Wilmeth's West

The Border Conflict Continues

Manipulation of a Predetermined Result

 An addendum in the Investigation of the Death of Brian Terry

By Stephen L. Wilmeth

     From Peck Canyon to Skeleton Canyon, the First Mexican Revolution of the 21^st Century is being waged on American soil.  Residents with duties, responsibilities, and investments on those lands are crying for federal intervention in the cross border conflict while the environmental community is defiantly reminding Americans that there are issues more important than national security. 

     The problem is Americans are losing patience with the argument that suggests education and debate are the keys to success in the outcome of the conflict.  Civility and the selected use of words may be discussion topics, but they will not defeat the human and drug smuggling trade route expansion efforts of the cartels.  Recognition of the barbaric character of this war can no longer be prefaced by idealism and social theory. 

     Over the last six months, Americans have been reminded of the implications of wrong doing by American firearms dealerships that are purported to be doing business with suppliers to the cartels.  In that process, there is the suggestion that American citizens were complicit in the expansion of the problem. 

     In a Washington Post article of February 1, another suggestion emerged that contradicted the broad based stroke of guilt painted by the administration about such wrongdoing.  Evidence has emerged from multiple sources that it may have been the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) that arranged for the purchase and transportation into cartel hands the gun that killed Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry.

    In fact, there were several guns in the sale that could have resulted in the murder of Mr. Terry.  If this proves to be accurate, those guns were purchased in Glendale, Arizona in a transaction coordinated by ATF.  The intent of the action was to introduce the guns into a controlled investigation with the intent to crack a border weapons smuggling operation. 

     The investigation will proceed.  It is hopeful that the full truth of what happened in the tragic death of Agent Terry will be revealed, the culprits prosecuted and punished, and Mr. Terry’s family be allowed to find closure.  What remains, though, is the disturbing suggestion that this and similar operations have resulted in hundreds of guns being moved into Mexico and into the hands of cartel operatives.

     Nonexistent Results

    While the war rages, scrutiny of any measure of success by the Mexican government has continued, but positive results are not forthcoming.  In fact, the opposite appears to be true.

"...but the greater offenders in the conflict that took Brian Terry’s life may never be challenged.  ATF would never have run that operation if the human and drug smuggling corridors on the Arizona border didn’t exist.”

     In a report issued February 8, Fox News’ Steve Harrigan reiterated that Juarez was more frightening than other war torn cities of the world from which he has reported.  He also described other villages along the Rio Grande ravaged by the conflict.  Whole communities exist without police protection and declining infrastructure.  What is more worrisome is that the cartels no longer demonstrate any measure of restraint.  Women and children are treated no differently from men in acts of violence and brutality.

     The fear that the Mexican government is incapable of substantive progress in the war is giving way to the fear that the government is supporting one of the major cartels.  Could it be that the Mexican government is orchestrating a war on the cartels on the basis of appearances?  Is the real goal to appear to be doing everything possible to end the violence, but to do so only with the intent that nothing actually changes?  In any case, if the Calderon government doesn’t make inroads soon, their actions will be judged on their merit.  If there isn’t improvement, they will be judged appropriately as inept or they will be judged as complicit in the ongoing chaos.

     Manipulation of Predetermined Results

     The Border Patrol has a truism that, if a predetermined result is forced into a criminal investigation rather than following the facts objectively, tragedy can happen.  Is that what actually happened in the ATF operation?  The question begs investigation.

     In fact, the suggestion of manipulation of predetermined results may be at the heart of the entire border conflict.  Without question, the diverging agendas of the federal land agencies have contributed to the existence and expansion of the human and drug smuggling corridors of southern Arizona.  The corridors have become major trade routes for delivering drugs and human contraband into sovereign American territory.  They, in turn, have become major points of contention in the drug war.  The cartels are defending and expanding those routes with barbaric ferocity.

     The environmental agenda has long been presented to the American public as a philosophy of protection.  It has also been presented on the basis of scientific discovery, but pure objectivity of science is being exposed in degrees of corruption in too many quarters.  Once corrupted, the offending body loses hope for automatic credibility.  It is no longer granted without qualification. 

     Manipulation of predetermined results may have caused the death of Agent Brian Terry.  What is yet to be determined, though, is which agency is the greater offender.  Is it ATF, or is it the land agencies that have for years contributed to the expansion of the smuggling corridors?  Both have demonstrated that they have manipulated an outcome . . . the former for the preservation of a budget . . . and the latter for the expansion of the environmental agenda.

Stephen L. Wilmeth is a rancher from southern New Mexico.  “The likelihood of any border gun smuggling kingpin being arrested is not good.  ATF is going to be questioned and they may suffer the loss of their historic identity, but the greater offenders in the conflict that took Brian Terry’s life may never be challenged.  ATF would never have run that operation if the human and drug smuggling corridors on the Arizona border didn’t exist.”

The Westerner:  If you are not familiar with this issue see Is there a cover-up on Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry’s murder? and Senator links gun buy to border agent's death  For background on the enviro's and the corridors see Wilmeth's Environmentalism Trumps National Security.