6 Comments
·
10 years ago
Mike, by and large I think you've come down squarely on clarity and objectivity, and that's what we need on this Mexico issue. The Reynosa siezure--assuming that the linked article is accurate--shows both sides of the issue: on one hand, guns do flow in some quantity from U.S. dealers via straw buyers to Mexico. But hand grenades don't--especially South Korean hand grenades. And if they have access to that type of ordnance, then I suspect that using firearms procured via U.S. retail is not at all essential to the cartels--its either a convenience, or the way less powerful groups get their firearms.
Practically speaking, I'd think the "straw buyer" practice will go away in a hurry, as it is too easy to set up a sting and follow the guns to the users. Once serious effort is put on watching US exports down to Mexico, that avenue will dry up. So I applaud adding the agents to the border to shut down the practice--and at the same time say, "absolutely right, Obama will milk every angle on this to shut down private firearm ownership in the U.S." Do be careful that you are absolutely accurate, and are meticulous about context with this--the right to bear arms is one of the few rights that separates a free country and a free people from the socialistic/communistic regimes.
I think it would also be helpful for you to comment on your exposure to some other societies and contrast, say Israel with its incredible number of small arms in the general populace, with Iraq which also has similar levels of firearms in private hands, with Mexico, where firearms are all but banned. Put another way, could a drug cartel operate in Tel Aviv the way it does in Tijuana?N
Good luck with this one, Mike.
Practically speaking, I'd think the "straw buyer" practice will go away in a hurry, as it is too easy to set up a sting and follow the guns to the users. Once serious effort is put on watching US exports down to Mexico, that avenue will dry up. So I applaud adding the agents to the border to shut down the practice--and at the same time say, "absolutely right, Obama will milk every angle on this to shut down private firearm ownership in the U.S." Do be careful that you are absolutely accurate, and are meticulous about context with this--the right to bear arms is one of the few rights that separates a free country and a free people from the socialistic/communistic regimes.
I think it would also be helpful for you to comment on your exposure to some other societies and contrast, say Israel with its incredible number of small arms in the general populace, with Iraq which also has similar levels of firearms in private hands, with Mexico, where firearms are all but banned. Put another way, could a drug cartel operate in Tel Aviv the way it does in Tijuana?N
Good luck with this one, Mike.
