Guest
10-03-2011, 11:43 AM
The full scope of the Fast and Furious scandal is emerging piecemeal. The implications will be epic. The best investigative report that is emerging was done by Frank Miniter for Forbes magazine. If you are serious about wanting to understand the tragic scandal, this is a superlative piece of investigative journalism with copious documentation. If you are one of the hip shooting, partisan flamethrowers that permeate the board, don't waste your time. You will find more comfort in the Huffington Post.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/realspin/2011/09/28/fast-and-furious-just-might-be-president-obamas-watergate/
Miniter precisely defines how Fast and Furious was cultivated for political purposes. My attempt at paraphrasing the point for brevity does not do his research justice. Here it goes. You may recall that six months before the ill conceived Fast and Furious began, on April 16,2009, Barack Obama while in Mexico stated erroneously that 90% of the guns recovered in Mexico were from the United States. It was later confirmed that the 90% number was a fabrication and the real number was about 17%. Here comes the rub. Obama was trying to use the inflated number to advance gun control policies. Do you smell politics yet. The link between the White House and Fast and Furious is becoming more evident. The implication that the program was to be used as a political tool to enhance the administration's gun control efforts is emerging and shocking. How ironic.....putting guns in the hands of felons to demonstrate the need for gun control. Strike ironic......moronic would be the working word.
Shortly there after, Fast and Furious was hatched. It put hundreds maybe thousands of weapons including AK-47's and Barrett .50 caliber rifles in the hands of felons on both sides of the border, ostensibly to make a big conspiracy case that would facilitate more gun control legislation. An email in March, 2010 indicated in that month alone, 359 weapons including AK-47's and the .50 caliber rifles were put into the hands of criminals. Perhaps Figmo, an expert, would enlighten the board about the capabilities of the 47's and 50's. Some may be surprised.
It was on December 10, 2010 that Agent Brian Terry was killed. Three......three of the "controlled" contraband weapons were recovered at the crime scene. Field Agents had been protesting the danger of the program well before the tragic death of Agent Terry. ATF whistle blowers were dismissed with caviler arrogance. The politicians and bureaucrats, sadly, prevailed.
The cover up started in January 2011. Miniter presents compelling evidence to suggest a cover up is underway. Just a few days ago ATF Director Melson resigned. He sent a letter to the Congressional Committee investigating. The letter says Melson “claimed that ATF’s senior leadership would have preferred to be more cooperative with our inquiry much earlier in the process. However, he said that Justice Department officials directed them not to respond and took full control of replying to briefing and document requests from Congress.”
It sounds like Melson does not want to be the scapegoat for the White House and DOJ. What happened to those who were responsible for the disastrous program? The author tracked them in detail. They were promoted or transferred. I guess Holder and Obama don't need to create more whistle blowers by imposing real sanctions against them.
Miniter concludes......"Not that morality ends at the American border. To stress this point, Rep. Issa held a conference call with journalists on September 21 in which he said Marisela Morales, Mexico’s attorney general, is reporting that at least 200 Mexican deaths can now be traced to weapons from the Fast and Furious program.
And so the investigation and the bloody aftermath continue…."
Anyway, if you have time for a long read, I suggest you take on the FORBES article cited above. The devil is in the meticulously researched and emerging details that I cannot do justice to in this forum. I know that those that really want to be informed, will appreciate the effort.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/realspin/2011/09/28/fast-and-furious-just-might-be-president-obamas-watergate/
Miniter precisely defines how Fast and Furious was cultivated for political purposes. My attempt at paraphrasing the point for brevity does not do his research justice. Here it goes. You may recall that six months before the ill conceived Fast and Furious began, on April 16,2009, Barack Obama while in Mexico stated erroneously that 90% of the guns recovered in Mexico were from the United States. It was later confirmed that the 90% number was a fabrication and the real number was about 17%. Here comes the rub. Obama was trying to use the inflated number to advance gun control policies. Do you smell politics yet. The link between the White House and Fast and Furious is becoming more evident. The implication that the program was to be used as a political tool to enhance the administration's gun control efforts is emerging and shocking. How ironic.....putting guns in the hands of felons to demonstrate the need for gun control. Strike ironic......moronic would be the working word.
Shortly there after, Fast and Furious was hatched. It put hundreds maybe thousands of weapons including AK-47's and Barrett .50 caliber rifles in the hands of felons on both sides of the border, ostensibly to make a big conspiracy case that would facilitate more gun control legislation. An email in March, 2010 indicated in that month alone, 359 weapons including AK-47's and the .50 caliber rifles were put into the hands of criminals. Perhaps Figmo, an expert, would enlighten the board about the capabilities of the 47's and 50's. Some may be surprised.
It was on December 10, 2010 that Agent Brian Terry was killed. Three......three of the "controlled" contraband weapons were recovered at the crime scene. Field Agents had been protesting the danger of the program well before the tragic death of Agent Terry. ATF whistle blowers were dismissed with caviler arrogance. The politicians and bureaucrats, sadly, prevailed.
The cover up started in January 2011. Miniter presents compelling evidence to suggest a cover up is underway. Just a few days ago ATF Director Melson resigned. He sent a letter to the Congressional Committee investigating. The letter says Melson “claimed that ATF’s senior leadership would have preferred to be more cooperative with our inquiry much earlier in the process. However, he said that Justice Department officials directed them not to respond and took full control of replying to briefing and document requests from Congress.”
It sounds like Melson does not want to be the scapegoat for the White House and DOJ. What happened to those who were responsible for the disastrous program? The author tracked them in detail. They were promoted or transferred. I guess Holder and Obama don't need to create more whistle blowers by imposing real sanctions against them.
Miniter concludes......"Not that morality ends at the American border. To stress this point, Rep. Issa held a conference call with journalists on September 21 in which he said Marisela Morales, Mexico’s attorney general, is reporting that at least 200 Mexican deaths can now be traced to weapons from the Fast and Furious program.
And so the investigation and the bloody aftermath continue…."
Anyway, if you have time for a long read, I suggest you take on the FORBES article cited above. The devil is in the meticulously researched and emerging details that I cannot do justice to in this forum. I know that those that really want to be informed, will appreciate the effort.