Wednesday, July 18, 2007

The Great Iraqi Smuggling Caper?

We can't say this is unexpected.

The FBI is investigating an alleged human smuggling operation based in Chaparral, N.M., that agents say is bringing "Iraqis and other Middle Eastern" individuals across the Rio Grande from Mexico.

Some think I am paranoid and some think I am xenophobic. But, those same people will now have to rethink this.

I am telling you, right here and now: There are terrorist camps in the Middle East teaching Mexican culture and the Mexican dialect of Spanish, just so they can blend into the Mexican masses that are pouring into the U.S., like there is nothing there to stop them. That's because there isn't anything to stop them. And I fully expect that when we do get hit again, it may well be traced to Middle Eastern terrorists coming across the porous southern border.

Does it concern you? Or is life too comfortable to care?

16 comments:

L'Amerloque said...

Hi LASunsett !


//Some think I am paranoid and some think I am xenophobic. But, those same people will now have to rethink this.//

Of course they'll have to rethink it, and one hopes that they rethink it PDQ, too.

// …/… And I fully expect that when we do get hit again, it may well be traced to Middle Eastern terrorists coming across the porous southern border.

Does it concern you? Or is life too comfortable to care?//

Seen from here in Europe, Amerloque is concerned, of course. It's not paranoia: far from it.

What is remarkable, too – again, seen from over here – is all the administrative hassles that Europeans and other visitors are being put through simply to obtain a tourist visa and visit the USA and spend a few bucks.

Mme Amerloque (married to an Amerlcan national and the mother of two American nationals) throws her hands up in horror every time she has to go. Last time, she flat out refused to go, as a matter of fact.

One time it's the visa, the next time it's the right kind of secure passport, the next time it's being hassled by semi-neanderthal security people at the borders ("Do you plan to overthrow the US government during your visit here ?") … yet …

… there are millions of illegal aliens wandering around in the USA and more flooding across the southern border every day.

The system is broken. The wrong people are being targeted exclusively. It does no good to hassle people at the airports, taking their penknives and shoes and bottles of whiskey, while there are all those illegals.

The strange thing is that the American people are letting the gov't get away with leaving the border undefended and allowing the illegals to remain and prosper.

Never woulda thunk it. (sigh)

Best,
L'Amerloque

Anonymous said...

I just don't understand the "open border" mentality. On the other hand, the sophisticated terrorists who can do the most harm are adept at getting in through a legal crossing. All the 9/11 murderers did, AFAIK. I also read a recent story about a suspicious Saudi "student" who arrived on a visa and has never reported to school. He's missing. The book "Lightning out of Lebanon" (which I highly recommend!!!) details how Hezbollah has been able to gain entry with bogus documents they make in South America in the tri-border area. Hezbollah has been in the US a long time, it turns out.

So, we've been pretty inept at the legal crossings and also the illegal ones. Brother.

I swear, unfortunately, it's going to take another massive attack to get us focused again.

Anonymous said...

When people are really trying to kill you, you are NOT paranoid. In our present situation, with an irresponsible Congress and a president who lacks the backbone to deal with Islamofascism, being paranoid might be very healthy.

But let me do you one better: Not only are Mexican criminal gangs teaching Arabs TexMex Spanish, and ferrying them across the border, they are also providing weapons and ammunition.

In effect, Mexicans who are now terrorizing border area cities on the Mexican side, are likely to participate with Arab terrorists in assaults against the United States. Remember, bin-Laden and Saudi Wahabbists have access to unlimited monetary resources; Mexicans will do anything for a few bucks.

Sorry, but that's the way it is. Mme Amerloque is wise to stay at home, because it is only a matter of time before something really bad happens here.

A.C. McCloud said...

Wonder if officials will come out and say these illegal Iraqis are also doing the work Americans won't do? Their culture would be highly offended by such a notion.

Anonymous said...

"One time it's the visa, the next time it's the right kind of secure passport, the next time it's being hassled by semi-neanderthal security people at the borders ("Do you plan to overthrow the US government during your visit here ?") … yet …"

Amerloque's comment is quite amusing but what he so conveniently fails to mention (I'm shocked as he is usually so thorough)is that the biometric passport problems that the French encountered resulting in delays for French travellers obtaining passports to the US originated from their own inner administrative bickering.

