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Subscribe to RSSU.S. Border Patrol agents and Mexican drug traffickers fought a gun battle across the Rio Grande in south Texas, authorities said Friday, the latest of a spate of cross-border shootings.
The Border Patrol said gunfire erupted Wednesday after agents confronted smugglers loading bundles of marijuana into two vehicles on the banks of the Rio Grande west of Roma, Texas, a town about 250 miles south of San Antonio.
The agents opened fire after smugglers fleeing in a vehicle attempted to run them over, the Border Patrol said. Armed traffickers on the Mexican side of the river then shot at the agents, who returned fire into Mexico, the Border Patrol said.
"Our agents had a posed threat," Rosalinda Huey, a spokeswoman with the Border Patrol's Rio Grande sector told Reuters. "They're trained to deal with that situation," she added.
No agents were injured by the gunfire and it is unclear whether any smugglers in Mexico were struck by bullets, she said.
Agents subsequently recovered nearly two tons of marijuana, with a value of more than $3 million. No arrests were made.
The shooting came during one of three raids in the area Wednesday, said NBC Station KZTV.
One investigation in nearby Rio Grande City resulted in the seizure of 2,800 pounds of marijuana worth about $2.2 million when agents followed footprints to the entrance of an underground storage bunker, KZTV said. In another incident Wednesday, agents checking a vehicle driving without headlights ended at a home near Rio Grande City where agents saw several people flee. Three suspects were nabbed and agents found 1,400 pounds, or $1.1 million worth, of marijuana in an underground bunker, KZTV said.
Huey said traffickers opening fire on agents was "just another tactic" as they sought to move drugs across the U.S. border, where additional agents, equipment and infrastructure have contributed to tightening security in recent years.
"Obviously, they've gotten more desperate," she said. "They're going to use more tactics to avoid apprehension or seizure of their narcotics."
The same stretch of the Rio Grande -- Rio Bravo in Mexico -- recorded one other shooting incident involving Border Patrol agents since October 2011, Huey said. No injuries were reported.
Last year agents engaged in gunfire with suspected drug runners near the south Texas town of Abram, according to news reports. In a separate incident, a West Texas road crew in Hudspeth County, east of El Paso, also came under fire from Mexico. And in September 2010, U.S. citizen David Hartley was fatally shot while riding a personal watercraft on Falcon Lake, which straddles the Texas-Mexico border.
This article includes reporting by Reuters.
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Leave a Comment:
I'm very disappointed that no Mexicans were killed....This is where more training and firepower is needed.....for the Americans, Mr. Holder!
Really? You would rather have the cop die than the criminal? This is the problem with liberals..
I would rather see NO ONE lose their life...just stop with the drugs.
The border guards have the right to defend themselves but at the same time if we dont take a hard stance and take out some of them, it'll never end..
If Mexico fired a missile at America we would do the same thing to them ten times as hard. I don't have any faith or good words for law enforcement but these stinky smugglers deserve to be picked off.
So Mexican drug gangs have taken to firing on the U.S. Border Patrol from the Mexican side of the border....and this takes place with the war in Afghanistan winding down and thousands...yes thousands...of "unemployed" drones (some of which are predators) are being sent back to the U.S!
The only thing which exceeds the greed and viciousness of these gangs...is their stupidity! Drone them!
The national guard has to be there and more sophisticated equipment. These people have to be made an example of and the border guards have to be more heavily equipped with machine guns, night scopes. Hot pursuit laws have to be negotiated with the Mexicans. If they are going to use rivers and lakes then they should be pursued. A ban on American tourism entering Mexico should drive the point home to the President of Mexico.
really a gun battled took place and for what? "two tons of marijuana, with a value of more than $3 million".
Heroin, guns, sex trafficking, among other things I see a reason to battle but Marijuana? How about we save the money and lives spent on the operation. And start taxing the 3million?
Give me a Barrett sniper rifle, ghillie suit, plenty of ammo and all the tactical equipement in need. I would gladly help out the border partol agents anytime. And I'd do it for free.
Another example of the epic failure on the war on drugs, the rise of the Mexican drug cartels which have killed tens of thousands of Mexicans. But hey, at least marijuana is illegal here... We really need to get our priorities straight. Which is worse, legalizing a drug that causes less deaths than alcohol or giving support to murderous gangs?
Just make sure you don't blow your foot off when you find out that firing that weapon in real life is different from firing it on the Xbox in Modern Warfare.
My endorsement is in favor of carpet bombing a 100 mile wide band of Mexico, the entire length of the border.
Don't let Holder find out the Border patrol fired back. He will have them fired for "interrupting the free flow of commerce". Or, he will have them prosecuted for attempted murder. Or, he will accuse them of being the masterminds of the "fast and furious" screw-up and fire them for that.
Moneyos1 - Don’t you mean you hope some drug dealers were killed? Or do you really think that any Mexican is fair game? As for having "better training" I’m sure our border patrol agents are well trained. I’d like to see you try to hit someone on the opposite side of the Rio Grande, particularly when that person is shooting back at you with an automatic weapon. You’d probably be hiding behind your car trying not to soil your pants. Anyway it would be nice if we could somehow stop all illegal drugs from entering our country but unfortunately as long as the profit margins stay as high as they are it will NEVER be possible to do that. And as long as these drugs are illegal the profit margins will always be high enough to support these criminal enterprises and the smuggling will continue. I’m not necessarily saying drugs should be legalized but I’m also not going to ignore indisputable facts. And one of these facts is that the legality or illegality of drugs has virtually no effect on the total number of people using those drugs - NO difference whatsoever. But since the majority of Americans don’t possess the intelligence or reason to understand this innocent citizens, as well as police, are going to continue to be murdered on both sides of the border for decades to come.
