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« More on crime at the NRA convention | Main | Brady Campaign grades are out »

Project Gunwalker getting bigger

Posted by David Hardy · 5 May 2011 08:02 AM

FoxNews is reporting:

"n a second, equally explosive disclosure, a law enforcement source tells Fox News, that ATF undercover agents were acting as the straw buyers and purchasing guns using government-issued false identifications and then providing those guns to cartel traffickers to gain credibility in their undercover roles. In that capacity, the ATF "provided 2, 50 cal. machine guns to traffickers that are loose in Mexico and unaccounted for," the source said."

While opinions may vary, I've always thought that undercover operations should stop short of committing acts of war.

· BATFE

7 Comments | Leave a comment

Anonymous | May 5, 2011 9:43 AM | Reply

Fed gov at work

Yep just give us more money and we will do a better job

Rich | May 5, 2011 10:12 AM | Reply

Anon:

You see the problem is that their definition of doing the job is different from yours.

So in their mind its okay. Now wasn't that simple.

Harry Schell | May 5, 2011 11:20 AM | Reply

I wondered where the cartel boyos were getting their .50 cal machine guns from. Not quite as easy to walk off with one of those from a military base, even in South America, not like AK's or M4's.

But the ATF smarties don't know where they are. With what logic did they really think they could track weapons well, absent one falling into their laps?

More self-esteem than brains, methinks. Sounds like this op was run from the equivalent of a faculty lounge somewhere, like other bright ideas from Obama's cadre.

Lyle | May 5, 2011 1:55 PM | Reply

I think it's more insidious than all that.

Premise; American gun laws are too "permissive" and that leads to guns falling into too many hands, particularly into the hands of Mexican gangs and drug cartels.

Reality; Under even the most repressive gun laws imaginable, the powerful gangs and drug cartels will be well armed. They can and do get their weapons from a number of sources, but American gun shows are not an important source to them. They can and do infiltrate local law enforcement and other government agencies, and will obtain whatever they need.

Response when Reality doesn't fit Premise; U.S. government takes aggressive action to make the above Premise true anyway, attempting to produce "proof" that they were right, thereby justifying further restrictions on regular Americans while further justifying the existence and enhancing the relevance of their agency.

Same sort of thing has been happening with regard to our economy. The same type of thinking lead to the scandal at East Anglia U. It's everywhere.

Zorkmid | May 5, 2011 5:40 PM | Reply

I really doubt the .50 MG part of the story-- perhaps the reporter confused some .50 long-range rifles with .50 MG's.

However, I agree with Lyle that it's outrageous for government agents to use their powers to break the law with impunity, then claim their acts justify more restrictions on ordinary folks.

Right. Gun stores should file multiple-sales reports with the BATF so BATF HQ can cross-check them with their agents' expense reports?

Dale | May 5, 2011 6:39 PM | Reply

Sounds like a bunch of ATF agents and all of their supervisors should be prosecuted as straw purchasers as well as the perjury charge for falsifying the 4473s. Would be nice, but I'm not holding my breath. They were just following orders.

Tom | May 7, 2011 4:49 PM | Reply

This story has a lot more substance than I first thought and could prove to be Obama's Watergate, depending on how much plausible deniability he and his minions are able to muster.

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