There was even hostage taking.

http://ec.europa.eu/idabc/en/document/5095/364

"The development of the French biometric passport programme, however, is not without problems. On 29 October 2005 the president of France’s Imprimerie Nationale – the State-owned printer and publisher – Mr Loïc Lenoir de la Cochetière was held prisoner by local officials and trade union activists in the Flers City Hall where he had come to explain the decision to outsource the personalisation of passports to private companies Thales and Oberthur"

Amerloque also goes on to say

"the next time it's being hassled by semi-neanderthal security people at the borders "

IMHO,I thought that being a semi neanderthal was a requirement before applying for this kind of job, whatever the country. (wide grin.)

As per the question about overthrowing the gov't. This is nothing new and has always existed. My first wife who was French was also asked if she was a Communist blah blah blah. Don't see the difficulty in just saying no and moving on.

In France they ask you if you're a capitalist before you can enter.

My first wife, being married to an American, she had to get the Green card before they let her into the US for the first time in 1977 and we were six weeks away from taking the plane as we had bought our tickets. Not to worry though. In fact the woman to whom we applied for the tourist visa told me outright that she didn't trust me(an American) and she was sure we were going to live there and not go back to France. Well she didn't take into account the "cheese". (30 years later and still living in France and having amassed a fortune of over $150 in France, I'd love to run into her today!) A quick call to our state representative in Florida and some bank guarantees from my father remedied the problem and voilà the Green card in 3 weeks when it usually took 3 months. I don't see a call to your representative in France getting these kinds of results, even a response.

As per heightened security measures now. Just remember. The "bad guys" only have to be right once and our security has to be right everytime. Ask the Brits what they think. So even though, I'm sure Mrs. Amerloque has no intention of overthrowing the US gov't everyone has to be treated the same. Et je crains que peut être la moutarde lui monte au nez trop facilement. In the future, professional people will be under more scrutiny so get used to it or stay home.

PS - Did anyone see Tammy Faye Baker yesterday on Larry King.

Talk about God punishing those who sin!

I even had pity for her.

Now if you don't mind, I going to have my morning bagel as they have at long last arrived on the shelves of French supermarkets! Plus, I've got a McDonalds and Subway Sandwhich shop at the corner within 5 minutes walking distance. I think I'll stay here for another 30 years.

Anonymous said...

Gee, these Americans must really be hating the French. No semi-Neandarthal stopped this Muslim Turk to ask if he was a communist, anarchist, or terrorist planning to overthrow the American government, or kill Americans, etc. The most offensive question I've been asked was whether or not I had more than $10,000 on my person as I was leaving the US sometime in early 90s. And the officer was apologetic for this question he had to ask for "tax purposes."

L'Amerloque said...

Hi Rocket !


…/… is that the biometric passport problems that the French encountered resulting in delays for French travellers obtaining passports to the US originated from their own inner administrative bickering. …/…


Absolutely spot on. (grin) It even went to one of the higher French courts …


Amerloque was unclear, and apologizes. He should've amplified further.


What he meant by 'the next time it's the right kind of secure passport' was simply the experience that Mme Amerloque had.


When she presented her passport at entry, the customs officer started questioning her about why she didn't have a so-called "biometric" passport. She had her old passport, issued before suchandsuch a date, which was perfectly acceptable at the time. The customs officer was unaware of that: apparently his "training" hadn't covered it. So he pulled her out of line and so on yada yada.


Fortunately she had the explanatory page from the Embassy website printed out and ready to go. (Yes, the Amerloques try to be thorough), but the fellow said it was irrelevant. When the officer's supervisor finally showed up, Mme Amerloque showed her the page, which she immediately took into consideration while she checked on the phone. Waste of a couple of hours.


/*/IMHO,I thought that being a semi neanderthal was a requirement before applying for this kind of job, whatever the country. (wide grin.)/*/


(wide grin, too)


/*/I don't see a call to your representative in France getting these kinds of results, even a response./*/


Depends who calls to whom. Amerloque has always been astounded at the results Mme Amerloque obtains when she calls anywhere in France, for anything. (grin)


/*/ Et je crains que peut être la moutarde lui monte au nez trop facilement. /*/


Not really. Elle ne perd pas son sang-froid si facilement que ca. (grin) However, the passport episode took place during the one and only trip she took on an American airline from Paris to LA. She said that was enough for anyone's lifetime. (Don't forget that if one is French (or assimilé, like Amerloque), one is excellently treated on Air France. (smile)) At least that has been the Amerloque family's experience for years and years. (grin)


Best,
L'Amerloque

Anonymous said...

