[sleelverrex]

Meant to prevent guns from reaching Mexican drug cartels

The United States should reinstate a Clinton-era ban on assault weapons to prevent such guns from reaching Mexican drug cartels, former officials from both countries said in a report released Tuesday.

The group, which includes two former U.S. ambassadors to Mexico, also said the U.S. should do more to stop the smuggling of firearms and ammunition into Mexico by stepping up investigations of gun dealers and more strictly regulating gun shows.

The Binational Task Force on the United States-Mexico Border listed the assault weapons ban as a step the U.S. should take immediately to improve security in both countries. The 10-year ban expired in 2004.

"Improving our efforts ... will weaken the drug cartels and disrupt their illegal activities, and make it easier ultimately to dismantle and destroy them," said Robert Bonner, co-chairman of the group and former head of both the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and Customs and Border Protection agency.

U.S. and Mexican officials say drug cartels frequently use assault rifles, which are banned in Mexico but easily purchased in the United States.

Mexican President Felipe Calderon launched a nationwide crackdown on drug cartels when he took office in December 2006. The offensive has been met with unprecedented violence, leaving more than 13,800 people dead.

During his run for office, President Barack Obama promised to push to reinstate the ban. He has since said he would rather enforce existing laws that make it illegal to send assault weapons across the border.

Other recommendations related to border security included restructuring Mexico's law enforcement operations to create a counterpart to the U.S. Border Patrol, increasing U.S. assistance to Mexico to build up law enforcement and reducing demand for drugs in the United States through more treatment programs. Link

How many Mexican laws are there that protect American citizens?

I remember a few weeks ago I was watching a show on Vanguard that was covering the drug issue in Mexico....The were going to some place called the "Golden Triangle" and had to be escorted by federal troops.

Do you think the cartels are getting their firearms from joes gun shop in Texas? To even own or purchase a full auto in the states requires numerous hoops, fees, blood samples and coughing up your first born. I know the article does not mention full autos but we can only assume that multi-million dollar drug cartels dont go for the semi-auto variants. I know I wouldnt

I do have a simple solution that will fix a lot of issues...drugs, illegal immigrants....etc...

Buy up all the land 1/2 mile from the border and toss in some landmines. Ever see the DMZ? Prime example of how that works.....or just dig a moat, build a wall or whatever....stop trying to trample on my rights to protect some poor sap south of the border.

Its funny though....13,800 people died after federal troops started to get involved.....and who is toe blame for that? There are literally towns with no police force that a run by the cartels.....thats just sad.

People seem to accept whats going on down there.

[sleelverrex]

Mexican army troops captured 25 gunmen at a ranch in Chihuahua state June 13, who witnesses say had disguised themselves as soldiers. The troops also seized 29 automatic rifles during the raid at the pueblo of Nicolás Bravo, Madera municipality, in the Sierra Tarahumara. The National Defense Secretary (SEDENA) has mobilized 5,000 more troops to the Sierra's dope-growing "Triángulo Dorado" to hunt down opium and marijuana crops. Link

29 automatic weapons...easily straw purchased in the USA!

/sarcasm...

[Precturge]

Funny, Mexico prohibits almost all firearms except some small-caliber rifles and handguns. Those laws have done zilch; if anything, they've increased the violence as the civilians cannot effectively defend themselves from the drug runners. That's exactly what U.S. gun control laws do. We have essentially a prohibition on full-auto weapons too. But the media (gun control lobby) won't point to Mexico and say, "hey, look how well gun control is working in Mexico." Some people are incapable of learning anything.

[gMUVgw71]

Funny, Mexico prohibits almost all firearms except some small-caliber rifles and handguns. Those laws have done zilch; if anything, they've increased the violence as the civilians cannot effectively defend themselves from the drug runners. That's exactly what U.S. gun control laws do. We have essentially a prohibition on full-auto weapons too. But the media (gun control lobby) won't point to Mexico and say, "hey, look how well gun control is working in Mexico." Some people are incapable of learning anything.

uh... cause the guns come from here.