And where were the Mexican police or the Federales while all this shooting was going on? If the drug cartels were being shot at from their own side of the border as well as our side, maybe a few criminals could have been killed or captured. As it is, the Mexican law enforcement was probably paid to stay away or they could have even been some of the shooting at the US side. As long as the Mexican government and their law enforcement is so corrupt, there is no way the US Border Patrol can win the fight alone. Now, if the US gov't really wanted to stop the drugs and the illegals from crossing our border, send in a few thousand National Guardsmen, a few hundred armed drones and equip our Border Patrol agents with fully auto weapons and grenade launchers, it would be stopped in a matter of days! It could be done but Obummer has no guts to do it!
tao, what about other people who, like you, rationalize their favorite illegal activity? Should we listen to them, too, and legalize it? Where do you draw the line? nevermind, i'm going back to bed. Peace.
@Howmanyfingers: This is the real world, not Call of Duty
We are wasting our time trying to stop the flow of drugs so long as the demand for them cannot be stopped in any way imaginable.
Legalize them; let those who wish to either quickly or slowly kill themselves using them get it over and done with. No one, who is being honest and not pandering to voting constituents who are living in fantasy land, believes you can stop anyone from getting or using any drug they desire. All you do is make a laughing stock of law enforcement and end up putting good men and women - police, D. E. A. agents, etc. - in harm's way for absolutely no positive current or potential future gain.
Save the money; the lives; the brain power currently being totally wasted on the B. S. "War on Drugs" and use it to plug up our border; stop the influx of illegal aliens who are sapping and undermining the very fabric of our country by their lack of willingness to respect our laws; lack of willingness to assimilate and lack of giving a good God damn about America - except to the extent that they want the freedom to milk the cash cow they see America to be dry.
Legalize the drugs; remove the unbelievable profits that our laws against them are creating and you will soon find that there the drug cartels will implode upon themselves for wont of the types of money needed to fund their monstrous enterprises and maintain the legions of low-lifes who comprise their organizations.
Until we face reality and realize we must pick our battles carefully and fight ones that are truly meaningful, rather than trying to save those who really, truly don't want to be saved there will be no change, but only a worsening.
The last thing on earth the drug dealers want is legalization, they know it would sound the death knell of themselves and their business model.
@ KENN the DEM
The use of DRONES is being JUSTIFIED under three different wars that the U.S. government is waging:The War on Drugs,The War on Immigrants,and THe War on Terrorism.Of course,the term "war" is just a figure of speech denoting criminal laws the government is BRUTALLY enforcing.These DRONES are just on more step in the direction of TOTAL GOVERNMENT CONTROL and MONITORING described so well in ORWELLS 1984.Stopping these types of ever increasing INFRINGEMENT on FREEDOM and PRIVACY is important,but it doesnt get to the root of the problem.Yhat root is three wars:The War on Drugs,THe War on Immigrants,and THe War on Terrorism.As long as the government is waging these wars there will always be CHAOS,DISORDER,and CRISES that will then be used as the EXCUSE for the INFRINGEMENTS on FREEDOM and PRIVACY.
GOOGLE:Jacob Hornberger DRONES in AMERICA
Boarder Patrol and Customs should have bigger guns.
Ken, perhaps I did phrase that wrong. By no means do I want to see innocent Mexicans killed. Just the drug traffickers. I understand that there are hundreds of Mexicans that sneak into the US every day with the goal of a better life which is an entirely different problem that usually doesn't require violence.
The Texas national guard is on the border with helicopters and will be bringing in drones they are based at an airport 15 miles from me. And The Texas Department of Public Safety is putting armored boats on the river manned by state troopers with four machine gun mounts. Remember just last week Napolitano said "the border is safe". And Your border patrol does everything it can to save those poor people trying to get here from their own bad decision. There are automatic beacons in the middle of Texas ranch country that work on the" dying of thirst please pull handle sit down and we will come for you" principle. An agent in Cameron county just risked his life to rescue an idiot trying to swim the Brownsville ship channel. Give the guys on the ground a break. Ask Napolitano if she still thinks the border is "safe".
I say let the vets go and cover the border i bet alot of vets would do this me well give me 3,000 rounds for my 308 and food and i will take care of it for sure tired of them coming over until we make marijuina legal this will keep happening, in the mean time drop a few vets on the border and let them pick there targets
MAC- my thoughts exactly- was wondering how long it would take the ACLU or Holder to land on the border patrol for defending themselves. We'll see. Then again, after "Fast and Furious" , maybe the idiots in Washington are just going to leave it all alone --why bring attention to your screw-ups?
Also wonder how many of the guns the smugglers used were supplied by the ATF.
Something is seriously wrong when you have to worry about your boss being more dangerous to your career than the drug smugglers.
I know we have drones hovering high above in many places including Mexico spying, I have nothing to hide Mexico's Drug traffic and other, just hope they would use my tax dollars right, strap on some sidewinders and actually use them.
