E-mails to the editor

Dear Mr. Webster,

Upon review of numerous articles on the rising of kidnappings in Mexico, I find your articles and experience to be the most helpful while contemplating if we should travel and outsource much of our operations (telecommunications company) to Hermosillo, Sonora in Mexico. To be more specific, the company we would be outsourcing to is Vangtel, the newest member to their parent company, The Offshore Group (www.vangtel.com). Although most of the abductions seem to happen around the borders, you specifically mention Hermosillo by stating 70+ drug trafficking related executions have occurred there between 1/07-7/07 (American Chronicle…article 59356).

Again, with all of your experience as an investigative reporter and being a world renowned expert on globlal economics, illicit drugs, and terrorism, I would be honored with any of your opinions, suggestions, and or comments you may offer on this company and/or the risk/safety factor of doing business in Hermosillo.

Sincerely, Rune Johnson Rjohnson@aninetworks.com

Dear Editor:

> Hi Michael,
>
> You have written -- by far -- the best article on the LAPD Home Invasion ring.
> I'm looking for someone that has followed the case and has some additional
> details about how the robberies were conducted and how the ring organized
> themselves and profited.
>
> I saw your article here:
> http://www.borderfirereport.net/michael-webster/another-so.cal-police-officer-
> sentenced-in-the-wake-of-rampart-corruption-scandal.html
>
> Please let me know if you have additional details or articles about the case.
> Thank you.
>
> Glen glen@newsreeltv.com

Thank you for the very interesting coverage of border security issues. I am deployed with Operation Border Star working in a Joint Operations Intelligence Center and use your articles to aid me in my daily work. Often, I have been able to get the "Big Picture" by comparing your news articles and other sources available to me. Keep up the great work!

Respectfully,

KENNETH D. JOHNSON
MAJOR,CA,TXSG
OIC OBS V (EL PASO)

kenneth.d.johnson@us.army.mil
kenneth.johnson@txsg.state.tx.us

Dear Michael:

If Not But for... Rense.com.... I would not have been privileged to yet another of your magnificent reports -- Great Work!! Where the hell is the MSM on this? Or maybe I should say Lame Stream Media, as it is known?

Way up here in Montana, we too are experiencing some of the invasion, and all that goes with it.

Yet, I must say -- for the most part, I really like the Latin People -- and wish, at times, I were in Margaritaville -- as we fondly refer to it from the infamous Jimmy Buffett song. Yes, this pristine little island lies just off the coast of another of our soon-to-be enemies -- Venezuela.

Damn --- what friggin mess we have created for ourselves -- speaking as a former combat 'air-cavalry' scout helicopter pilot in VN (Custer's Alma Matta) and later -- attack helicopter test pilot -- tough decidedly "not" a military man -- as in " we're kicking ass" -- and "Bring em On" -- God, how stupid!

Oh well.... thanks for your continued efforts toward "awakening" the slumbering masses.

Take care,

George Ackerson george@safermedicalinc.com

Dear Mr. Webster,

You totally fail to answer the question of "why" Bush won't shut down our Southern Border and stop the 5,000 to 10,000 illegal aliens (not "immigrants", by the way) from breaking into the U.S. every day. The answer is as plain as the nose on your face:

Bush is a globalist sell-out traitor. As he demonstrated recently by trying to block the execution of an illegal alien Mexican murderer in Texas by siding with the Socialist One Worlder UN Court, he wants no part of nationalism or patriotism to tarnish his treasonous acts. The Border stays open because it's all part of his NAU plan to merge Mexico, the U.S. and Canada.

How you missed that, I have no idea.

Sincerely,

David Levin levin_david@msn.com

Dear Editor:

Hi Michael,

Thanks for that great article! Even as somebody who is living in Cd.
Juarez I learned some new details from it.

Though there is something that surprises me. You most likely know that
the EPIC (El Paso Intelligence Center), the office that coordinates
all US efforts against drug smuggling and dealing, is located just
about 3-4 miles from the border, on Biggs Airfield, Fort Bliss, El
Paso, TX.

There neighborhood should be a deterrent to drug dealers, shouldn't
it? Unless...

Hope to read something about it in your next article.

