Wow! What an original interpretation of a fairly uncontroversial decision by Obama! So you're in favor of invading your own country and you call yourself a conservative, eh? Two words: societal-retardation. You.
On Thu, Mar 12, 2009 at 5:31 PM, Travis <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > From: Travis > Subject: Obama to border states: You're on your own > Date: Thursday, March 12, 2009 > > > http://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/obama_no_border_troops/2009/03/12/191142.html > > Obama: No U.S. Troops to Mexico Border > Thursday, March 12, 2009 8:40 AM > > *By:* Todd J. Gillman, The Dallas Morning News Article Font Size > WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama is keeping close watch on the > violence from Mexico's drug war, but he said Wednesday so far it hasn't > spilled into this country enough to justify sending troops to the border. > "We've got a very big border with Mexico," he said. "I'm not interested in > militarizing the border." > Last month, Texas Gov. Rick Perry visited El Paso, Texas - whose neighbor, > Ciudad Juarez, has taken the brunt of drug violence that has claimed more > than 7,000 lives in Mexico in 14 months - and called on Washington to send a > thousand troops or border agents. > "We're going to examine whether and if National Guard deployments would > make sense and under what circumstances they would make sense," Obama told > The Dallas Morning News in an hour-long talk with 14 regional newspapers. "I > don't have a particular tipping point in mind." > Mexican President Felipe Calderon declared a war on drug cartels nearly two > years ago, setting off waves of violence as rival gangs fight for turf and > resist the government crackdown. Obama emphasized he will continue working > closely with Mexico and said within "a few months" he will offer a > comprehensive policy to curtail U.S. demand for drugs and curb the > southbound flow of cash and guns that give the cartels "extraordinary > power." > "It's really a two-way situation," he said, promising a combination of > border security, law enforcement, prevention and treatment. > "We're fighting with one hand tied behind our back because our effort to > lower demand is grossly underfunded," Obama said. "The average person who's > seeking serious substance abuse treatment in a big city like Dallas or > Chicago typically has a three-, four- or six-month waiting list to get > enrolled." > Obama has said little until now about the horrific violence in Mexico, > which has included beheadings, assassinations of top anti-drug officials and > police, running gun battles in border cities and the resignations of law > enforcement officials who flee into the U.S. for safety. > Obama lauded Calderon for "taking some extraordinary risks under > extraordinary pressure to deal with the drug cartels." > In 2007, then-President George W. Bush hammered out a deal with Calderon, > called the Merida Initiative, to provide equipment and training to help > Mexico take on the traffickers and weed out corruption. > Obama noted recent high-level contacts between U.S. and Mexican officials > as a sign of the ongoing partnership. > Last Friday, Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, met > with counterparts in Mexico and offered more intelligence and surveillance, > as well as training based on lessons learned against insurgents in Iraq and > Afghanistan. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Attorney > General Eric Holder have already met with top Mexican officials, too. > On Wednesday, Obama named a national drug czar, Seattle Police Chief Gil > Kerlikowske. Bush had given the post Cabinet rank. Obama removed that > designation but said that's not a reflection on how seriously he takes the > effort to curtail drug use. > "We do have to treat this as a public health problem, and we do have to > have significant law enforcement,' he said. "If we can reduce demand, > obviously that allows us to focus more effectively where interdiction is > needed." > As a candidate, Obama called the "war on drugs ... an utter failure." He > also said he was open to legalizing marijuana for medical purposes. > Asked Wednesday if he believes this country is still engaged in a war on > drugs, he avoided the phrase but promised not to weaken drug laws and to > pursue border security and law enforcement while putting fresh emphasis on > prevention and treatment. > President George W. Bush's drug czar, John Walters, agreed on the need > for a multifaceted approach. > "It's not an endless battle, and it's not a war like the Vietnam War," said > Walters in a separate interview. "The issue of the 'war' has become a kind > of metaphor for using inappropriate means, or focusing on force, or focusing > on the supply side rather than the demand side. We have learned that we need > balance." > Obama also offered assurance Americans won't be put at risk when he > closes the prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and transfers some detainees to > U.S. facilities. Texas Republicans in Congress are among those who have > denounced his plan, insisting he send terror suspects elsewhere. > "We already have experience with terrorists who are in federal prisons," > Obama said. "And there's been no indication that the safety or security of > prison guards or of surrounding communities have been compromised." > On food safety, Obama said he has ordered the Agriculture Department and > the Health and Human Services Department to work more closely and develop > better procedures, after a salmonella outbreak traced to peanut processors > in Texas and Georgia. The nation needs "better warning signals" from food > producers and an ability to track contamination more quickly, he said. > © 2009, The Dallas Morning News.Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune > Information Services. Reprinted Via Newscom. > > > > > > > -- > *~@):~{> > > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. 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