A 28 Oct 2009 Wikileaks-posted cable from the U.S. Embassy in Mexico to federal departments and agencies shows the government was fully aware of factors precluding any meaningful capablity to track confiscated Mexican "crime" guns. Recipients included:
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8818
INFO RUEHXC/ALL US CONSULATES IN MEXICO COLLECTIVE
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON DC
RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHINGTON DC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
RHMFISS/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL
RUEAHLA/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
RUEABND/DEA HQS WASHINGTON DC
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHINGTON DC
[Front-end acronyms are evidently routing codes]
Mike Vanderboegh at Sipsey Street Irregulars notes the cable offers proof the government was well aware back in 2009 that the "90% of Mexican crime guns come from U.S. dealers" figure being promulgated was a lie, that they had and still have no way of knowing (which is why a veteran special agent says they need bodies). Of course, we knew they knew that back in March 2009 when Deputy USAG David Ogden told the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs that the 90% figure was based on "firearms about which ATF receives information are traceable to the United States."
This document goes even further in debunking the lie:
Claims by Mexican and U.S. officials that upwards of 90 percent of illegal recovered weapons can be traced back to the U.S. is based on an incomplete survey of confiscated weapons. In point of fact, without wider access to the weapons seized in Mexico, we really have no way of verifying these numbers.
Still, opportunistic prevaricators in government, the media and astorturf citizen disarmament control freak groups counted on enough of us not to know the difference.
Also of interest:
Joint efforts to develop intelligence that can serve the impetus for investigations and prosecutions of individuals or companies that market firearms to the cartels, will require Mexican and USG law enforcement agencies to share essential crime scene forensic information on a real time basis.
Look at the recipient list. State. Justice, Homeland Security. DEA...
It's important not to jump to as-yet unsupported conclusions, that knowledge about what was disclosed in this time period "proves" everyone was in on "Gunwalker," as some have upon "rediscovering" dated information. Still, it allows dots to be connected and corroborates one of the earliest allegations, that U.S. personnel in Mexico were not clued into those aspects, as the Embassy recommendation was to "continue to work closely with...Mexican counterparts to break down institutional divisions and facilitate more information sharing on arms trafficking cases both among the Mexican agencies and with U.S. partners."
It also shows that everybody who was anybody in the administration was institutionally involved, not just ATF, and certainly not just ATF Phoenix, as some would like to confine investigations to. And among the recipients, one stands out--the last one on the list: NSC.
Recall that former Phoneix Special Agent in Charge William Newell sent specific Gunwalker-related information to Kevin O'Reilly, Director of North American Affairs of the National Security Council. Recall that he prefaced his email with "You didn't get these from me." Recall that when asked if such communication was unusual, Newell's explanation was "He's--he's a friend of mine." Seriously, he said that under oath.
And then recall that:
The President, Vice President, Secretary of Defense, and Secretary of State are considered to be statutory attendees of NSC meetings, but they are also regularly joined by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Director of National Intelligence, the National Security Advisor, and other executive officials. The NSC conducts its meetings in the White House Situation Room, and the National Security Advisor’s presence in the West Wing provides the President with direct access to research, briefings, and intelligence related to all aspects of national security.
[Thanks to correspondent "Steve G" for the Cablegatesearch link and tip.]
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Also see:
- A Journalist’s Guide to ‘Project Gunwalker' Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four and Part Five for a complete list with links of independent investigative reporting and commentary done to date by Sipsey Street Irregulars and Gun Rights Examiner.
Note to newcomers to this story: “Project Gunrunner” is the name ATF assigned to its Southwest Border Initiative to interdict gun smuggling to Mexico. “Project Gunwalker” is the name I assigned to the scandal after allegations by agents that monitored guns were allowed to fall into criminal hands on both sides of the border through a surveillance process termed “walking” surfaced.
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