President may send Guard to Mexican border

[RamboLiberal]

Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama said Wednesday that he is considering new border security measures, including the possibility of National Guard deployments, to combat the spillover of violence by Mexican drug cartels.

In an interview with reporters, the president also defended his economic and budget proposals while dismissing Republican opposition in Congress with the observation that "it is easy to say no.''

Commenting on the border security issue, Mr. Obama noted that Admiral Michael Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, had met recently with his Mexican counterparts to assess the degree of the threat from the aggressive gangs.

While saying that he wanted to avoid "militarizing'' the nation's long southern border, Mr. Obama said:

"We're going to examine whether, and if, National Guard deployments would make sense and in what circumstances they would make sense as part of this overall review of our border situation.



Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09070/954946-100.stm

[Kievan Rus]

1. Good idea

It's a better idea to use the Guard to protect America instead of Iraq. Those Mexican drug cartels are a bunch of utter psychos.

[ReliantJ]

4. Agreed.

Let's hope we get the Ammiano bill to pass also

[Occulus]

21. Of course, we *could* legalize cannabis, and deprive them of a whole pile of their profits.

But that would make sense.

[masuki bance]

2. More jobs

[ZombieHorde]

6. I imagine even more jobs could be created in the U.S.

by legalizing drugs.

[masuki bance]

9. I'm in

[panader0]

3. I'll be going across the line next week for dental work

It's less than half the cost of dental work here in the good ole US. I'm not worried about the violence. It's mostly gang on gang.

[Kali]

19. Hey Panadero!

You going to AP or further down? Who's your dentist? I know a guy down by Fronteras. (I know him from ranching stuff but he's a dentist too - not sure where his office is, though.

[AlphaCentauri]

24. light a candle for those immigrants who die crossing the border when you get there

[ZombieHorde]

5. That is so much more intellegent than legalizing drugs and taxing them,

oh wait, never mind.

[4lbs]

7. However, it is much more intelligent use of the National Guard than shipping them to Iraq.

"National" Guard means directly protecting and serving the nation in the confines of the nation.

[ZombieHorde]

8. As they say on DU, fair enough. nt

[4lbs]

10. Yeah, although I do agree with you that the best policy would be to legalize all the "popular" drugs

and eliminate 95+% of the violence associated with the trafficking.

[wackywaggin]

11. I'm wondering if the legalizing marajuana crowd

believes that it is OK to smoke marajuana in the morning before going to work.

[acmavm]

12. Why are you wondering?

[Adelante]

13. I'm in the legalize marijuana crowd

I don't smoke marijuana before work, in the morning, or any other time. I just want the violence to stop and the government to take in taxes, rather than go on paying for this useless war on drugs. I think most people probably think going to work high is silly and I doubt that many smokers do it.

[Justyce]

14. That's a strange question. Alcohol is legal, and most people

don't go to work drunk. I wouldn't think this would be much different.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

15. I wonder if the anti-marijuana crowd...

wants everybody to be harmed by the war on drugs, or just the ethnic minorities.

[benEzra]

17. Do you think it's OK to drink a few beers in the morning before going to work?

If you don't, do you think alcoholic beverages should be against the law?

You presented a false dichotomy; the fact that an item is legal is not a license to use it in a boneheaded and irresponsible manner.

[Kali]

20. Depends on your job - why?

Wouldn't want my doctor stoned (probably), but I could give a shit if some craftsman was - as long as the work was good.

[Hannah Bell]

22. you think people don't do that now?

[Oldenuff]

16. Why not?

Its not like we don't have tons of money to throw at the failed war on drugs.Everybody knows its cheaper to continue wasting money on it than to face the problem realistically.:sarcasm:

What with the question about smoking before going to work?Is that a "crack"?..If it's a slam on cannabis,then I don't appreciate the "meth"od used...:)

[Kali]

18. Spillover of violence???

Has there been much...or any? And why is there violence on the other side to begin with? Could it be shitty policy...emanating from the US? nahhhhh couldn't be any of our responsibility, lets just militarize the border.

[christx30]

23. There is spillover violence

Gangs like MS-13 come here all the time and commit crimes. Rapes, murders, ect all happen because of the crap going on south of the border. I'm completely in the pro-legalization crowd. I've never used. I fact, I think it's kind of dumb. But I'd rather some guy get high at a party than these assholes keep killing people.

[Lex1775]

25. Phoenix, AZ is the kidnapping capitol of America.

Most of it involves rival Mexican gangs fighting over drug routes and human smuggling profits. Earlier this week a group of 53 illegal immigrants were rescued from a single house where they were being kept locked up for ransom.

[ohio2007]

26. each state has a say in where its National Guard deployments go

Barack should consider sending federal troops to work alongside the state militias.

Even though many here feel the threat is smoke and mirrors, http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=3718618&mesg_id=3718618


I wonder what mad Barack feel the need to cover the border now?