Obama Signals Readiness to Further Militarize Drug War with Potential Deployment of National Guard t

[CHIMO]

President Obama is considering deploying National Guard troops along the border with Mexico in response to the escalating drug war. More than 7,000 people have been killed in Mexico in drug-related violence in the last year. Much of the drug-related violence in Mexico has been fueled by the ability of drug cartels to purchase AK-47 assault rifles and other arms in the United States. We host a roundtable discussion with Laura Carlsen of the Center for International Policy, NYU professor and author Greg Grandin, and Paul Helmke of the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence.

http://www.democracynow.org/2009/3/13/obama_signals_readiness_to_further_militarize
http://play.rbn.com/?url=demnow/demnow/demand/2009/march/video/dnB20090313a.rm&proto=rtsp&start=00:11:40
http://play.rbn.com/?url=demnow/demnow/demand/2009/march/audio/dn20090313.ra&proto=rtsp&start=00:11:40

[masuki bance]

1. More jobs

[polichick]

2. So how long before we have a new legal and robust cash crop in the U.S.??

[CHIMO]

4. If You

Go through the article you will find that you already have a very good, legal, cash crop. As you call it.

[polichick]

5. I was thinking of a much more friendly cash crop.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

12. Hemp is a great crop

tough fiber, makes great and lasting paper and fabric, great as biomass, and can grow in marginal lands. I say GO FOR IT!

[polichick]

13. "Hemp is of first necessity to the wealth & protection of the country." -Thomas Jefferson

[glinda]

3. I think I heard Texas' Gov wanted Military control. Huge mistake to let Bush Country

have any military control. I imagine they would indoctrinate them at the new Bush Library-Terrorist Training Camp.

[babylonsister]

7. President Obama refused Perry's request for 1,000 troops

Obama Refuses Perry's Request for 1,000 Troops on Border

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29683342/

[glinda]

14. I heard that he is reconsidering it...... can't quote where except from MPR

[babylonsister]

6. Since when? Yesterday he said he didn't want to militarize the border...

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/white-house-watch/2009/03/obama_mocks_gop_critics/pf.html

snip//

Todd J. Gillman writes for the Dallas Morning News: "Mexico's drug war and the risks of cross-border violence deserve top-level attention, President Barack Obama said in an interview today, but it isn't time to send U.S. troops.

"'We've got a very big border with Mexico,' the president said. 'I'm not interested in militarizing the border.'...

"'We're going to examine whether and if National Guard deployments would make sense and under what circumstances they would make sense....I don't have a particular tipping point in mind. I think it's unacceptable if you've got drug gangs crossing our borders and killing U.S. citizens.'"

[CHIMO]

8. Didn't Read That In

The clip that you posted.

JUAN GONZALEZ: President Obama is considering deploying National Guard troops along the border with Mexico in response to the escalating drug war. In his most direct comments so far on Mexico’s fight against drug cartels, Obama told reporters from regional newspapers, quote, “We’re going to examine whether and if National Guard deployments would make sense and under what circumstances they would make sense.” But Obama ruled out any immediate military move.


More than a thousand people have been killed in Mexico in drug-related violence this year. 6,000 people died last year. Vice President Joe Biden highlighted the threat posed by drug traffickers this week when he announced Gil Kerlikowske as the new drug czar.


http://www.democracynow.org/2009/3/13/obama_signals_readiness_to_further_militarize

But removing the semantics. Go through the Democracy Now post.

[babylonsister]

10. 'We've got a very big border with Mexico,' the president said. 'I'm not interested in militarizing"

It's there.

[bemildred]

9. Oh bullshit. nt

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

11. Easier solution

Legalize marijuana, allow folks to grow their own locally or buy from small farmers--all for a fee or tax, of course, to raise revenue. Suddenly the demand for Mexican goes waaay down.

[benEzra]

15. So, where are the cartels getting their automatic weapons, rocket launchers, and grenades?

Because those things are NOT available in the USA except to police, military, and government agencies or their suppliers.

From this week's Los Angeles Times:

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-mexico-arms-race15-2009mar15,0,229992.story

The Feb. 21 attack on police headquarters in coastal Zihuatanejo, which injured four people, fit a disturbing trend of Mexico's drug wars. Traffickers have escalated their arms race, acquiring military-grade weapons, including hand grenades, grenade launchers, armor-piercing munitions and antitank rockets with firepower far beyond the assault rifles and pistols that have dominated their arsenals.

Most of these weapons are being smuggled from Central American countries or by sea, eluding U.S. and Mexican monitors who are focused on the smuggling of semiautomatic and conventional weapons purchased from dealers in the U.S. border states of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California.

If someone tells you that automatic weapons, grenades, and other military hardware are coming from this country, ask what government agency they're coming from, because they're not coming from the civilian market. The U.S. civilian gun market is limited to non-automatic, non-sound-suppressed small arms under .51 caliber, plus over-.50 shotguns and a handful of over-.50 hunting rifles.

Central America is awash with Warsaw Pact and U.S. military hardware, though, due to decades of Cold War proxy skirmishes and the equipment supplied to fight them.

[bemildred]

16. Blowback. nt