"Really? You would rather have the cop die than the criminal? This is the problem with liberals.."
What a crock of @!$%#! You need to mature. Does your mommy and daddy know you're using the computer? You need to rejoin your pack of lemmings.
Just secure the border! We have the troops coming home who are experienced at that sort of thing, and have the equipment to do it. The military patrolled the border all those years before the Border Patrol was created. It was legal then, and it would be legal now. But since the politicians are not equally affected by todays economy, they don't see any problems as everything is good for them so it must be fine for us. I find it amusing that all these "legalize drugs" people want guns banned, when illegal drugs kill more men, women, and children in this country than guns ever did. Look it up!!!
@Terry N: My sentiments, exactly...
Low cost target practice for our troops!
aka - Long range "Whack-a-Mole"!
Just wait. In a day or two we will be hearing how our government has issued an apology to Mexico and is paying for all the "innocent" Mexicans that we injured by this horrible act of aggression. (sarc)
Ken my post #1.8 clearly states I am in favor of lines being drawn.
stoops2,
"The last thing on earth the drug dealers want is legalization, they know it would sound the death knell of themselves and their business model..."
Ok, we legalize this one drug and remove the profit from it. Just what do you think the cartels are going to do? "Hey gringo you out smarted us by doing that so we will just fold up and go away or maybe we will become legitimate businessmen." Only in your dreams will that ever happen!
Richard legalization has worked in many places all over the globe and it is obvious that the war on drugs has done nothing in its appoximate 40 yr history. i am sorry but if you can't even began to achieve your goal in 40 yrs maybe it is time to rethink our strategy and stop spending tax dollars to acheive nothing. BTW I don't know what the answer is but I do know that our current strategy is not working.
We need to treat the drug traffickers and illegals as an invading force and shoot to kill anytime they try to cross the border. We're at war with Mexico, let's act accordingly.
Richard,
I agree to an extent. That's how I feel when people talk about "building walls". Like they're gonna look at it and say, "Shucks, there goes our billions." So yes, the bad guys will find something else to do, you're correct. But while they're figuring out their next criminal enterprise, we'll be making bank, taxing, exporting, farming, packaging, distributing, manufacturing, developing, selling, yada, yada, yada, products that are in extremely high demand.
Look at this as a situation about economic recovery, as opposed to criminal prevention. Now, with all that money and economic growth happening, and no longer throwing good money at an unsolvable problem, similar to flushing it down the toilet I think, we could invest that money into stopping the next criminal enterprise, you know or the ones that actually REALLY hurt people. And we can invest money in mental health and addiction clinics, for those who want to kick the habit so to speak.
Wars on social problems just don't work. Because social problems are problems with SOCIETY, ergo they need sociological solutions, not military or para-military ones.
I say give our border patrol some RPG's so if and when this type of thing happens again we can answer there gunfire on our agents with some bigger and badder firepower. I'm so sick of these drug dealers and drugs runners ruining the US and its people with drugs.
The US needs to crack down on the people here that are using these drugs as well. I'd have mines in that damn river if I were in charge. Let the drug dealers try to get across then... BOOM. End of that problem and our guys are safe.
I am just glad that our agents had real fire power this time and not just the Bean Bags that Agent Brian Terry had to defend himself with!
I say arm our Border Partol Agents with the GE Minigun....a few thousand rounds per minute will teach these drug degenerates to either back the hell off, or not to open fire on the USofA!!!
A little indescriminate carpet bombing would be good too.
They have the nerve to fire at our border guards from accross the border river in Mexico....Arm our agents correctly and blow up these lawbreakers.... we should not put our border guards in harms way without superior power....with our technology just wipe them out period.
But you do put them out there with the rule if the drug smuggler is swimming south just watch from your boat so the idiot doesn't drown on his way home. Want to save the enviorment come down here and pick up all the trash they leave all over my state. Plastic wrappers, plastic bottles everywhere they stop.
WHY the hell are we handling these Drug dealers and illegals with such soft gloves?
WHEN ILLEGALS COME TO THIS COUNTRY AND IF I SAY IF THEY ARE CAUGHT THEY ARE JUST SENT BACK.
On the same day, MSN has this article AND one where a girl in FL whose parents brought her here illegally is fighting extradition.
No one seems to GET it that the SAME culture that thinks it is OK to smuggle drugs and humans across our border, the humans to continue breaking our laws regarding working/driving/paying taxes here) also thinks the family of someone who did get here (or in this FL case, overstayed a tourist visa by 12 years, ) should be REWARDED by being allowed to stay.
The law is the law.
And to those who whine about the 'poor people' who just want to come here to make a better life? We don't allow OUR citizens to STEAL or do other illegal acts just because they want to make a 'better life'. We ALREADY LEGALLY allow 1 million immigrants to come here yearly, and over 60% of those come from only ONE country, Mexico, and another 20% from other 'Latin American' countries. That is FAR from fair--there are MANY people around the world who want to come here to make a 'better life' many of whom are FAR poorer or live in war ravaged countries) who get squeezed out by the ONE culture south of us, which not coincidentally accounts for most of our SMUGGLED immigrants, too.
And I don't WANT our country over-run by MORE people who think that it is OK to break whatever US laws they personally find inconvenient.
Recent announcement from the head of the DHS: Our borders are safe.