[Dwencejed]

Buy up all the land 1/2 mile from the border and toss in some landmines. Ever see the DMZ? Prime example of how that works.....or just dig a moat, build a wall or whatever....stop trying to trample on my rights to protect some poor sap south of the border.

Your complete lack of humanity is depressing.

[Breevereurl]

Your complete lack of humanity is depressing.

Coming from someone who refers to Roman Polanski's act of rape as "consensual sex" this comment is truly hypocritical.

[Dwencejed]

Coming from someone who refers to Roman Polanski's act of rape as "consensual sex" this comment is truly hypocritical.

Way to try to change the subject there, sparky!

[Precturge]

Your complete lack of humanity is depressing.

It's an extremely good idea. It would work. The only problem is, no none of our elected officials has the common sense let alone the spine to propose such a thing.

[Dwencejed]

It's an extremely good idea. It would work. The only problem is, no none of our elected officials has the common sense let alone the spine to propose such a thing.

Landmines kill or injure 7000 civilians a year.

Most are children.

Does this really sound like a good idea to you?

[Precturge]

Landmines kill or injure 7000 civilians a year.

Most are children.

Does this really sound like a good idea to you?

Don't sneak across the border and it won't be an issue.

Fence off the DMZ and put up signs to keep the kids out and put up signs to provide fair warning.

[elton]

Don't sneak across the border and it won't be an issue.

Fence off the DMZ and put up signs to keep the kids out and put up signs to provide fair warning.

Now I see the problem I've had attempting to converse with you. You're as much of an extremist nutjob as cerb.

But just so I'm straight here: you're seriously proposing we plant landmines along the US/Mexican border, correct?

[Dwencejed]

Don't sneak across the border and it won't be an issue.

Fence off the DMZ and put up signs to keep the kids out and put up signs to provide fair warning.

Again, your lack of humanity is depressing.

10% of the population of Mexico is illiterate How are they going to read your signs?

[Precturge]

Now I see the problem I've had attempting to converse with you. You're as much of an extremist nutjob as cerb.

And your an idiot with no common sense.

But just so I'm straight here: you're seriously proposing we plant landmines along the US/Mexican border, correct? Sure. It'll never happen, but why not? What's your brilliant, sure-to-be-effective idea?

[Dwencejed]

Sure. It'll never happen, but why not? What's your brilliant, sure-to-be-effective idea?

Never mind the fact that it will kill a few thousand people a year, and that there are already tunnels -used by smugglers of both drugs and humans- which run UNDER the border, thus defeating your minefields before they're planted.

[Precturge]

Again, your lack of humanity is depressing.

Ironic from somebody who doesn't seem to have much humanity for Americans...

10% of the population of Mexico is illiterate How are they going to read your signs? Word will get around quick. I'm fine giving the Mexican government some money to teach the illiterate to stay out, but word of mouth will probably get around before any educational program does.

[Dwencejed]

Ironic from somebody who doesn't seem to have much humanity for Americans...

Huh?

[Precturge]

Huh?

My comment was aimed at your ideology.

[elton]

And your an idiot with no common sense.

Mining the border is common sense in your world? Huh.



Sure. It'll never happen, but why not? What's your brilliant, sure-to-be-effective idea? I haven't really got one at the moment. That doesn't mean I think that putting frickin' landmines along the border is anywhere close to being rational.

[Dwencejed]

My comment was aimed at your ideology.

How exactly does my ideology "have no humanity for Americans"?

I'm really, honestly curious.

[Precturge]

Mining the border is common sense in your world? Huh.

Yep. It would work. Again, won't happen, but it sure would prevent illegals from taking a land route.

I haven't really got one at the moment. That doesn't mean I think that putting frickin' landmines along the border is anywhere close to being rational. Then you have contributed nothing towards a solution to this problem. Instead of firing off criticism on the internet, why not put half as much effort to identifying or supporting a solution? Quit b!tchin' and start stitchin!