AP photo/Gregory Bull (click to enlarge)
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The fable of the U.S. civilian gun market being responsible for "arming" Mexico's brutal drug cartels has become so deeply entrenched, that to question it is to be labeled a "right wing gun lobby shill." The claimed numbers, though, as National Gun Rights Examiner David Codrea points out, have continued to drop, as more light is shed on the actual facts.
Hence, the Brady Campaign's and Violence Policy Center's claims of "95 to 100%" of Mexican "crime guns" coming from the U.S. civilian market first dropped a bit to "over 90%," and now Mexican President Felipe Calderón has settled on 80% (with Brady Campaign backing).
What those who toss these numbers around rarely mention, if not pressed, or under oath, is that whatever the percentage they're currently quoting, that's the percentage of guns submitted to the BATFE for tracing (and successfully traced). We've discussed the fact that Senator John Kerry (D-MA)--no friend to gun owners--admitted once that only about a quarter of the seized guns are ever submitted for BATFE tracing. Go to Mr. Codrea's piece to see the details (here's the link again), especially the National Shooting Sports Foundation's (NSSF) explanation.
Today, let's take a look at a second part of what the NSSF is telling us.
In recent years as many as 150,000 Mexican soldiers, 17,000 last year alone, defected to go work for the drug cartels -- bringing their American-made service-issued firearms with them. It has also been well documented that the drug cartels are illegally smuggling fully automatic firearms, grenades and other weapons into Mexico from South and Central America. Such items are not being purchased at retail firearms stores in the United States.
That brings us nicely to MexiData's "An Inside Look at Mexican Guns and Arms Trafficking." Quoting the Mexico City newspaper El Universal, it tells us about a Mexican "crime gun" source that Calderón, the Brady Campaign, the Violence Policy Center, and others would like us not to know about, because it's obvious that no combination of restrictions on American civilians can do anything about it.
A percentage of the weapons, the seller said, come from Mexico via Ministry of Defense personnel who provide [them] in part from weapons seized in raids, or stolen from the ministry's own arsenal.
Corruption in the Mexican government? I'm shocked, I tell you--shocked!
Another of Mr. Codrea's articles took an in-depth look at the U.S. government's (indirect) role in arming the cartels.
If traced by the BATFE, any of the firearms above would return as "originating in the US." Origination in the US clearly does not equate to an origination in the lawful US civilian market. Is it possible that the Mexican government is not making the majority of seized weapons available for BATFE tracing in order to cover corruption?
Perhaps the U.S. State Department should be required to have an FBI "background check" run on all foreign government organizations to which they wish to transfer firearms.
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Comments
Spot on, Kurt. Well done, mate.
It's no surprise the likes of the Brady Campaign, SPLC, and our beloved Gang of Thieves in D.C. blame their own countrymen rather than speak the truth about a Narco-Terrorist Nation. Merely, another example of the corrupt "leadership's", along with their annoying little yapping lap dogs, true face being shown to all who choose to see it.
Lies, lies, and more lies. That's the only thing coming out of Washington (Den of Criminals) the American citizen can really count on with any certainty. At least their consistent.
THis topic has no real point, we all coul of seen that fact, why dont you ask questions pertaining to the problems like the drug cartels themselves, why dont we just discuss them how about we understand that they are basically another country unto themselves. and they are a faction who is trying to wiggle between the others for more and more power. drugs just happen to be the jewel for their cause. it allows them to grow. so whar would happen if we just decided to make drugs legal and just have plaves for people to do it. it would kill these guys flow . its that simple. to be honest you cnat really tell any one what to do in their lives so stop it.
now americans want to wash the blood off their hands.
I don't think the defected soldiers bring their weapons. The mexican army uses Heckler & Koch G3 and FX-05 Xiuhcoatl, a local designed aasault rifle.
The weapons normally seized to the cartels are AR15 & AK-47.
Well duh, you think the American Government is corrupt? The Emxican Government makes the US Politicians look like Choir Boys!
RT
www.web-anonymity.cz.tc
Because only the U.S. is supposed to take responsibility for their actions. Every other nation gets to play the victim and point the finger at the U.S. and Obama and his liberal army will apologize and tell us the solution is more government.
Once again I point out that a U.S. gun is rarely made in the U.S. Full automatic guns are not sold to the general public. Nearly all U.S. gun companies have their factories outside the U.S. They ship directly to other countries. These companies are not going to shut down the factories and force U.S. companies to bring jobs back to the U.S. Why isn't Mexico working with those countries to stop the flow of weapons? Easier to make the U.S. feel guilty for something we cannot control. With border control as it is how are the guns being smuggled over? Is our border patrol that bad? The Mexican upper class survives on the drug trade profits and the guns that support their internal terrorism. And how much of a role does the CIA play in all of this? Are their hands clean? And by disarming American citizens how does that help other than to leave them defenseless when illegals come over and shoot them. Mexico can't disarm it's own criminals so why should be disarm our citzens and make them prey
Okay. So it's the NRA *and* the US Gov *and* the US drug consumption. Fine.
In addition to the Mexican government, other sources for Mexico's drug cartel's weaponry are the arms bazaars in Central and South America, Asia and Europe.
You can't get grenade launchers and AK-47 guns at Cabela's, after all.
Really Andy, where is your data with actual counts of confiscated weapons to prove your claim? By the way, the FX-05 is very limited operational use.
martz - washing blood from their hands - you mean the washington and mexican politicians who want to do nothing to stem illegal immigration that makes the streets of america run red with blood - who want to disarm american citizens to create more easy victims for violent criminals and drug gangs, who want to pretend that guns stolen from american citizens by gang bangers and illegals and illegally taken across the wide open border that make up a small percentage of the illegal weapons in mexico - compared to the huge amounts of full auto weapons, handgrenades and RPGs that flow in from south america and from around the world - those indivduals in the US and Mexico in government that want to wash their hands of the blood they have let spill - by ignoring and continuing to ignore the real causes and the real solutions. Yes I agree, the politicians want to wash the blood off their hands by blaming american citizens who only seek to defend and exercise their constitutionak rights.
Andy, look up Mexican Army on Wikipedia and look at the picture of Mexican Special Forces escorting cartel members. They ALL have M-4s.
Man, if the mexicans can get military grade weapons, we should be able to as well, I want to know which gun shop sells these!
(my guess is NONE!)
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