Pentagon Exploring Border Control Patrols

The Pentagon is looking at ways the military can help provide more security along the U.S. southern border, defense officials said Thursday, once again drawing the nation's armed forces into a politically sensitive domestic role.

Paul McHale, the assistant secretary of defense for homeland defense, asked officials this week to come up with options for the use of military resources and troops -- particularly the National Guard -- along the border with Mexico, according to defense officials familiar with the discussions. The officials, who requested anonymity because the matter has not been made public, said there are no details yet on a defense strategy.

The request comes as some Southern lawmakers met this week with White House strategist Karl Rove for a discussion that included making greater use of National Guard troops to shore up border control. Congress is poised to pass legislation this month that would call for additional border security, a new guest worker program and provisions opening the way to eventual citizenship for many of the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants in the country.

''The Texas delegation is very concerned about the border and are pushing urgency,'' said Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, who joined other Texas Republicans in a meeting with Rove this week. He said Rove was ''very forthright'' about border projects that Homeland Security is starting up, its current projects and what the needs are.

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Border-Defense.html

Hey, cal04 - Dominical, Costa Rica, is where you will find us when this shit starts happening.

Now they want to militarize the border?

BULLSHIT!

This is all about election strategy.

saurove has no legal background - can you say posse comitas?

The gaping hole in their conservative 'tent' ... but they apparently didn't notice that MOST americans despise the various attempts to 'fix' immigration policy by the GOP ....

That whole debacle isn't going away: Kiss the Latin vote goodbye, El Karlo ....

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Faced with growing pressure from southern states, the Bush administration wants the military to come up with ideas to help solve security problems along the U.S. border with Mexico.

In back-to-back moves this week, the Pentagon began exploring ways to lend support at the southern border, while the House on Thursday voted to allow the Homeland Security Department in limited cases to use soldiers in that region.

At the Pentagon, Paul McHale, the assistant secretary of defense for homeland defense, asked officials to offer options for the use of military resources and troops -- particularly the National Guard -- along the border with Mexico, according to defense officials familiar with the discussions.

The officials, who requested anonymity because the matter has not been made public, said there were no details yet on a defense strategy.

<http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/05/12/border.defense.ap/index.html>

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This can't be legal.

Brilliant.

Enough already.

Isn't it bad enough that BlivetCo wanted to militarize a domestic disaster zone, post-Katrina NOLA?

That's all these fascists know how to do: Jackboots on the neck.

Don't kid yourself. Those borders and those gates can go either way - to keep people in, or to keep people out.

this ain't to keep the scary brown people out. It's to keep the increasingly horrified and claustrophobic postAmericans in.

Can't let draftees run north, or south.

Hmmm...feeling sorta "drafty" prior to the Super Important Monday speech on Immigration.

be positioned on the border. Does Brain seriously think we can cover the border with what few military forces we have remaining in this country?

be positioned on the border. Does Brain seriously think we can cover the border with what few military forces we have remaining in this country?