Senators to hear Ariz. officials on menace of border violence
by Jahna Berry - Apr. 12, 2009 12:00 AM
The Arizona Republic
Members of the U.S. Senate will be in Phoenix next week to hear how border violence is impacting the region.
On April 20, the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs will hear testimony from Gov. Jan Brewer, Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon and officials from Arizona communities near the Mexico border.
Drug violence has surged in Mexico. More than 6,000 people died in drug-related violence in Mexico in 2008, more than double the number from the previous year. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, a former Arizona governor, plans to send more than 100 federal agents to the border to help combat the wave of violence.
Some officials also say that rampant drug-related kidnappings in Phoenix are tied to the escalating brutality in Mexico.
The Phoenix field hearing is the latest in a string of similar border hearings held by Congress in recent weeks.
Next week's meeting is special because senators can talk to people with firsthand knowledge in a state that's impacted the most, said Mark Buse, Sen. John McCain's chief of staff. McCain sits on the committee and will attend the hearing with the committee's chairman, Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman.
McCain "thought it was very important to hold a hearing near the border, out in Arizona, where we can hear from . . . everyone who has been affected, everyone who has thoughts on the matter," Buse said.
Some hearing witnesses, including Gordon and state Attorney General Terry Goddard, have already testified before Congress. Buse said their insights were still helpful.
The others on the list are Nogales Mayor Octavio Garcia Von Borstel, Tohono O'odham Nation Chairman Ned Norris, Jr., Phoenix Police Chief Jack Harris, Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik and Cochise County Sheriff Larry Dever.
After opening statements from senators on the panel, witnesses will testify and committee members will ask questions. Like most senate hearings, the public can't comment or ask questions.
The public can submit testimony to McCain's office, which could be added to the committee's record later, Buse said.
It's unclear what action the senators plan to take after the hearing. The panel is gathering information, so McCain doesn't have specific proposals yet, Buse said.
"Obviously everything is on the table right now," the chief of staff said. "The senator believes that this issue is not going to go away."
Mexican official: Weapons from US fuel drug war
Associated Press
Posted: 04/12/2009 09:50:36 AM MDT
WASHINGTON -- Mexico's ambassador to the United States says shutting down the flow of money and weapons from the U.S. into Mexico is key to dealing with the violent drug cartels in his country.
Ambassador Arturo Sarukhan says money and guns provide the drug cartels with the means to corrupt, to bribe and to kill.
Mexican authorities maintain that 90 percent of the weapons used by the drug cartels come from the U.S.
President Barack Obama is scheduled to visit Mexico this week before attending the Summit of the Americas in Trinidad.
The Obama administration is taking several steps to provide more assistance to Mexico in its fight against drug violence.
Sarukhan appeared Sunday on CBS's "Face the Nation."
The ASR&PA has provided the following archived articles, information, and data for informational and research purposes; the content, comments, opinions and reports are those of the various authors or organizations, and do not necessarily reflect the positions, beliefs or views of ASR&PA.
The situation in Mexico has serious consequences for our Rights, and even our lives here in AZ and all along the Mexican border. We cannot emphasize enough how much it is in our interest to have a free, safe and prosperous Mexico as our neighbor. Many of us have family, friends there and they are our neighbor.
We strongly support the Human Rights of the Mexican people to be able to defend themselves. That means the Mexican people should once again have the rights and resources to possess, bear and use modern and effective firearms. As over 70 years of corrupt federal government and it's attending gun control have shown, the bumper sticker is so true. "If guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns". Mexico is a textbook example of the failures of gun control. While some very limited firearms are permitted on paper, and in practice, the real effect has been to disarm the good people of Mexico.
That was done by the very corrupt political party that ran a country rich in natural resources and people, into the ground to prevent a revolution, not to "control crime" as was the pretense.
As the archived reports will show, the defenseless people of Mexico have suffered way too much. They deserve much better. We need to help.
Given the gravity of the ongoing drug war in Mexico our neighbor to the south, ASR&PA has been working to monitor the border situation and it's many effects on our state and our members:
Including drug and human trafficking, with related issues of murders, kidnappings, home invasions, extortion, destruction of wildlife habitat, illegal immigration, white slavery, money laundering, expenses of incarceration and medical treatments, the list goes on and on. Also de facto cession of areas of the state to the DTO's; fugitives, cash, firearms and ammunition running south. Most of these issues could be significantly reduced by simply securing the border.
To get it out of the way, ASR&PA does support legal immigration, trade, and travel between our countries. Especially so that we and our Mexican neighbors can once again freely and safely travel to our neighboring countries for competition, training, hunting and just enjoy good company.
We strongly support the Human Rights of the Mexican people to be able to defend themselves. That means the Mexican people should once again have the rights and resources to possess, bear and use modern and effective firearms. As over 70 years of corrupt federal government and it's attending gun control have shown, the bumper sticker is so true. "If guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns". Mexico is a textbook example of the failures of gun control. While some very limited firearms are permitted on paper, and in practice, the real effect has been to disarm the good people of Mexico.
That was done by the very corrupt political party that ran a country rich in natural resources and people, into the ground to prevent a revolution, not to "control crime" as was the pretense.
As the archived reports will show, the defenseless people of Mexico have suffered way too much. They deserve much better. We need to help.
Given the gravity of the ongoing drug war in Mexico our neighbor to the south, ASR&PA has been working to monitor the border situation and it's many effects on our state and our members:
Including drug and human trafficking, with related issues of murders, kidnappings, home invasions, extortion, destruction of wildlife habitat, illegal immigration, white slavery, money laundering, expenses of incarceration and medical treatments, the list goes on and on. Also de facto cession of areas of the state to the DTO's; fugitives, cash, firearms and ammunition running south. Most of these issues could be significantly reduced by simply securing the border.
To get it out of the way, ASR&PA does support legal immigration, trade, and travel between our countries. Especially so that we and our Mexican neighbors can once again freely and safely travel to our neighboring countries for competition, training, hunting and just enjoy good company.
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