Mexico Red Zone: A Funded Program, Shelved.

 
Jerry Seper, the Washington Times reporter lauded by Tony Blankley for his accurate reporting on the Mexican border situation, says today that an Arizona Congressional representative, Rick Renzi, wrote to Secretary of State Rice describing the events at our border with Mexico as "narco-terrorism in its purest form:"

"Our borders are under attack by sophisticated organizations that have no qualms about firing on our Border Patrol units," Mr. Renzi said. "As we get tougher and more committed, so do the organizations committed to smuggling death and terror our borders."

The State Department responded with Foggy Bottom Speak, claiming that:

• they are "in touch with the Mexican government when incidents occur,"
• "they are usually resolved at that time at the local level."

Oh, of course. Nothing going on here. So what about Homeland Security’s take on the subject? Well, director Michael Chertoff claims that:

• “Mexican military incursions average about 20 a year, but were declining.
• concern over the issue is "overblown" and "scare tactics."
  
• significant number of these incursions were "innocent,"
  
• Mexican police or military may step across the border chasing criminals because they don't know where the line is." (despite their GPS units??)
  
• Sometimes criminals are dressed in military-type clothing and thus may appear to be soldiers when they’re just crooks.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Rep. Renzi has different information:

	The U.S. Border Patrol recently warned agents in Arizona of military incursions by Mexican soldiers "trained to escape, evade and counter-ambush" if detected. The warning follows increased sightings of what authorities describe as heavily armed Mexican military units on the U.S. side of the border.
	While the Mexican government has vigorously denied that its military is crossing into the U.S., Mr. Renzi said that during a tour of the Arizona border last month in a U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE) helicopter, the pilot showed him military-style humvees lining up at dusk just south of the border to move drugs into the U.S.
	He said the preparations occur nightly, noting that 50 percent of the drugs coming into this country pass though the Arizona desert.

Renzi is rightly concerned. As are other states that share borders with Mexico:

	"The Border Patrol knows they're coming but they are outmanned and outgunned," he said. "We need military technology to combat these military operations."
	Mr. Renzi also said states such as Arizona should be able to supplement federal border enforcement with federally financed state border guard units. He said states can react quickly to new border threats, and that the federal government is unable to graduate enough new agents.
	"Border states are tired of waiting for a secure border," he said.

Now who are you going to believe? The State Department and Homeland Security or the U.S. Border Patrol and Representative Renzi’s lying eyes?

Renzi is not just pushing air through his lungs. He has a program, ready to go:

	Mr. Renzi said radar-equipped aerostat balloons now on the border have forced airplanes that previously brought drugs into the United States to "land short," about 120 miles south of the border where the drugs are transferred to vehicles to be driven across the border. He said the balloons could be mounted with sensors to detect the approach of drug smugglers and "the muscle that protects them."
	He is the author of a $50 million border intelligence pilot program known as "Red Zone Defense," which was included in the Department of Homeland Security's appropriation bill. It would coordinate the sharing of intelligence on border security information in Cochise County, Ariz., an area of the border that has become the nation's most popular drug and alien smuggling corridor.
	Mr. Renzi said the two-year program would use airships, aerostats and unmanned aerial vehicles for surveillance that could pinpoint the exact location of drug smugglers on the border. He said that would give Border Patrol agents increased security.
	The program, although funded, has not been implemented.

REPEAT: The program, although funded, has not been implemented.