Obama to Deploy Up to 1,200 National Guard Troops to U.S.-Mexico Border

[Desertdog]

Let's see now, "Up to 1200 NG Troops", which means from one to 1,200 troops.  I will not hold my breath until a reasonable amount  of troops get on the border.  By the way, I didn't see anything about them being armed and with ammo in the article.

Obama to Deploy Up to 1,200 National Guard Troops to U.S.-Mexico Border

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/05/25/obama-deploy-national-guard-troops-mexico-border/

President Obama told Senate Republicans Tuesday that he's read the controversial Arizona immigration law and is concerned it would allow for discrimination -- but he is planning to deploy up to 1,200 National Guard troops to the U.S.-Mexico border to allay security concerns.

An administration official confirmed to Fox News that Obama plans to deploy the National Guard troops as needed and request $500 million for "enhanced border protection and law enforcement."

The official said the National Guard would be used to "provide intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance support," as well as support "counternarcotics enforcement" and provide "training capacity" until the Border Patrol can bring more officers on board. The additional funding would be used to improve border security technology and increase the number of agents, investigators and prosecutors targeting drug, human and weapons traffickers.

The announcement came as Senate Republicans began introducing several border security amendments to a $60 billion war spending bill under consideration on the floor. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., on Tuesday proposed an amendment to send 6,000 National Guard troops to the border -- a move Republicans want to pay for with unspent stimulus money.

McCain said on the floor that he appreciates Obama's decision to deploy up to 1,200 troops but asked for more.

"I think it is a recognition of the violence on the border which has been really beyond description in some respects," McCain said. "But it's simply not enough."

Senate Republicans confronted Obama on immigration and border security earlier in the day during a rare, private meeting on Capitol Hill. Though top Obama Cabinet officials critical of Arizona's law have acknowledged they never read the bill, McCain said Obama told the senators he has read it and still believes it could allow for discrimination.

Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kansas, who described the meeting as "testy," said the president "wasn't embracing" the call to secure the borders before pressing forward with a comprehensive immigration policy overhaul.

The administration official described Obama's announcement Tuesday as "part of his comprehensive plan to secure the southwest border."

Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., who was among several lawmakers who requested more border security after Arizona rancher Robert Krentz was killed by a suspected illegal immigrant at the end of March, praised Obama for his National Guard announcement.

"(Arizona residents) know that more boots on the ground means a safer and more secure border. Washington heard our message," she said.

[RocketMan]

Only 1200 troops?  Geeze...  That's just a 'sop' in the bucket to what's really needed.
(Yes, that was a poor play on words.)

[Battle Monkey of Zardoz]

I'm sure they will be armed with weapons, magazines empty like during 9/11. And only there to observe, you know, not actually do anything. Window dressing.

[Tallpine]

This is great! 

Maybe they can stop all those machine guns bought at gunshows from being smuggled into Mexico 

[Viking]

This is great! 

Maybe they can stop all those machine guns bought at gunshows from being smuggled into Mexico 

Yeah, instead they'll have their M-16s stolen and shipped to Mexico!

[longeyes]

This is Obama's way of giving the finger to people who want order at the border.  He knows that 1200 National Guard troops, with "don't hit" rules of engagement, mean nothing in terms of dealing with the problems of mounting violence, let along the invasion. 

Obama is holding out for amnesty or nothing, at least nothing substantive.  This is a stubborn man we've got here.  I guess it is going to take a firestorm at the border to get any serious action.

[Headless Thompson Gunner]

It's political chess.  The Repubs were about to make a big commotion over sending troops to the border.  It would have been an impressive counterpoint to all the Dems criticizing the AZ law who'd never read it, and who were blatantly disregarding the law.

Not wanting to deal with the bad press, Obama sidestepped the issue by doing a watered-down version of the same thing.  

I've gotta say, it's a good move.  It's tough to back the POTUS into a corner, he has too many ways to move.

[zxcvbob]

He may have done it to prevent the governor from sending the NG there with orders to actually defend against Mexican incursions.  (OTOH, maybe they are nationalized already and beyond the command of the governor, I'm not sure about this)

[Fjolnirsson]

Wow, 1200 troops? That's impressive. Ya know, considering the border is about 1,969 miles long. Yeah, that should provide adequate coverage. Wait, that's only 1 guardsman every 1.4 miles or so. Well, they can use binoculars. Wait, there's 24 hours in a day, so we'd need at least three shifts to maintain any sort of watchfulness(really more, than that, but let's be charitable). So that's 400 troops, which means we'd have a guardsman every 5 miles or so. Well, and some of those are gonna be supervisors. Wow, this umm, this plan does nothing. Which is what we've come to expect from Obama, except in terms of spending money we don't have for lackluster results.

[taurusowner]

Question: How is Obama going to deploy National Guard troops?  When the NG is stateside, they fall under their respective governors, and this is the only reason why they are legally allowed to operate inside the US.  When NG soldiers are Federalized, such as with a deployment to Afghanistan, they become part of the Regular Army, and are thus barred from operating in the US under Posse Comitatus.  The President only has power over Federal troops, not state troops.