Time for The Manager to discharge incompetent senior officials within the ranks of government positions.
Recent announcement from El Presidente: It is your fault, America.
As I was reading this article, I was thinking the same thing-RPG's.
Close the border to Mexico now.
Deport all illegal aliens now.
No more birthright citizenship when neither parent is a U.S. citizen.
Legalize 2 pot plants per household locked away from children, and with guidelines for consumption and a permit. Strictly prohibit distribution, especially to minors.
Stop outsourcing the production of marijuana to Mexico!!! Keep the jobs at home and a higher quality product at the same time!!!
MOmaid, You have concisely explained, and hopefully educated those who hold that just wanting a better life does not make it OK to invade another Country. I too have problems with the fact that basically its Mexico, and Central America that feel it is their right to violate US sovereignty, and with the pullout from Iraq, and Afghanistan we can expect many new refugees wanting to come here fleeing Muslim reprisals for helping the coalition. The other thing is we in this Country can no longer open our welfare, and entitlement programs to the non-tax payers that stream here illegally. Also I know this may not be your feeling, but it mine as a senior citizen who is on Soc.Sec., and Medicare that has been robbed by the Congress all these years we are told that its going broke. Our tax money is going to take care of illegals of all kinds in all manner of ways, Medical, food stamps, Educational, housing, and oh yes taking jobs from American Citizens, not to mention overloading our prisons with their gangs, and other criminals. It's time to think USA first , and the others well when did they ever think of us first except when they want something.
I like the MiniGun idea and the RPG one but we should throw in drones and a few super cobras as well.... problem sloved
Payback Time big time. Remember the Opium War? The British demanded the right to sell Opium to the Chinese. The Chinese emperor wanted to stop the Opium trade. Britain sent gunboats to force their will on the Chinese. Today is payback time big time. Mexico and Latin America will soon send their armada and gunboats up the Mississipi and the Rio Grande. Watch out guys.
For all the blowhards pumping their chests over the immigration problem, here's a little newsflash. The main reason drugs and immigration across the border are such a major issue is mainly due to NAFTA, and all the other US interference, primarily CIA clandestine operations, in South and Central American countries.
Are any of you aware of the fact that the CIA is allowed to fund itself without Congressional oversight ? Are you also aware that the CIA's primary private funding comes from the drug trade ?
Our elected officials and the special interest groups, banks, and corporations that they work for make big bucks off the drug trade, as well as their counterparts in the opposing countries.
They all get rich off of it, and the everyday people, citizens on both sides of the borders are the ones that are directly affected.
Drug users aren't the problem. Drug dealers are only a miniscule problem. Drug traffickers are a problem. But the money men on both sides of the argument are the biggest problem, and they're all working together. Don't be so naive.
I hope these agents don't get into any trouble for not running away and hiding like they were told to do by their boss.
Border Agents need the biggest machine guns they can get so they can kill the traffickers.
Don't forget a lot of traffickers are living on this side already camouflaged as ordinary people. They are the ones driving to the river bank to pickup the drugs. They are the ones hiding the drugs in their houses.
Reason why we need to DEPORT ALL ILLEGAL ALIENS because you can't tell who does what.
Much like deporting all Muslims in the US for the same reasons?
...if they are here illegally!
HAHAHA you need to deport 22 Million people because a handful of trafficers fired at Border agents , how is deporting the illegal aliens make the agents safer? just admit that you want these people deported for personal reasons , like say , they look and talk funny? most of those selling the drugs on this side are probably even US citizens lol.. ignorance..
Illegals of any nationality should be deported because they are breaking the law. Not just Mexicans. It's a probem for many reasons, not just the few that are drug dealers. A bit off topic. Sorry.
The FIRST Illegal Immigrants:
THe FIRST Illegal Immigrants:
GOOGLE: The FIRST Illegal Immigrants
Unfortunatly with the economy in the border area probably half or more of the cartel people on this side were born here. Ain't many $12 an hour jobs in Roma Tx.
Cobra go back across the Rio whatever, to where you belong !!!
That's good. You should probably stay there..
If it's so miserable here, and wonderful back there, then why are so damned many of you sprinting to get here?
@cobra..you piece of defecation ....yeah I remember when you were made...when I seen your momma I let the dog have her!
You better keep your girly azz where you are!
LMAO............Cobra's just holding up a mirror for all you wanna-be killer rednecks. Take a good peek at what you look like from the other side.
Anyway, you guys want to see this "war on drugs" get nastier and nastier, just keep your stupid drug laws. One of the most idiotic things America has ever done.
Recreational drug use is being done on the job causing accidents, loss of life, injuries, as well as lack of productivity. It has also been found to be causing traffic accidents in a recent study. I'm not a hater of pot smokers, I did it for 30 years. Nothing good comes from it.
Tcko63 LOL people like you crack me up always so tough and outspoken behind that computer moniter.
sonar guy if you are getting high on anything at work that is not receational use that is addiction. I smoke myself but that is reserved for only night time use before bed. I consider that recreational use but not getting high and driving to work.
The firing of weapons from mexico to the united states should be considered an act of aggresiion from mexico and that becomes an act of war.
Jimmy, good idea however it is the people running drugs not the Mexican Federal troops therefore it would not be considered an "Act of War".
Send our regular well trained military there for best results.