I can honestly say I've been treated better by the french immigration people upon entering france than by my own country's immigration officials when entering the US. Around the time that Mohammad Atta, et al were entering the US, my future wife was denied entry at the border and I was threatened with arrest for demanding to know why. A few years later, when she had her green card, we were detained briefly at the airport upon returning from Canada. At that time, when I demanded to know why an American citizen and his wife would be detained, the official asked me, "Why do you think you're being detained?" I thought it over, considered insulting him, then just turned and walked out the door. No one stopped us - they just wanted to harrass us. Meanwhile terrorists had gone right on through and were plotting mass murder right under our noses.

Anonymous said...

As a follow up. I too, Greg, have never had any problems entering or leaving France. For that matter I've never had any problem entering the US except when I brought in some home grown white asparagus from France for my mom.

The customs lady in Miami wanted to confiscate them but I was able to convince her (in Spanish) that It was for my mom who loved them so. Fortunately she looked the other way and waived me through.

Did get a serious talking to in Heathrow one time when I asked my wife for some gum and the immigration officer took it for "gun". Got yanked out of line a and got a five minute lecture about how they could put me in the big house for 5 years.

Had a friend from France(a Morrocan guy who is a corporate manager) and he went to the US with his brother and sister 2 years ago and he got yanked on a security check at LAX for 3 hours! Fortunately, he wasn't bitter about it

LA Sunset said...

Hi Amerloque,

My apologies for not replying sooner. I have had my nose to the proverbial grindstone this entire week.

//The system is broken.//

It is broken.

The points you have made are well taken, but I would also add one other anomaly that I think is worth mentioning on this topic.

The government seem to go to great lengths to stop Cubans from entering this country, while they are out on the open water. the reason is, once they hit land, they must be given consideration for refugee status. Yet, as you point out, the southern border remains open and as it would appear, very little attention has been given to it. Cubans are leaving a ruthless regime where poverty is such that it makes Mexico look like it has one of the higher standards of living in the hemisphere.

Add to that the fact that you and Mme Amerloque having to jump the hoops you have to just to visit, and it becomes evident that our priorities are certainly not set in the proper order. Thus the system is broken and sorely needs fixed.

LA Sunset said...

Greg,

//I swear, unfortunately, it's going to take another massive attack to get us focused again.//

And then again, maybe not.

I would have thought that the image that was created the day the towers were hit, would have still been fresh in our minds. But from the things I read, it's not. We suffer from a societal attention-deficit disorder, when it comes to these kinds of things.

LA Sunset said...

Mustang,

//When people are really trying to kill you, you are NOT paranoid. In our present situation, with an irresponsible Congress and a president who lacks the backbone to deal with Islamofascism, being paranoid might be very healthy.//

I don't think I am, but there those that do. (Not that I give a damn what others think, mind you.) A certain level of anxiety is necessary to maintain a healthy level of vigilance against danger. This is true on both the personal and societal levels.

LA Sunset said...

AC,

//Wonder if officials will come out and say these illegal Iraqis are also doing the work Americans won't do?//

Excellent point. I think that there can be only one reason that Iraqis and Middle Easterners in general are anxious to sneak into this country, through Mexico.

LA Sunset said...

Rocket,

//Amerloque has no intention of overthrowing the US gov't everyone has to be treated the same.//

Good point. I wonder if France has the equivalent of the ACLU. This group will not let us profile without raising a stink.

Europeans rarely present a threat, anywhere in the world. To me, it's unconscionable that it makes sense to shake down a Frenchman and waste valuable time and resources doing it. While that's happening, we let those that are threats slip through the cracks. Like you said, we have to be right 100% of the time. On the other hand, they can be right, just once and do some irreparable damage.

LA Sunset said...

Anonim,

//The most offensive question I've been asked was whether or not I had more than $10,000 on my person as I was leaving the US sometime in early 90s.//

Maybe it was close to payday and needed to borrow a little to get them through?

(sorry, couldn't resist)

LA Sunset said...

Greg,

//"Why do you think you're being detained?"//

It could be that status post 9/11, many do this just to pad their stats so they can show the ACLU they are treating everyone the same. You mark my words here, it may be at a point that we now have quotas, so they don't have to be raked over the fire by them and groups like CAIR.