U.S. Guns Flowing to Mexican Drug Cartels

While U.S. National Guard troops are in Iraq fighting against one threat another war brews along the Mexican border. But in this conflict it is America that is arming the enemy, the violent Mexican drug cartel. While there is a immigration debate currently raging very little is talked about the increasing drug trafficking, and the accompanying drug war, caused by the chaos at the border. And once again it is the politicians whom are to blame:

"There is a war going on on the border between two cartels. What do they need to fight that war? Guns. Where do they get them? From here," said William Newell, special agent in charge of the Phoenix division of ATF.

The Texas Tech massacre did nothing to convince Congress, which is subservient to the NRA, to take action against the easy availability of weapons in America:

Cartel operatives flood Arizona to buy semi-automatic assault rifles, grenades, plastic explosives and rocket launchers in bulk. All are used to fight rival drug smugglers and the Mexican government, according to U.S. court records and criminal investigation reports.

"These are the same weapons you see on the battlefields of Iraq," ATF Special Agent Tom Mangan said.

Mexican gunrunners exploit loopholes in state gun laws and capitalize on the strictness in Mexico. Guns claim triple the price in Mexico as in the United States because the permits there cost about $1,500 and require the holder to surrender rights against search and seizure.

The 2004 expiration of the U.S. federal assault weapons ban left some states, including Arizona and Texas, with no prohibition against a person buying an unlimited number of semi-automatic rifles at once without paperwork. Federal law requires licensed dealers to report multiple sales of handguns, but not rifles.

When drugs, and the accompanying crime, once again become a issue remember that we could've done something now but didn't.