Ok Jimmy, then tell the drug cartels to stop killing Americans and shooting at the Border Patrol. The war has already started and the drug cartels fired the first (and the next 100) shots.
Does that mean we get federal help to fix the bullet holes in the walls of 2 UT campuses? Jimmey News Flash this has been going on for years it has just escalated enough for you to hear about it. But don't worry Napolitano has declared the border safe. She did that last week the same day that bullets fired in Juarez ( the other end of the river) hit a shopper pushing a stroller in El Paso. And you wonder why Texans take everything the Obama administration says with a WTF did they say attitude.
Lonereb--and the sad thing is, fewer and fewer AMERICANS feel it is safe to VISIT Mexico, which is a real shame. So the ones who have created the lawless, thug society are not just hurting US, they are also hurting decent, hard working Mexicans.
I was thinking the same thing Jimmy but my husband said the same thing that Adam did, so it's just wishful thinking on our part.
All I can say is FIRE ERIC HOLDER and investigate the ATF. How many of those guns used were from "Fast & Furious"?
This just re-enforces why we need to have our military put to use patroling our Southern border.
We have the technology and the right people to enforce our way of life.
How long do we have to wait to be protected from this scourges?
Many innocent people have already had their lives taken by this issue, do we have to wait until there is a hostage situation or more lives lost for the Federal government to deploy our military?
Texas has purchased some gunboats to combat this pestilence so I believe it is time for OUR Federal government to get involved!
Two thumbs up for Texas to show they mean business!!!
Obama joked about our Border Security once by saying "Well, whaddya want? A moat? haha! " anyone remember that! But hey, he said oour border is SECURE! Yeah!
God Bless Texas!!
please see post #1.8 and #12.1
Adam--I READ about TX's purchase of the gunboats. How long do you suppose it will be before Holder initiates a LAWSUIT against TX for trying to enforce 'immigration law'?
LONG ago, the government PROMISED (1986, in return for the last 'amnesty') to build a fence. Technology is now much better, and the military has a LOT of experience managing/maintaining/guarding such a fence.
The construction jobs to build it would be a boost employment-wise to all the border states, and the guarding of it would provide jobs to the members of the military coming home to 8+% unemployment.
Legalize Marijuana and hit them where they will really feel it....In their profit margin!
Yep, would save AND make tax dollars....2 stones, 1 act
Instead of fighting with money and weapons, we could just fight with money.
You missed the point KZN02....legalize and regulate the stuff.
They just found 300 lbs of METH in one vehicle last week. Legalize that?
What's so hard to premise once you realize the war on drugs began with criminalization of substances?
Illegal drugs are part of the lie to ensure they are rampant. The meth should not be criminalized. It should be regulated. Are you not aware of your loss of autonomy?
Nah they'd just switch to coke it is easier to pack and carry and brings in bigger bucks. They are already smuggling it across. What yo don't understand is the truth of borders? As long as something is illegal or even cheaper on one side than on the other there will be smugglers. But it used to be one guy who figured out how to make a profit who figured jail time was part of doing business. Now the cartels have forced all of the little guys out. They stop people going north and give them packages to take over ( fake DL blanks) or other document blanks and grandma isn't going to tell the cartel no. But grandma who just wanted to go to walmart is the one who ends up at the minimum with a five year restriction on crossing the border not the cartel leader with the gold inlaid gun.
Legalizing pot may significantly reduce the pot coming over the border but they will just replace with more meth, heroin, humans, etc... Until the border is secure smuggling will continue over the border. Shooting bullets from the American side and picking them off is the next best thing.
Mexican maryjane is bunk. One should only indulge in U.S. grown herb.
Sure, legalize, regulate & tax it just like tobacco :0
wish tobacco was outlawed also they are both coffin nails.
ever watch a relative die a slow painful death from lung cancer, it is never fast.
Yeah well the indoor processing plant in Miami for your American weed is probably cartel owned too. Want an education in the facts NGC Border Wars they tell it like it is. Suggestion do not take your wave runner out on Falcon Lake it is a good way to die. Texas Game wardens are finding smugglers working the Laguna Madre now. For all you Spring Breakers that was the body of water you crossed on the way to South Padre Island.
Yea and that will solve the border problems with Meeehco and the drug cartels will go away and the culture of Meeehco will change...and we will have peace in the middle east...and ...
Well I think this fall under a prime example of history repeating itself "prohibition" comes to mind.
see post #1.8
Mike..no disrespect to you sir but we need to try to resolve all that we can...baby steps.
I have no resentment for the people of Mexico nor the Middle East Nations, just the ones who strive for dissension.
But the President said the border was safe. Everyone ignore this, the other deaths that happen on the border every week, the many deaths and illicit smuggling that illegals participate in, and the federal agents that have been killed on the border.
Go back to your business and ignore the bodies piling up on the border. Vote for Obama! He wants you to believe his lies.
please see post #1.8. and a note to borders in general we also we need to have stronger enforced laws against the AMERICANS who hire illegals which drives most of the influx every since this whole issue start which was quite aways back. A audited should be done to see how much taxpayers have had to pay because of AMERICANS have been hiring and profiting form illegals.
Tao of wow....
Do you like you fresh produce grown here in the US?
Quite a bit of it is harvested by illegals...enforce to harshly and produce prices will sky rocket!
