U.S. Warns Mexico

[rops]

U.S. warns Mexican cartels on cross-border violence

By Alejandro Martinez-Cabrera

EL PASO, Texas (Reuters) – Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano on Monday warned Mexico's drug cartels that any attempt to bring their violent tactics across the border would produce a powerful reaction.

The Obama administration has been under intense pressure to beef up security along the southwest border to prevent spillover from raging drug cartel violence in Mexico as well as to stem an influx of illegal immigrants.

"So today I say to the cartels: Don't even think about bringing your violence and tactics across this border," Napolitano told an audience at the University of Texas at El Paso.
[ For complete coverage of politics and policy, go to Yahoo! Politics ]

"You will be met by an overwhelming response. And we're going to continue to work with our partners in Mexico to dismantle and defeat you," she said.

Napolitano also argued that while there are deep concerns about the violence by the cartels, those who describe the U.S.-Mexico border as overrun with violence and out of control were off the mark.

"This statement -- often made only to score cheap political points -- is just plain wrong," she said.

More than 34,000 people in Mexico have been killed in drug-related violence since President Felipe Calderon deployed thousands of army troops and federal police to crush cartels warring for lucrative trafficking routes to the United States after he took office in late 2006.

More than 15,000 people were killed in 2010 alone. El Paso recorded a handful of murders last year, while neighboring Ciudad Juarez in Mexico had 3,000.

"Let's stick with the facts and numbers when we talk about where we are at the southwest border," she said. "And we've matched the decreases in apprehensions (of illegal immigrants) with increases in seizures of cash, drugs, and weapons."

PROTEST, SETBACKS

Approximately 20 protesters gathered outside the auditorium where Napolitano spoke, waving banners criticizing what they called the increased militarization of the border.

President Barack Obama ordered some 1,200 National Guard troops to the southwest border last year, and also signed a $600 million bill to fund 1,500 new Border Patrol agents, customs inspectors and law enforcement officials.

Napolitano said the administration had also strengthened its partnership with Mexico as well as state, local and tribal authorities on the nearly 2,000-mile-(3,200 km-) long border.

However, border enforcement efforts have faced setbacks. Earlier this month, Napolitano pulled the plug on a troubled "virtual fence" project meant to better guard stretches of the international boundary.

The project, begun in 2006 and run by Boeing Co at a cost of about $1 billion, was designed to use video cameras, radar, sensors and other technologies to catch illegal immigrants and smugglers trying to cross the porous border.

"The program was consistently over budget, behind schedule, and simply not delivering the return on investment needed to justify it," she said. It is being replaced with existing, proven technologies.

(Reporting by Alejandro Martinez-Cabrera in El Paso; Writing by Jeremy Pelofsky in Washington and Tim Gaynor in Phoenix, Editing by Eric Walsh)


rops

[Gary - K7GLD]

More than 34,000 people in Mexico have been killed in drug-related violence since President Felipe Calderon deployed thousands of army troops and federal police to crush cartels warring for lucrative trafficking routes to the United States after he took office in late 2006.

More than 15,000 people were killed in 2010 alone. El Paso recorded a handful of murders last year, while neighboring Ciudad Juarez in Mexico had 3,000.

SO, our Homeland security head sez that 34,000 killed in drug related violence in Mexico is "no big deal" eh?

LESSEE now - how does that number compare to all US troops killed in Iraq and Afghanistan so far - [administrator edit]?

[DonavonP]

Janet and Hillary need more nasty adjectives to hurl at these icky people. We are in sooo much trouble. Uffda!!!

[Abnmarine]

I'm glad she told them this. I feel a lot safer now.

[Gary - K7GLD]

Originally Posted by Abnmarine

I'm glad she told them this. I feel a lot safer now.

YUP - bet they're all shaking in their boots now...

[EngineerMike]

The problem of violence in Mexico is almost exclusively confined to the borders, at least insofar as Baja is concerned. If you want a really nice relaxing getaway, cross at Tijuana, don't stop till you are south of Ensenada, and keep heading down. Except for minor pilferage (which is always an issue, even in the states), there is practically zero crime in lower Baja.

Tijuana has its warring factions of "narcotraficantes" as they are lovingly known. I asked a Mexican I met, who deals w/declared & legal imports to MX across the TJ & Otay Mesa crossings, about the violence. He said, "Yeah, its bad, maybe only 1-3 dead bodies each morning, but maybe 10." Then he hastened to add, "Of course its only the people who need to be killed. What I mean is, it is only the drug runners."

Ensenada has small amount of spill-over from TJ, but mostly its life as usual there.

Juarez is a different deal from what I hear, and there are innocent bystanders getting killed. And there have been some brazen robberies of vehicles on the highway to resort areas along the Sea of Cortez. Mainland MX gets lots of scary news coverage. The violence problem there won't end soon, and more is the pity as they can sure use our tourist dinero.

