Back in the early 1990s, I was seriously considering a job in federal law enforcement. To this end, I spent most of a shift riding-along with a US Border Patrol Agent out of the Blaine Sector field office. To say that it was interesting work would be a big understatement.
These officers are impressive in their knowledge of law enforcement practices as well as very complex immigration law and, of course, they must be fluent in Spanish. Their daily work is both dangerous and challenging--both mentally and physically. Although my career ultimately took me in a different direction of service, I have great respect for those who wear the badge of Border Patrol or Customs Agent. It can be an incredibly difficult and risky job, and they deserve all the support we can give them.
This is precisely why it's so important for the Obama Administration's Attorney General Eric Holder to waste no further time in submitting his resignation. As I tweeted on October 10th,"Fast and Furious suggests that Eric Holder was either (a) a disconnected manager or (b) untruthful in his recent testimony--or both." The fact that Fast and Furious was such an inane endeavor is bad enough, but that Mr. Holder appears to be lying about what he did and did not know about the ill-conceived gunrunning seals it--he needs to hit the road.
According to news reports, guns from this program are linked to the death US Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry and also at least one attack on two Arizona police officers. The guns have also found their way south to Mexico where they were recently discovered in the residence of an arrested drug cartel kingpin. This being the case, they have undoubtedly been used to kill men, women, and perhaps children in the cauldron of violence which Mexico has become. One must ask, therefore, what responsibility does the US bear for the use of these weapons within Mexico? While there may not be legal responsibility or liability, the moral culpability is unquestionable.
On May 3rd, Eric Holder testified before the House Judiciary Committee that he "...probably heard about Fast and Furious for the first time over the last few weeks." As widely reported, Holder now appears to have been much more in the communication loop than he has previously disclosed. As suggested earlier, the (unlikely) prospect of him being blissfully unaware altogether would betray such an unfathomable lack of organizational leadership, that it wouldn't really put him in a better position; it's a lose or lose scenario. The evidence at this point, however, clearly suggests that Mr. Holder was deeply ensnared in this illegal and profoundly foolish gunrunning operation.
I'd also argue that this kind of ill-conceived and strange thinking is also evident in some of Mr. Holder's other official actions. Who, for instance, can forget his bewildering approach to the Black Panther Voter Intimidation case from 2008? This is an individual who appears to be using his public office to further his disturbing personal agenda.
In honor and respect of the US law enforcement officers and their families who have suffered tragedy because of these weapons as well as the innocents killed or maimed in Mexican drug violence, and the whistle-blowers such as Agent John Dodson, it's high time that Attorney General Eric Holder resign his post effective immediately.
..."Dodson just about came apart all over them (his supervisors). In a 'screaming match' that was heard throughout the Phoenix office by many employees, Dodson yelled at Voth and Assistant Special Agent in Charge George Gillett, 'Why not just go direct and empty out the (ATF) arms room?" (to the cartels), or words to that effect.'
(Fox News, September 26, 2011)
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