Uwe ubrunjes@gmail.com

Dear Michael, 

I just read an article you wrote on Santiago Vasconcelos the head of the federal 
anti-organized crime unit known as SIEDO on February of 2008.  We just got 
called that my uncle Jesus Hernandez from Juarez, Chihuahua Mexico was kidnapped 
last night.  I don't know much about the capture but I do know that he owns a 
bar right by the border of El Paso. I visited with him two years ago and by what 
I witnessed he had a close connection with the police officers (at least some of 
them).  His wife, who he is currently seperated from him and lives in Seattle, 
Washington phoned my uncle to inform him about the news.  I have tried to get 
some sort of information or who I can contact in Juarez to see if my uncle has 
been detained by the police in Juarez.  We really need your help, anything you 
can do would be greatly appreciated.  I don't have that many resources but if 
you could point me in the right direction I could take it from there. 

PLEASE HELP US!!

Veronica Calderon vcalderon5@ca.rr.com 
  
Dear Editor:

Your article, “U.S. Military Being Sent to the Border with Mexico”, is inaccurate and contains erroneous data that was taken out of context from the information that was provided by Gen Renuart to El Paso Times Journalist, Chris Roberts, during the commander's recent visit to Joint Task Force North, based at Fort Bliss, Texas.

The article is erroneous when it states that a special U.S. Military Task Force has been created to protect our southern border with Mexico; no such special task force has been created. In addition, the information pertaining to the F-22 Raptors and AWACs is also erroneous -- these aircraft are not conducting patrols over the southern border under the auspices of USNORTHCOM.

As an element of U.S. Northern Command, Joint Task Force North, established in 1989, continues to provide homeland security support to the federal law enforcement agencies throughout the U.S. Northern Command area of responsibility, to include both borders and within the Continental United States. Mission focus, counter-drug and narco-terrorism support to the Primary Federal agency tasked with boarder security due to unique capabilities that exist within the U.S. Armed Forces.

In addition, the National Guard continues to provide support to the U.S. Border Patrol as part of Operation Jump Start, in Texas, California, Arizona and New Mexico. The National Guard is helping to secure the southern border by providing surveillance, construction, and logistics support to the U.S. Border Patrol.

Please contact me if you would like further clarification or visit www.northcom.mil for correct information on the command. You have done your audience a disservice in disseminating erroneous information.

v/r
Mr. Michael Kucharek, YC-2
Chief of Current Operations (Media Relations and Web Management)
NORAD and U.S. Northern Command Public Affairs
w: 719.554.9618
c: 719.330.5136
michael.kucharek@northcom.mil

I don't normally feel the need to explain or give reasons for my articles and sources. As I've been an investigative reporter for over 35 years. Your e-mail got my attention due to the actuations it contains. So in the interest of my readers and more accuracy in journalism I respond in hopes that you and/or your dept can develop into a reliable source for me for many of the same matters we are addressing here and so I can be more accurate lets keep the channel of communications open. More often than not when I try to contact someone at the DOD they do not come to the phone and often don't return my calls. So hopefully we can develop a professional relationship in the interest of truth. I would hope that in the future the General and his staff would contact all the media in the area not just his favorite. After reading the article you refer to I contacted some of my sources at Ft. Bliss, FBI and DEA these contacts verified the general information in my story. We also have reports from citizens that claim they are seeing Rapters flying on or near the border with Mexico. I myself have seen Awax aircraft in and around the El Paso and other areas. I have also talked with troops who say they have been working near the border. Your taking issue with the headline of the story is interesting in as much as most folks in the media understand editors write most of them.

You say that the article is erroneous when it states that a special U.S. Military Task Force has been created to protect our southern border with Mexico; no such special task force has been created. Yet in the very next paragraph you flatly state in your e-mail “As an element of U.S. Northern Command, Joint Task Force North, established in 1989, continues to provide homeland security support to the federal law enforcement agencies throughout the U.S. Northern Command area of responsibility, to include both borders and within the Continental United States. Mission focus, counter-drug and narco-terrorism support to the Primary Federal agency tasked with boarder security due to unique capabilities that exist within the U.S. Armed Forces”.

You go on to say “In addition, the information pertaining to the F-22 Raptors and AWACs is also erroneous -- these aircraft are not conducting patrols over the southern border under the auspices of USNORTHCOM”. You should know, so tell me if USNORTHCOM is not doing it than what air force division is? As I stated above many citizens are reporting seeing them. So if you truly feel there are erroneous statements in the article or any in the future you can help me avoid that by you and other U.S. Government departments by responding to my questions. Your charge of the article in question as being taken out of context, inaccurate and contains erroneous data is false. And I stand behind my article.