[lupinus]

Question: How is Obama going to deploy National Guard troops?  When the NG is stateside, they fall under their respective governors, and this is the only reason why they are legally allowed to operate inside the US.  When NG soldiers are Federalized, such as with a deployment to Afghanistan, they become part of the Regular Army, and are thus barred from operating in the US under Posse Comitatus.  The President only has power over Federal troops, not state troops.

Silly subject. Laws are for you!

[dogmush]

Question: How is Obama going to deploy National Guard troops?  When the NG is stateside, they fall under their respective governors, and this is the only reason why they are legally allowed to operate inside the US.  When NG soldiers are Federalized, such as with a deployment to Afghanistan, they become part of the Regular Army, and are thus barred from operating in the US under Posse Comitatus.  The President only has power over Federal troops, not state troops.

IANAL and all, but I would imagine because

provide intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance support

is not actually enforcing the law, and so not under Posse comitatus.

Maj. Trebilcock has more detail on it.

[taurusowner]

Silly subject. Laws are for you!

Well seeing as I'm a National Guard soldier, I have somewhat of a vested interest in this.  I have no problem if Jenny Granholm or whoever will replace her works out a deal with the governor of a southern border state for my MP unit to operate down there to enforce border law.  State National Guards can do what their governors want.  I do have a problem with a Federal entity ordering us to operate within the US outside of a national emergency.

[Waitone]

Bush did the same thing.  Amounts to eye wash and nothing else.  Consider it a preemptive strike against republicans who appear to be targeting illegal immigration in the run up to the election.

[dogmush]

  I do have a problem with a Federal entity ordering us to operate within the US outside of a national emergency.

Not to be cold blooded, and being a Soldier myself, you should have read the fine print.  If you're not doing LE work, you're not in violation of P.C.  Deploying NG intel geeks, intel gathering assets, traffic control MP's or any of a hundred other non-LE things are legal and under thin CinC's athourity to do.*



*Not to be miscinstrued as my thinking it's a good idea, mind you.  This has every earmark of a huge, DOD holding the horns goat****, but it's legal.

[taurusowner]

Well, I'm not being deployed to the border at all, so it has nothing to do with my fine print.  I was just asking a general question.

[Lennyjoe]

I was in Arizona back in 06 when Dubya sent troops out there.  There were a few outposts near where we deer hunted.

One afternoon we stopped and talked to a few of the fellas.  They did nothing more than watch and report from positions overlooking the border.  The ones we talked to were 3/4 mile from the border.  They seemed pretty bored at the time and didn't have much to say that was positive.  Guns but no ammo from what I could see.

To me, Obama sending 1500 troops is nothing more than window dressing.  McCain and a few other Repubs worked him over today trying to get him to act.  Funny thing was shorty (and I mean very shortly) after he walked out the White House released a statement that Obama was ordering 1500 troops to the border.  THis guy is nothing more than an empty suit.  But then again, we all know that.

I wish Jan Brewer would of stuck it to him with her statement but she went easy on him.   

[dogmush]

One afternoon we stopped and talked to a few of the fellas.  They did nothing more than watch and report from positions overlooking the border.  The ones we talked to were 3/4 mile from the border.  They seemed pretty bored at the time and didn't have much to say that was positive.  Guns but no ammo from what I could see.

FWIW, I've been on several stateside deployments to observe, support, and help various folks in situations like this.  During none of them was my unit issued ammo for our weapons. 

During none of them did we have empty weapons either. 

[kgbsquirrel]

FWIW, I've been on several stateside deployments to observe, support, and help various folks in situations like this.  During none of them was my unit issued ammo for our weapons. 

During none of them did we have empty weapons either. 

BYOB> (Bring Your Own Bullets)

Rather idiotic that they didn't issue. Would also seem to be a significant safety hazard. You're on a border, where you have a demonstrated history of cross-border violence, and they want you to sit there with an empty rifle. Yeaaaah.....

[zxcvbob]

If Obama federalizes (I said "nationalizes" earlier, my bad) the NG and sends them to the border to "observe" (like Dubya did), doesn't that keep Gov. Brewer from doing anything actually useful with the troops?  I still think that's part of the plan.  

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

need two more zeros for it to mean anything substantive

[longeyes]

Obama thinks he's clever, but actually he's become painfully transparent to all but his most ardent and faithful votaries.

[seeker_two]

Maybe AZ can send 1200 NG troops to DC to provide Presidential security.....as a "thank you" for Obama's recent comments..... 

[Monkeyleg]

Obama read the poll numbers and decided to do something symbolic. What else is new?

[Bogie]

1) How do I reup?
 
2) 50 Blackhawks with miniguns would be a start...
 
3) At least one of our guys is gonna have to get killed, or worse, for the Dems to do something substantive... And then they'll likely overreact.
 
Let's see...
 
War in Iraq.
 
War in Afghanistan.
 
War in Korea.
 
War along the southern border.
 
Hmmm...
 
Do the Texas Rangers or Border Patrol need any old fat guys?