Border Security & Reactionary Republican Rick Perry Response: Order Investigation !

Border incident sparks outrage
Lawmakers urge troops after police encounter well-armed smugglers
08:30 AM CST on Wednesday, January 25, 2006
By DAVID McLEMORE / The Dallas Morning News
A West Texas standoff along the Rio Grande between U.S. law enforcement officers and heavily armed Mexican drug smugglers in military-style clothing prompted congressional demands Tuesday for an international investigation and a call for deployment of U.S. troops to the border.
The incident, which occurred Monday on U.S. soil at an isolated river crossing about 50 miles east of El Paso, is the latest involving armed incursions along the U.S. border with Mexico.
And it comes less than a week after Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff called a California newspaper's account of such border incursions "overblown."
The incident Monday involved an encounter between two Hudspeth County Sheriff's Department deputies and three Department of Public Safety troopers and 10 heavily armed drug smugglers at an area about 50 miles down the river from El Paso.
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Perry visits Texans serving in Middle East
4 governors on trek to gain insight and boost troops' morale
08:32 PM CST on Tuesday, January 24, 2006
By PETE SLOVER / The Dallas Morning News
AUSTIN – Under a wartime veil of secrecy, Gov. Rick Perry has been visiting Texas troops in Iraq and the Middle East, officials announced Tuesday.
"In addition to raising spirits of the men and women who are fighting abroad, this mission is intended to give the state governors who are the commanders in chiefs of the Guard units a first-hand perspective of the war on terror," said Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, who announced the trip and is acting governor until Mr. Perry returns home Sunday.
The governor's journey began Sunday with a trip to the Pentagon, where he was he briefed and met with Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. That night, he and three other governors boarded a government plane to Kuwait, where they arrived Monday night.
Also on the trip, being provided by the Defense Department, were Republican Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and Democratic Govs. Dave Freudenthal of Wyoming and Jim Doyle of Wisconsin.
The governors dined Monday evening with troops at Camp Arifjan, the massive staging base south of Kuwait City.
Mr. Perry and the others flew to Iraq on Tuesday. They stopped in Tikrit, site of Saddam Hussein's largest palace complex, before heading 90 miles south to Baghdad for meetings and briefings from military officials and U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad.
"I think we're making great progress, and the American people need to understand that it's going to take a while," Mr. Perry said in a television interview from Iraq.
Mr. Perry met with Texas-based Guard units and members of the 4th Infantry Division based in Fort Hood, Mr. Dewhurst said.
Officials would not give details of the governor's itinerary, citing security concerns.
Mr. Perry's re-election opponents, usually quick on the rhetorical trigger, displayed caution when asked about the trip. They expressed support for the troops and steered clear of criticism – for the most part.
Independent gubernatorial candidate Kinky Friedman issued a statement poking fun at Mr. Perry's internationalism and his recent round of campaign ads.
"Our response is, 'We're proud of Gov. Perry and his efforts to resolve the conflict in Iraq,' " the statement said, going on to borrow the governor's trademark commercial kicker. "How about you?"
Staff writer Karen Brooks contributed to this report.
E-mail pslover@dallasnews.com
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Inquiry launched

Monday's incident was not the first face-to-face confrontation for Hudspeth County deputies. In November, deputies responded to assist Border Patrol agents at the border town of Fort Hancock where they encountered six men in military uniforms attempting to carry a load of marijuana over the river.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials said Tuesday they have launched an inquiry into the Monday incident and asked Mexican authorities for a thorough investigation and full answer on what happened.
Customs "is coordinating closely with the appropriate federal, state and local authorities," said Kristi Clemens, Customs' assistant commissioner for public affairs. "The U.S. government is also discussing the matter with the government of Mexico and is asking for a thorough investigation and response. We take very seriously and investigate fully any alleged incident of criminal activity, threats against our agents or possible incursions."


Gov. Rick Perry also has ordered an investigation, spokeswoman Kathy Walt said.

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