Obama Mulls Sending National Guard to Border
Some officials worry move will be seen as militarizing U.S.-Mexico border
By BRITT PETERSON
Updated 11:10 AM PST, Wed, Jul 1, 2009
With drug-related violence growing along the Mexican border, the U.S. is considering deploying troops to the Southwest, according to a Department of Homeland Security official.
Senior officials say the Obama administration is developing plans to seek up to 1,500 National Guard volunteers to help combat the drug war along the Mexican border.
“You can’t fight this war with just one hand,” President Barack Obama has said. “You can’t have Mexico making an effort and the United States not making an effort.”
Some officials worry that the move will be seen as militarizing the region. Supporters however, are confident that the program would last no longer than a year and would build on an existing counter-drug operation, saying that the program will be largely federally funded and draw on National Guard volunteers from the four border states.
Paul Stockton, assistant secretary of defense for homeland defense, said that options for the new program have been drafted, but the plan still must be approved by key cabinet members as well as the president.
"We have been working very closely to build a set of options that would have the Department of Defense in a very limited way, for a limited period of time, serve in direct support for CBP," said Stockton, referring to Customs and Border Protection.
Copyright Associated Press / NBC San Diego
First Published: Jun 30, 2009 10:00 AM PST
You Might Like
You have 2000 characters left
