Is The Obama Administration Arming Mexican Cartels?

Gary Bauer, Contributing Author: Can you believe the Obama Administration was running guns into Mexico, arming the drug cartels? That may sound like a bad joke, but it was the focus yesterday of a very intense hearing on Capitol Hill into a program known as Operation Fast and Furious.

In 2006, the Bush Administration launched a program of sting operations to identify illegal weapons dealers on the American side of the border who were supplying guns to Mexican drug gangs. But some time in 2009, top officials at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms decided to allow the weapons to cross the border, hoping to track them in Mexico. The plan horrified rank and file agents, who objected strenuously.

During yesterday's hearing, three ATF agents testified that they had repeatedly requested permission to stop the weapons shipments but were overruled each time by superiors. Last year, their worst fears were realized when Border Patrol agent Brian Terry was shot and killed along the Arizona border. Two weapons found at the scene were later identified as part of Operation Fast and Furious.

For months, Republican members of Congress have been demanding information about this program and who authorized it. The Obama Justice Department has stonewalled their requests at every opportunity. Holding up entire pages of redacted material, Rep. Darrell Issa, chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, blasted a top administration official for claiming they were cooperating. Issa said, "You've given us black paper."

Meanwhile, the Obama Administration has used gun violence by the cartels as an excuse for more gun control legislation here in the U.S. But it seems the administration is a part of the problem.

Lastly I would note that for those who still complain that nothing changes no matter who is elected, this hearing wouldn't have taken place in Nancy Pelosi's House of Representatives. Thanks to its majority status, the GOP leadership is using its investigative power to expose this and other Obama Administration scandals.
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Gary Bauer is is a conservative family values advocate and serves as president of American Values and chairman of the Campaign for Working Families

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Tags: Gary Bauer, Campaign for Working Families, Obama Administration, Arming Mexican Cartels, guns, gun control legislation To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!