There has been some movement on what you speak of, heard of the I-9 form corporations must use when hiring new employees?
Just sayin'......
Yes I do grown and buy from local and regional farmers that don't hire illegal or get farm subsidies. We just pay the money that would have gone to the increased price in food and keep some in our pockets. but now we have to pay wages lost to americans. increased cost due to illegal population. and now a wall?, up keep of wall, salaries of the people who are in charge of wall and for how many years? I don't thinks the profits of Americans who hire illegals justifies a cost that out weighs the cost of increased price of food.
Tao....good point and well said.
You have my respect sir!
I moved to the border the first time in 1976. We would go out to party then about midnight we would all jump in one car stick a mexican citizen behind the wheel go to the B&M bridge where when asked what he was bringing into Mexico he would answer just a bunch of gringos. We'd go to the Golden House then move on to the Royalty bars that catered to tourists on the street between one bridge and the other continue to party until 4am cross back change clothes and go to work. That life is gone. Even the Valley residents of hispanic descent aren't crossing anywhere near the way they used to. And most of them have relatives over there. The people were here the border got drawn through the middle of families.
Yes tao of wow makes a good point but really needs to improve on the grammer,
cause I no think english first language eh.
public education system and the fact that grammar has never been a strong point of mine.You still understand my point so really a non-issue. almost everybody who posts has made grammar errors on some article or another.
we should just invade mexico and push everyone back a couple hundred miles
We did that already...how do you think Texas was formed?
The issue is not with the Mexican government, it is the drug cartels.
We need to gain permission from Mexico for joint actions across the borders to combat the cartels...baby steps
Texas was formed by The Mexican government encouraging settlement by giving land grants. The settlers came from all over the world and over time declared independence from Mexico. The Mexicans sent an army to squash the rebellion and fought a war with the Texans. The Texans defeated the Mexican army and formed a Republic. After many years as a Republic, the people of Texas applied for statehood with the US government. Texas was admitted to the Union in 1848. Texas still has the right to leave the union at any time. Texas also has the unique ability to divide itself into as many as five states. That is how Texas was formed if you want to know the truth.
No you didn't except for about 30 people at the Alamo everybody else were Mexican citizens. And the Texas revolution was the second time Texas revolted from Mexico the first time they revolted with the state of Coahilla in 1810 they lost. Gee they were fighting over basically states rights vs the central government in Mexico city. Sound familiar.
skilife,
As far as I know Texas does not have the right to unilaterally leave the union at any time, although that rumor has been floated around for years.
If you can provide a "creditable" source that says they can, then I will stand corrected.
Mikeo- texassecede.com/faq.htm
I found the entire site to be quite interesting.
Fittzy,
I grew up in Texas, and we were taught in school that because Texas was an independent republic which decided to join the union, they did so with special provisions. The ones I remember were they kept the right to have their own navy and that they had the right to divide themselves into five separate states if ever they chose to. There might have been more special provisions, but these two are the ones I remember.
Plotinus, I have no argument with that, we truly are our own country, it's the reason we have to go through thread upon thread of how much we "suck" please read the rest of the article, we still are an independent republic, what other state can you go to, where you have everything you need right at your fingertips?
cobra, i don't blame you, i wouldn't want one of those mexican bitches either.
At least they shot back. Maybe the President Obama will secure the Border. lol
I am sure Obama will apologize and the as usual the Border Agents will be prosecuted.
Blow them away if they're shooting at us...
Legalizing pot here won't make this go away. It'll make it worse. Those so called legal pot shops are already selling mexican weed. The tests on it show pestisides that haven't been legal here in years. It will also bring in larger numbers than that that are already here of the mexican drug cartles. Because then they'll have real territory to fight for on our soil. And heads will be found in our streets and mexican night clubs will be blowing up in the barios. The bloods and the crips won't even come close to the power of the cartel. Be a total race war. Larger than what is already happening now with mexicans taking over the poor neighborhoods now pissing off the blacks.
The mexican drug cartels are no more than mercenary armies for their own personal cause. We need to fight them as what they are. Our military coming home should be sent South to control and push back the cartel. But our government won't because they see potential voters in the illegals and mexicans won't see it as war on drugs and small armies. They'll only see the US killing mexicans. Criminal mexicans as they are for coming here illegally.
In truth we the people of Texas and the people of the neighboring Mexican states are nowhere near as hateful towards each other as the rest of you are. We deal with the reality of the border not the rhetoric. The border will always be there and poor mexicans will always want to cross it. It becomes a daily game of hide and seek. Its the cartels and their violence that has changed that. I don't see the mexican kid juggling limes for money on the streets of Brownsville anymore. Shops from the Juarez market have taken booths at the flea market because Texans aren't flocking across the border every weekend for the tourist junk they like to buy. It did lower the car theft problem because there are too many cops at the bridges. This situation hurts the guy who sold bic pens with your name woven on in the steets by the bridges, The kids selling that horrible gum, the taco vendor and the store that sold cigarettes cheap those are the people hurt most.
Happy to see the border patrol did take some offensive action. Without question they have the right to protect their lives when attacked. If not they would be sitting ducks for the drug dealers. One comment about "no act of war" is not appropriate since it was drug smugglers not the their Army who fired across the border. Who knows who actually fired the shots? Anyone who thinks the Mexican Army is not paid to turn their back by drug cartels is high on the stuff.
