that. If they can't be allowed to work down there in solving the problem... They may as well be back home with their families.