[Wayne MD]

I would sleep well in Mexico knowing a cartel is just around the corner to blast my RV and the local Police. I need the protection of Napolitano to spread the fear to the cartel. They will listen to her I am sure.

[Brigadoon]

I suppose if you judge the situation by the body count on each side of the border, things are just hunky-dory on this side of the border. However, that is far from the whole story.

[jablair]

Put TSA on the Border. Then we will be safe!

[hamguy]

Originally Posted by rops

U.S. warns Mexican cartels on cross-border violence

By Alejandro Martinez-Cabrera

EL PASO, Texas (Reuters) – Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano on Monday warned Mexico's drug cartels that any attempt to bring their violent tactics across the border would produce a powerful reaction.

The Obama administration has been under intense pressure to beef up security along the southwest border to prevent spillover from raging drug cartel violence in Mexico as well as to stem an influx of illegal immigrants.

"So today I say to the cartels: Don't even think about bringing your violence and tactics across this border," Napolitano told an audience at the University of Texas at El Paso.
[ For complete coverage of politics and policy, go to Yahoo! Politics ]

"You will be met by an overwhelming response. And we're going to continue to work with our partners in Mexico to dismantle and defeat you," she said.

Napolitano also argued that while there are deep concerns about the violence by the cartels, those who describe the U.S.-Mexico border as overrun with violence and out of control were off the mark.

"This statement -- often made only to score cheap political points -- is just plain wrong," she said.

More than 34,000 people in Mexico have been killed in drug-related violence since President Felipe Calderon deployed thousands of army troops and federal police to crush cartels warring for lucrative trafficking routes to the United States after he took office in late 2006.

More than 15,000 people were killed in 2010 alone. El Paso recorded a handful of murders last year, while neighboring Ciudad Juarez in Mexico had 3,000.

"Let's stick with the facts and numbers when we talk about where we are at the southwest border," she said. "And we've matched the decreases in apprehensions (of illegal immigrants) with increases in seizures of cash, drugs, and weapons."

PROTEST, SETBACKS

Approximately 20 protesters gathered outside the auditorium where Napolitano spoke, waving banners criticizing what they called the increased militarization of the border.

President Barack Obama ordered some 1,200 National Guard troops to the southwest border last year, and also signed a $600 million bill to fund 1,500 new Border Patrol agents, customs inspectors and law enforcement officials.

Napolitano said the administration had also strengthened its partnership with Mexico as well as state, local and tribal authorities on the nearly 2,000-mile-(3,200 km-) long border.

However, border enforcement efforts have faced setbacks. Earlier this month, Napolitano pulled the plug on a troubled "virtual fence" project meant to better guard stretches of the international boundary.

The project, begun in 2006 and run by Boeing Co at a cost of about $1 billion, was designed to use video cameras, radar, sensors and other technologies to catch illegal immigrants and smugglers trying to cross the porous border.

"The program was consistently over budget, behind schedule, and simply not delivering the return on investment needed to justify it," she said. It is being replaced with existing, proven technologies.

(Reporting by Alejandro Martinez-Cabrera in El Paso; Writing by Jeremy Pelofsky in Washington and Tim Gaynor in Phoenix, Editing by Eric Walsh)


rops

And their reply is -

bwahahahahahahahahah
bwahahahahahahahahah
bwahahahahahahahahah
bwahahahahahahahahah
bwahahahahahahahahah
bwahahahahahahahahah
bwahahahahahahahahah

Incompetano is soooooooo weak and as Artie Johnson would say, "ssstupid"

[FDchief]

Originally Posted by jablair

Put TSA on the Border. Then we will be safe!

They are too busy patting down senior citizens! Besides, now that the cartels know that we mean business they will be turning in their guns! I think I will camp north of the Border

[Glenn and Kathy]

Yeh, and Janet was never aware there were Border problems when she was our gubner neither.

Glenn

[historyljc]

For all those leery of traveling down to Mexico to spend your tourist dollars, let me welcome you to the Florida, Alabama, Mississippi Gulf coast. Come on down, eat a lot of seafood, gamble in the casinos (Mississippi), do some charter fishing and stay in our beautiful camprounds. English still spoken here. OK, a little "Red Neck" helps.

[bluepill]

Originally Posted by historyljc

For all those leery of traveling down to Mexico to spend your tourist dollars, let me welcome you to the Florida, Alabama, Mississippi Gulf coast. Come on down, eat a lot of seafood, gamble in the casinos (Mississippi), do some charter fishing and stay in our beautiful camprounds. English still spoken here. OK, a little "Red Neck" helps.

+1 - Stimulate the US economy.