If the Mexico president complains regarding the border patrol returning fire into Mexico I hope Obama will have the balls to tell him to shove it. I certainly hope Obama will not cave in again and order the attorney general to sue the border patrol. Another injustice like the suit against Arizona for violating the illegals rights after Mexico president complained.
No doubt in my mind drones should be used to deter illegals and drug smuggling into the USA. Both are a money pit for Mexico and a financial drain on the USA.
Protect their lives??? Haaa .. Tell them to go get a real freaking job. How stupid is this society that even 4 generations since a so called war on drugs was declarned that their are TONS more dope or all kinds available. Why can't the lot of anti drug users praise each other for not using or wanting to use and leave the people that want to get high the opportunity to without having to fear a loss of freedom?
Drugs may burn braincells but they can't burn nearly as many as a being brainwashed to actually believe "to protect and to serve" is anywhere near what most lazy ass officers do. Hmmm That's right, not everyone has fallen for the conspiracy to defraud the American public. Do recreational drug users a favor and take your untouchable narcotics taskforces and man all the schools and playgrounds to the drug pushers cannot infect them..
I live on the border and I think all of you who think we should just open it up and let everthing throgh are freakin insane. We had the results of Matamoros closing the Zona Rosa section and the whole thing trying to come to my city of 5,000. When the hispanic police chief of a South Texas town calls the border patrol to tell them to do their damn job because his cops have dealt with 3 knife fights in a week in which nobody from his city was involved. We need the border patrolled and if you won't do it we will.
the only correction needed is it was defensive not offensive, our side didn't fire the first shots across the border.
lonereb- exactly! I find it amusing that people who don't have to "deal with it" are the ones who bitch the loudest.
1Sgt Fitz wife, no disrespect maam, but you use the term HoooHah alot and it's Oorah! I hope the 1st Sgt. stays well, if he is in country.
Kill all of those scumbag, dope smuggling, wetback beaners! They are not good for anything but cutting my grass. Most of the time I just pay them with a big fat taco and a Corona beer. Their women get fat like a pot belly pig as soon as they hatch a little anchor baby! Close the freaking border NOW!!! Their own country will not take care of them, so why the hell should my tax dollars be used on them? Posse Comitatus be damned! Bring our troops home from overseas and station them along the southern border with orders to shoot to kill any burrito heads trying to smuggle dope into the U.S.
Don't like what I say? @!$%# YOU!!! I don't care! I'm tired of all the political correctness bull@!$%#!!! IT IS TIME FOR ALL AMERICANS TO TAKE BACK OUR COUNTRY. And NO, I am not a teabagger or of any other political affiliation.
ratdude,
Actually, to be more accurate, all those little brown skinned spanish speaking Indians finally decided it was time to take back their country from people like you. And they will. Time to learn Spanish, dude.
Then they can turn it into a s!!t hole like they live in, I've been to Mexico and it's a mess. We can't change history, so deal with it.
It is hilarious I live in an apartment building where I'm the token Anglo. Almost everywhere I go I'm outnumbered 9 to 1 by hispanics. They treat me better than you would treat them. I'm included in their clubs, accepted by their biker groups, treated like family in their churches basically they aren't anywhere near as bigoted as you are. I like them better.
if you come here legaly cool, if not bang
Space Captain--your: "all those 'brown skinned spanish(sic) speaking INDIANS decided to take back THEIR COUNTRY"???
Do you not see the irony of that? Those "INDIANS did not speak SPANISH until THEY were conquered by the 'Spaniards'. Who were then OUSTED by the US, (who also paid for the land.)
The notion that people who speak SPANISH (which includes ME, by the way) have a right to invade the legally recognized border of the United States conveniently overlooks the reality that SPANISH is not THOSE people's "native language''.
MOmaid,
¿Y piensas que no entiendo eso? I know a little history too. Actually, those "indians" of Mexico were never natives up here. Understood. They only speak Spanish because they were conquered. Understood. My real thoughts on the subject (I was mainly playing with the rednecks in my previous post) is that this illegal immigration thing has been allowed to happen by people way up the power ladder. They're thinking way into the future and realize that in world politics perhaps geographical borders are going to mean much more than nation state borders. Nation states are a relative newcomer to the stage anyway. We live in the western hemisphere. We have borders of oceans all around this hemisphere. There are zillions of little brown skinned people in this hemisphere. It is going to become a great plus for all of us down the road to "homogenize" a little. We will become one political and cultural unit before this is all over. Black, white, brown, yellow? We are America. We will be much stronger once those color barriers are torn down. Trying to swim this raging current of world changes with the weight of racism tied to your leg will only sink you to the bottom.
As far as the dangerous situtations down on the border, for the most part I feel for the BP having to risk life and limb. But I also think it is such a waste to have this happening over something as stupid as trying to stop people from smoking pot.
Spacey,
I think you are right that some of the higher level "powers that be" have decided to "homogenize", as you say, this whole hemisphere. It does make a lot of sense in thinking about our position in the world's future situation. Not many people realize that what we call nations did not exist as political units until very recent in history, and that not only are such divisions becoming more and more irrelevant in the world of today, their creation allowed some of the worst wars in history to have taken place. All motivated by "nationalism".
