By Roy Ortega
Talk of a "national emergency" that requires a deployment of U.S. troops to the southern border is idiotic and completely misguided. There is no national security crisis on the border. Contrary to what right-wing politicians and conservative media pundits say, there are no massive waves of desperate, wild-eyed immigrants looting, raping, pillaging and terrorizing our border communities. It's just not happening.
Here is one fact you will not see on the right-wing media: The U.S. border with Mexico is extraordinarily secure and well-defended. It has been since the mid 1800s. There are currently more than 220,000 U.S. Border Patrol officers, Customs agents, local police, Sheriff's officers and military personnel already protecting the entire 1,254-mile stretch of border with Mexico.
Here are more facts: Within 50-miles of the border from Texas to California, there are numerous military installations providing a wide range of defense-related activities.
Here is the breakdown:
-20,000 Border Patrol officers assigned to the border.
-5,000 Local police, sheriff's officers and state troopers on the border every day.
-38,000 active-duty personnel at Fort Bliss, (El Paso, Texas).
-21,000 active-duty personnel at Holloman AFB (Alamogordo, New Mexico).
-11,000 active-duty personnel at Davis Monthan AFB (Tucson, Arizona).
-5,680 active-duty personnel at Fort Huachuca (Arizona).
-14,000 active-duty personnel at Marine Corps Air Station, Yuma
(Yuma, Arizona).
-115,000 active-duty Navy, Marine and Coast Guard personnel, (San Diego, California).
The notion that America is under siege by foreign immigrants is a complete fabrication and intended solely as a ploy by partisan politicians to keep Americans in a state of fear and worry. Folks, there is no national security threat on the border that existing resources cannot handle. None. Sending more troops to the border to deal with this imaginary crisis makes no sense. It is a total waste of money and clearly intended as a PR boost for the new president's "tough guy" image.
Links:
Active Duty Military Installations | Office of the Texas Governor | Greg Abbott
Military-Posts-on-the-Border-1.pdf
Roy Ortega may be reached at rortega54@elp.rr.com. All comments are welcome.
