Posted by
tohu.vavohu on Thursday, October 19, 2006 5:07:30 AM
Did anyone here the buzz the other day about the nations population reaching 300 million October 17th? The U.S. Census Bureau approximates that "...net international migration
is expected to add one person every 31 seconds..." This isn't solely comprised of people legally entering into the United States, it also includes people illegally entering into the United States. The issues with the border go beyond illegal aliens of Mexican nationality/origin, and their impact in the many areas of society. The issue with the border also has to do with our security as a nation. I have heard the concern for our safety and security mentioned quite a few times but it always seems to be "glossed over" or "dwarfed" in the spotlight of the glaringly obvious issue mentioned above.
On the same day that the U.S. Census Bureau estimated our population would reach 300 millon, it was reported that the Border Patrol is outgunned at the border (s1). The article says it is the drug cartels that are facilitating the majority of opposition and they are facilitating it in a big way. "'The cartels use automatic assault weapons, bazookas, grenade launchers
and improvised explosive devices,' the House Security oversight subcommittee report said. 'In contrast, U.S. Border Patrol
agents are issued 40-caliber Beretta semiautomatic pistols.'"(s1) The House Committee on Homeland Security, Subcommittee on Investigations report titled "A Line in the Sand: Confronting the Threat at the Southwest Border"(s2) is 38 pages "...summarizing its finding regarding the criminal activity and violence taking place along the Southwest border of the United States between Texas and Mexico."(s2) I haven't heard much about this report from local news sources but Fox News covered it.
I have only been able to skim some bits and phrases of the 38 pages but it does point out that "...cartels operate along the border with military grade weapons, technology and intelligence and their own respective paramilitary enforcers..." because "...criminal syndicates have unlimited money to buy the most advanced weapons and technology available. The cartels monitor the movements and communications of law enforcement and use that intelligence to enable the criminals to transport their cargo accordingly."(s2) One example of this is "...drug cartels are able to break the encryptions on Border Patrol and sheriffs' deputies' radios."(s1)
More alarming is the cartels "...are forming dangerous alliances with U.S.-based criminal gangs such as MS-13 and the Latin Kings."(s1) Provided excerpts from the book "In Mortal Danger: The Battle for America's Border and Security"(s3), Tom Tancredo says MS-13 "...is one of the most violent and bloodthirsty gangs ever to prey on our society."(s3)(2)(3)(4) MS-13 isn't just a local gang, it has origins in El Salvador and their presence is spreading, reaching "...Canada, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and more than thirty U.S. states. Most of MS-13’s tens of thousands of members in the United States are illegal aliens."(s3) The alliance with a gang like MS-13 provides the possibility of human, drug, and/or arms smuggling into the United States. A MS-13 member with "...a dragon tattoo indicates the individual is involved in smuggling immigrants into the country."(s3) "During 2005, Border Patrol apprehended approximately 1.2 million illegal aliens; of those 165,000 were from countries other than Mexico. Of the non-Mexican aliens, approximately 650 were from special interest countries. Special interest countries are those 'designated by the intelligence community as countries that could export individuals that could bring harm to our country in the way of terrorism.' [Since September 11, 2001, DHS has reported a 41% increase in arrests along the Texas/Mexico border of Special Interest Aliens. p.27] ...there is an ever-present threat of terrorist infiltration over the Southwest border. Data indicates that there are hundreds of illegal aliens apprehended entering the United States each year who are from countries known to support and sponsor terrorism. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigations have revealed that aliens were smuggled from the Middle East to staging areas in Central and South America, before being smuggled illegally into the United States. Members of Hezbollah have already entered the United States across the Southwest border."(s2) It is being speculated that Venezuela could be "...emerging as a potential hub of terrorism in the Western Hemisphere."(s2) "In July 2004, reports surfaced of an al Qaeda figure meeting with MS-13
in Honduras in order to secure entry routes into the United States.
Reports also surfaced that, during the summer of 2004, Iraqi Shi’ite
cleric Muqtada al-Sadr was possibly in contact with MS-13 and/or the
Farabundo Matri National Liberation Front (FMNL) in an attempt to get
them to commit terrorist acts in El Salvador with the hope of forcing
that government to withdraw its support for U.S. efforts in Iraq."(s3) Tom Tancredo toward the bottom of the excerpts lays out 3 separate incidents of grave concern that are worth the reading time (right above the heading "Terrorists Among US").
Are you seeing the connection that there is a border issue involving our safety and security being in jeopardy? Take another example, "in August 2005, a Rand Corporation analysis stated that the United
States was likely to be the next country that would experience suicide
bombings similar to those carried out in London against mass-transit
targets the month before. ...In November 2005, Texas congressman John Culberson released information
that an Iraqi with ties to al Qaeda and on the terrorist watch list had
been arrested and detained at the border."(s3) And if that doesn't get you concerned or at least put on the defensive alert, "U.S. and Mexican authorities are well aware of suspected training
camps, one of them near Matamoros, Mexico, a few miles across the Rio
Grande and south of Brownsville, Texas. There are reports that a large
number of people are being trained in paramilitary warfare and exotic
explosives in these camps, which are operated by the Zetas, a group of
former Mexican military special forces troops..."(s3) The Zetas would have the capability of partnering with the drug cartels and engage in the smuggling of drugs, humans, or arms/weapons. Is anyone else shocked or concerned "...that there are active Hezbollah cells in Mexico within a day’s drive of our porous border..."(s3)? Sometime within the last year a jacket was found that had a couple patches on it.
It was concluded that these patches "...were not from al Qa'ida but from countries in which al Qa'ida was known to operate."(s2) The one thing that surprises me the most about what I am writing, is that I am writing Hezbollah's name. In fairly recent articles and talk shows I've listened to, they have said in sorts that al Qa'ida was a global terrorist group and Hezbollah was a more localized terrorist group in the Middle East. Although Hezbollah is "localized", they are more organized, structured, and disciplined while al Qa'ida was more "loosely" based. I really didn't think I would have ever heard about Hezbollah being closer to the United States as they reportedly are. Or at least I thought that it was a ways off if ever.
The news article quotes U.S. Rep. Micheal T. McCaul, R-Austin, Chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, as saying "We put billions of dollars in trying to stop the flow coming in, in a
more reactive way, and what I'm suggesting is we also need to take a
look at the other piece of this problem and identify what is the root
cause and attack the root cause head on... In my view, the head of the snake is the cartels."(s1)
again...
So what do you think?
"Votes!"
or
"More votes then Len or Barry!?!"
or
"Border"
or
insert your key to campaign here "_____________________"
~tohu.vavohu