Actually, I just ranted to get some good responses. Truthfully, we are all immigrants here. Even the so called Native American Indians came over the Bering Land Bridge 1000s of years ago. Then they filtered out and down across North, Central and South America. The biggest issue I have is that they come here demanding this, that, and everything. The money they do make, they send back to their country instead of reincorparating it back into our economy. When they get here they try to turn it into the place they just left which was a probably a @!$%#hole. If they like their way of life so much that they feel the need to try and turn the U.S. into another third world country, then stay where the hell you were. You want to come here to better yourself, then make an effort to incorparate yourself into our way of life, values, and laws. If not, then get the @!$%# out and go back to your little rathole!
Ted you had good point until you slandered several men and poor usage of words.
Um...what? Everybody knows that marijuana is NOT classified as a narcotic. It never has been.
Huey should consult with Dewey and Louie before making statements like this. Otherwise, even Unca Donald looks smarter...
pot is classified as a schedule 4 narcotic in ms.
Sorry, I was talking about science...not ignorant state governments.
Legalized drugs, put taxes on it. Cut the cartels by massive amounts.
You do not understand borders. You are behind the times even calling them "drug" cartels they have moved into so many different areas legalizing your weed won't even slow them down.
but the money wasted on the "weed" issue can go to other operations as well as tariff tax on the stuff at the boarder.
You misspelled a word in your sentence. It is border, not boarder. One is a structure, fence, or other definable object used to denote a specific area. The other is a person or persons, if plural, that you allow to dwell for a remittance in your place of abode. USE SPELL CHECK. Also, the b in the word "but" at the start of your sentence should have been capitalized.
please see post #12.7 same goes for spelling.
Lonereb,
Actually the problem originates our country's failed drug policies. The cartels have done nothing more than capitalize on the opportunity to meet the demands of a custom. In fact they have accomplished what our own pharmaceutical can't seem to do and keep up with the demand for product. Maybe Washington should consider contracting the manufacture of Methotrexate to the cartels to make in the same labs used to make methamphetamine?
Sounds like some American cowboys wanted a fight. I hope a cartel doesn't catch up to them someday. wink, wink.
and i hope these idiot border wannabe police realize that they are ready to die for something that will be legal in a few years. morons.
they are risking their lives to defend our laws and you mock them and call them names from the safety of your home and hope the cartels catch up to them? never-mind, idiocy of your caliber can't be reasoned with.
Clebro, enlighten me on what's going to be legal in a few year's ? You must know something the rest of us don't. A Lot of people wanna cry about poor illegals, obviously their job has not been affected by these people. I see illegals working in construction, for less wages and taking job's away from hard working people. Maybe we should let illegal doctor's and Lawyer's come in, so we can get them rates lowered. I bet we'd hear some crying then. The truth is if you break the law, you pay the price. Otherwise we should let people go when they rob a store, after all they are trying to better themselves. I think not.
No idiot they are willing to fight for the safety of people like me who live near the border. For the security of your country. Do you think only mexican gardeners come over the border? Mexicans we send home the same day. The detention centers near the border are for OTM's ( other than mexican) and it is always full.
Jarhead I kinda lke that ideal of bringing in cheap doctors and lawyers. Well I could do without more lawyers but bring on affordable healthcare.
Jarhead,
The truth is if you break the law, you pay the price.
That's fine with me. Just what price should be paid for a misdemeanor violation. That's what illegal entry is on a first conviction. You know, same level as getting busted doing 80 on some of our interstates. Not you necessary, but most of the anti-illegal folk's level of anger suggest that it should be a serious felony. If enough of those out there feel that it should be, then they should be bombarding their congressmen about it.
It should be a serious felony, let's take a step back and look at what would happen if U.S. citizens tried to break into any other country, we're too lax. I do bombard my congress people and senators, we live in a border state we feel the affects more than most would you disagree?
Clebro, do you realize that if the U.S. ever actually went to full scale war with these so called cartels, and the military was allowed to take the gloves off, it would not end well for Mexico or the scumbag drug runners. Hell, the Texas National Guard could destroy the entire Mexican military including the Federales by themselves. Do not think that we are weaklings as a people, we just have some weak, politicaly correct douchebags in office. We as a nation have a tendency to come together in real time of need and kick the living @!$%# out of whomever needs it. Also, the civilian population is armed to the teeth thanks to that glorious document call The Constitution of The United States of America and the Second Amendment.
Somehow, I think, even if drugs were legal, the Mexican drug cartels wouldn't be inclined to follow those rules either. Seeing how they are such law abiding stand up citizens alreadyl
Innocent dude,
Only thing I can say to that is that after alcohol prohibition was repealed those criminal organizations did not disappear, they just found new ways to make their money (like politics?), so you are somewhat correct. But at least we had no more St. Valentine's day massacres on our streets. The police corruption shrank dramatically. I doubt if anyone would have wanted to reverse all that and go back to illegal alcohol.
One way to look at this is that if we are going to have stupid laws that almost everyone is going to break, then we are breeding a nation of criminals. And once people accept that breaking stupid laws is just a way of life, then they might begin to look at all other laws in the same light. End result is that these type of laws only drive a wedge between the people and their government.
Probably just get into a bidding war, lower prices and the discounted drugs would still come across...
Good. Bout time.
Really? You would rather have the cop die than the criminal? This is the problem with liberals..
Actually - the real problem in the US today is that anyone would be un-intelligent enough to make that statement.