Obama Announces Plan to Combat Drugs, Guns at Mexican Border

Obama Announces Plan to Combat Drugs, Guns at Mexican Border
March 24, 2009

News Summary

The Obama administration plans to boost the law-enforcement presence at the U.S.-Mexico border in hopes of stemming the flood of drugs north and guns heading south as Mexico's police and army wage a bloody battle with drug cartels.

MSNBC reported March 24 that the plan calls for doubling the number of border enforcement security teams on duty, adding 16 new DEA agents in the southwest, and temporarily adding 100 extra Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives personnel at the border.

Most of the guns used by Mexican drug gangs fighting police and each other originated in the U.S.

The administration also is considering a request to send U.S. troops to the border to counter any surge of drug-related violence in border states.

"The president is concerned by the increased level of violence ... and the impact that it is having on communities on both sides of the border," according to a White House statement.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is about to leave for Mexico on a mission to discuss drug policy and other issues with Mexican leaders.

COMMENTS ON THIS ARTICLE:

Posted by Luis Lozano on 25 Mar 09 03:30 PM EDT

The violence in Mexico is already in our communities in the form of gang warfare and the imprisonment of more and more people of color with drug offenses. Obama's plan is to escalate this war on drugs which will end in more death, more violence and more corruption on both sides of the border as more money goes in to this effort. I guess Obama either forgot the lessons of prohibition or just skipped that class.

Posted by Rob Hall on 25 Mar 09 03:43 PM EDT

Mr. Lozano, which lessons of prohibition were you referencing? The lssson that alcohol consumption was cut in half by Prohibition? Did YOU skip the part about how this is about REDUCING the flow of guns into Mexico? Are you in favor of the status quo: U.S.-bought guns being used to kill Mexican police? And don't play the race card: Virtually no one-regardless of color--goes to prison for simple drug possession. Drug DEALERS and violent criminals who plead down to "drug possession" are who goes to prison. http://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/MG288/index.html is a good place to begin your education. Please bring facts to this discussion, not some old, tired, rant aimed at legalizing harmful drugs. Thank you.

Posted by David J Kalke on 25 Mar 09 04:52 PM EDT

After 30 years of the failures of American "drug wars," Obama, the peace candidate wants to start another one! Dry up the market, i.e. prevention programs and legalization in the USA, and the problem disappears. The Clinton dynasty have not been known for "peaceful solutions." Wasn't it Bill who began the secret attacks on Iraq BEFORE Bush legalized it???

Posted by Dwayne Polidori on 25 Mar 09 05:19 PM EDT

Mr Rob Hall What harmful drug are you talking about??? The killers are legal already And don't tell me you don't know what I'm talking about!!What I think Mr.Lozano is talking about is Obama is handing out a license to kill Just watch all the blood shed which will come with this bill

Posted by Verde on 25 Mar 09 05:59 PM EDT

Awesome, I didn't think Obama had it in him, the way he withdraw DEA officers from raids of illegal pot shops in California. I am shocked that he actually cares about the sufferage in Mexico and the trafficking of marijuana, cocaine methamphetamine, and heroin. Not to mention the stolen guns that are going south. Way to go Obama! Of course once the DEA or ATF has a sizable seizure of Marijuana, the ACLU will cry and Obama will shiver and it will all come to a stop. :(

Posted by Rob Hall on 25 Mar 09 07:25 PM EDT

Mr. Polidori, it sounds like you're supporting the continued provision of weapons to Mexican drug cartels. And by harmful drugs, I'm talking about marijuana, heroin, cocaine, meth, etc. I know, you'll put forth the old falsehood that tobacco and alcohol are more harmful. Better data and better roadside drug tests are needed in this country to determine the scale of the problems associated with non-alcohol-related DUIs, for instance. A large percentage of "drunk" drivers are in fact polydrug users, and their impairment is due to the use of pot or coke or meth as well as alcohol. But they're recorded as drunk drivers, because we have the .08% baseline that's easy to document. I challenge you (and Mr. Kalke) to provide one..just ONE example of a nation where drug legalization resulted in less crime, less addiction, and fewer law enforcement problems.

Posted by Rob Hall on 25 Mar 09 07:39 PM EDT

Verde, take heart. The Obama administration will only investigate distributors who are in violation of state and federal law. Which is what the feds have been doing all along; busting drug dealers masquerading as "caregivers." The people caught in previous investigations were breaking both state and federal laws, which is why so many of those cases ended with "guilty" pleas. During the campaign, Mr. Obama made some mealy-mouthed statements about drug laws, so he wouldn't lose the pothead vote...but now that he's in the big chair, he's doing the right thing. The federal investigations of illegal marijuana operations are continuing....and some of those people are going to look very surprised when the handcuffs click shut. You'll see...

Posted by stopthehate on 27 Mar 09 09:44 AM EDT

Is the only way you will care about those less fortunate is if it happens to you? I will pray every day that those who stand in the way of alleviating the suffering of those who could be helped by medical marijuana, to be inflicted with those very diseases, so that they can suffer for their lack of empathy. Or they can just treat others the way they want to be treated, and stop blocking relief to the meek.

Posted by maxwood on 28 Mar 09 02:41 PM EDT

Rob Hall: Sorry you had to include "pot" among underinvestigated co-causes of accidents involving "polydrug users" without mentioning tobackgo. How many times has a cigarette emboldened some drunk to try driving the car home, with homicidal results? A 1990 Illinois accident involved a driver "fumbling for a dropped cigarette" who ran off the road and killed a family of four sleeping in a tent. An open bottle in possession of a passenger put that accident in the "alcoholic" column. The famous Pinto case involved a driver "fumbling for a dropped cigarette" who looked up too late to stop (they sued Ford over the Pinto gas tank rather than the manufacturer of the other car for installing a cigarette lighter, ashtrays etc. which emboldened the driver to smoke while driving).

Posted by mhall@logrog.net on 30 Mar 09 09:32 AM EDT

I have been a law enforcement officer in Mo. for 26 years. During my 26 years, I have NEVER found criminals that actually BUY guns, rather they steal them! In response to Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Obama's talk about the guns in Mexico coming from the US, I have a couple of concerns. #1- Have they checked the serial numbers of these guns to make sure they came from the U.S? #2- If so, there will records of sales, and were the guns purchased or stolen. I suspect stolen from law abiding citizens. I believe this is just any ploy by Clinton to enact her strong anti-gun and gun control views. I guess she wants to put gun making companies out of business in the U.S. in this THRIVING economy!

Posted by small correction on 30 Mar 09 11:15 AM EDT

hey Verde: sufferage=the right to vote suffering is the term you are looking for

Posted by Dr. John Gardin on 02 Apr 09 11:12 PM EDT

The violence in Mexico is alarming. That it is occurring along our border and seeping into our country is more than alarming. But using this crisis to now once again attack our country as the supplier of the arms used in this violence is a lie. Obama has said that 90% of the weapons used by the gangs there come from us. Nice trick, and nice ploy to attack gun ownership here. The truth is that 17% of the guns used by Mexican gangs come from here. When will this President stop trying to capitalize on every situation as somehow our fault?

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