Lawmakers Fuel Border War Fire
By Alex Kingsbury, Washington Whispers
Mexico is quite particular about its sovereignty, particularly when it comes to cooperating with its northern neighbor. Chalk that up to the legacy of land grabs and armed conflict. Yet it may be the ongoing cartel wars that finally bury those grudges—with diplomats picking their words carefully on both sides. "Some of the old biases against cooperation between our militaries and so on, I think, are being satisfied," Defense Secretary Robert Gates said recently, discussing the drug violence that has killed 1,000 people this year alone.
But we found this week that some members of Congress are less tactful. "We need to send another Black Jack Pershing to patrol the U.S. side of the southern border," Rep. John Culberson of Texas said this week, during a hearing on the ongoing chaos south of the border. His suggestion was met with silence from the panel of border patrol, customs, and Department of Homeland Security witnesses briefing lawmakers. One later told U.S. News that the reference was a "poorly chosen allusion."
Perhaps Culberson, a history major from Southern Methodist University, should have found another hero to reference. In 1916, Brig. Gen. John Pershing led a military expedition after Francisco "Pancho" Villa. Deploying some of the most advanced technology of the day, 10,000 U.S. soldiers chased after the Mexican revolutionary in his own country, to no avail. Not only did they fail to capture their man, but the U.S. troops infuriated the local population, angered the Mexican government, and fought open battles with the Mexican Army. Villa escaped capture, and raids by his followers against the United States continued. Pershing later said that the entire effort "will not be a very inspiring chapter for schoolchildren, or even grown-ups, to contemplate."
Photo (ALEX KINGSBURY FOR USN & WR): David Aguilar, chief of border patrol, briefs members of the Subcommittee on Homeland Security Appropriations at a hearing titled "Mexican Drug Wars."
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Tags: Mexico | Robert Gates | Border Patrol
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Reader Comments
Border
Maybe if everyone would start to work together instead of petty people thinking they are better because they were born here,something could get resolved.As long as we seperate them from us,there will always be a way around it all.I think everyone should work together in finding a solution in a way that the ones that have a reason to be here(kids,wives,families)get their rights like they are deserved and the ones that do not a very strict sentence in both justice systems.Immigrants do not lower wages,employers do.They want to pay the lowest possible wage!Most don't even pay taxes on these workers!Everyone wants to spend less,but is not willing to know why or how.Study both sides.Not just your opinion,but remember these are people too and there are people over here aiding in all the drugs and guns,etc being passed over there."A day without a Mexican."Great movie and so real.Watch it and then maybe your pettieness will be replaced with knowledge!
Allow the citizenry to enact and enforce state initiatives.
The Feds should seek ways to allow states to administer and control their citizens duly
enacted law. Medical marijuana or Revolution.
Border conflicts
"Mexico is quite particular about its sovereignty, particularly when it comes to cooperating with its northern neighbor."
So? They've proven time and again that they couldn't care less about OUR sovereignty, so why should we consider theirs? At least our government isn't publishing pamphlets on how to circumvent Mexican law. You don't see them scolding their nationals for deliberately breaking OUR laws (heck, you can't even get them to admit that these criminals are doing anything wrong!).
But you certainly DO see them in the halls of the American congress telling our lawmakers that the Mexican scifflaws should be allowed to break our laws with impunity, should in fact be REWARDED for successfully evading capture and for succeeding in lowering American wages.
We SHOULD have our military down there protecting the border. After all, isn't that one of the most important duties of any government, protecting the nation from foreign encroachment?
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