Linked below is an article by NPR regarding the congressional investigation into ATF's Operation Fast and Furious, a program whereby the Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Bureau (ATF) monitored illegal gun sales without intercepting the guns in an effort to trace their movement. An outcry by field agents and alleged retaliation by agency superiors has created a scandal that I predict will grow. What has reaaly outraged agents is the fact that a US Border Patrol agent, Brian Terry, was recently murdered by guns that were allowed to "walk" (not be seized) into the hands of criminals by ATF. The below report has a link to the Congressional Staff Report. It is disturbing.
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2011/06/15/137200205/congressional-report-slams-atfs-fast-and-furious-operation
There is an analogy to this procedure within the DEA and US Customs when it comes to drugs. There are many cases when DEA/Customs seizes a shipment of drugs or has knowledge and/or control (surveillance) of drugs as they are in shipment. In certain cases, it may be decided to follow the drugs to see who the ultimate recipient is. Yet, when you are talking about large commercial quantities of substances such as heroin or cocaine, it is irresponsible to simply let them go into the traffic and circulation in order to develop intelligence. DEA agents are not tasked with simply developing intelligence and writing history books. They are tasked with keeping drugs off the street. In fact, to let a quantity of drugs "walk" into the traffic without being seized would require approval from someone high up in DEA or the Justice Department.
It seems in this case that the "suits" in Washington decided that the question of US guns being used in Mexican gang and drug violence was something that should be "studied", if you will. In other words, let's see how many of these guns turn up in Mexican shootings. Many agents at the street level recognized the recklessness and irresponsibilty of simply allowing weapons to enter the criminal traffic without seizing them. If the reports are correct, the bureaucratic mentality at ATF Hqs and other Washington entities clamped down on the dissenting agents.
One result. A dead Border Patrol agent.
As a DEA agent, I had the occasion to work with ATF on a few occasions. I respected them as an agency. They had one of the most dangerous jobs in federal law enforcement. At that time, they were under the Treasury Department. Since the government reorganization, they are now under the Justice Department, an agency clouded by controversy under Attorney General Eric Holder.
Make no mistake; letting illegal guns sold in the US to go their merry way across the border into the seething cauldren that is Mexico is a serious mistake in judgement. For once, the Mexicans should be rightfully furious at us about this matter. The Border Patrol should be furious at the loss of an agent. One would think that Homeland Security Director Janet Napolitano, who oversees the Border Patrol, would be furious.
Well, maybe not. Here is a report on her testimony in March about the matter. (Hat tip to Gadaboutblogalot)
http://gadabout-blogalot.com/2011/05/19/the-iron-maiden-knows-not-much-about-fast-furious/
As usual, she seems to be blissfully unaware of what is going on within her own agencies. That's one reason why she is the 2010 Fousesquawk Jerk of the Year.
The next question is what involvement or knowledge did Eric Holder have about this operation that also represents a full-fledged diplomatic incident between two neighboring countries. I can tell you unequivocally that this kind of operation could never have been carried out without approval by a high level official(s) of the Justice Department.
"I don't know anything about it."
Hopefully, this will be the final scandal that forces Holder out of office.
http://washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/2011/06/operation-fast-and-furious-should-end-holder-tenure
http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2011/03/bloody_fast_and_furious_progra.html
This is just another example of why the boneheads who are running today's federal law enforcement should be thouroughly investigated for malfeasance. This case cries out for an investigation. My hat is off to the courageous agents who have come forward.
1 comment:
This enter operation stinks! First, it must be mentioned that Obama spoke to Sarah Brady a few months ago, telling her that he is engaged in pushing for more laws to control guns in the U.S. He also mentioned that this effort was stealthy. Now we discover operation Fast and Furious or the Gun-walker case. Remember that Obama and Holder contend that 90% of the weapons used by cartels come from the U.S. This number has been disproved and the number is a lot less. Now we see that the ATF allowed semi-automatic assault rifles and .50 Berett sniper rifles across the boarder with no plan to follow them. Hence the deaths of a boarder patrol officer, by one of the weapons, with a report that another officer had been killed. Countless Mexican citizens have been allegedly killed as well. This would be a self-fulfilling prophecy by the DoJ and ATF.
Today, as predicted, the Democrats claim that there needs to be more laws to control guns in the U.S. Here is the link: http://townhall.com/columnists/katiepavlich/2011/06/30/dems_call_for_more_gun_control_in_light_of_operation_fast_and_furious/page/full/.
No mention of the "Gun-walker" scandal in the presentation of the report from the Democrats. It is business as usual. Make the case for more gun control by allowing more guns across the boarder. Someone needs to go to jail!!!
Squid
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