So lets take this opportunity to give the General a chance to accurately reply to his following statement and please tell us what he is referring to: Renuart, who visited Joint Task Force-North, which is under his command, declined to discuss any details of threats uncovered along the border with Mexico, but he said many agencies, including JTF-North, have made "it a very difficult border for someone to take advantage of." My questions are: 1. What threats uncovered along the border with Mexico he was referring to? And 2. What agencies including JTF-North, have made "it a very difficult border for someone to take advantage of?" And 3. In what way have they made it very difficult?

Please contact me should you have any further issues and please provide what you can that is true and timely information on what USNORTHCOM is actually doing or not doing.

F-22's are laden with very sophisticated sensors which broadcast to a Network Centric control point for sharing in real-time whatever is being observed. The F-22 pilot, free to just fly, doesn't have to work the sensors on his aircraft as they are communicating to and receiving updated information from the control center.

All the pilot has to do is fly a proficiency training mission over areas which intelligence and control center personnel deem worthy of observing.

Stevejet

Dear Michael:

I'm writing on behalf of Robert Rosenkranz to invite you to attend, and possibly cover, the next Intelligence Squared US debate on April 15, 2008.

The topic will be “Islam is dominated by radicals” and will feature Daveed Gartenstein-Ross, Paul Marshall and Asra Q. Nomani. speaking for the motion, and Reza Aslan, Richard W. Bulliet and Edina Lekovic, speaking against it. The debate will be moderated by Robert Siegel.

Intelligence Squared is a series of Oxford-style debates that aim to raise the level of discourse on serious topics. The debates take place before a live audience, which is asked to vote on the question at hand both before and after the debate takes place.

Previous debates have featured such notable names as Liz Cheney, Natan Sharansky, Nadine Strossen, Daniel Ayalon, Michael Crichton and Christopher Hitchens, among many others. Motions debated have included "Global warming is not a crisis" and "Better more domestic surveillance than another 9/11," among others.

The debates are held at Asia Society and Museum,

725 Park Avenue

at 70th Street in New York City . The event begins at 6:00 p.m.; the debate begins at 6:45 p.m. and ends promptly at 8:30 p.m.

Please let me know at your earliest convenience if you can attend. We'll be happy to reserve a seat for you and provide access to the panelists.

Best Regards,

Karol Sheinin ksheinin@weisergroup.com

Renuart's quote "who visited Joint Task Force-North, which is under his command, declined to discuss any details of threats uncovered along the border with Mexico, but he said many agencies, including JTF-North, have made "it a very difficult border for someone to take advantage of." That would explain why there have been recent reports of U.S. military being seen on the border".

He is blowing sunshine up our posteriors!

The risk is not a military attack and it has not been ever since we sent General Blackjack Pershing after Poncho Villa almost 100 years ago.

The risk is infiltration by terrorists who will camouflage themselves among the thousands of illegal immigrants who our government allows to cross our borders anonymously every night. How is a squadron of F-22 Raptors going to have any impact on this risk? When these terrorists eventually attack, their deeds likely will not be anywhere close to the border.

These guys are going to sit on their base waiting for an attack that is never going to happen.

This is just another example of the government pretending like they are taking action when in fact they are doing everything possible to keep the border open and the cheap labor flowing.

If they really wanted to protect the border they would keep the National Guard deployed and they would actually give them a security mission rather than just giving them administrative duties. Instead, the Administration is withdrawing the few remaining National Guard in July.

Regards,
Jack jackbenimble

Dear Editor:

Los Zeta is a dangerous group, more reasons to close our borders. Many of them are already here, causing problems to businesses.

I am afraid things may get worse before they get any better.

The military training comes in handy with the arms the Zetas carry, including 9mm weapons and infrared technology - all parts of an armory equivalent to an American SWAT team. Drug money pays for it all.

The Zeta arsenal could make the group attractive to other groups, like al-Qaeda or the Mara Salvatruchas.

According to one of there own jailed members during an interview with law enforcement said, “there are some of the Maras and al-Qaeda inside the organization". The phenomenon of the Maras, is a violent Central American gang that originated in Los Angeles and has become a nightmare in the region. ...

The article seemed to be focusing on the military for use against terrorist/rogue nation assault (anti-ballisitic missiles; air-air and air-ground defense; Mexican military and criminal drug caretl incursions).

Perhaps I read it wrong but I did not get a sense that they had any intent to focus on or significantly participate in the mundane illegal alien operations of the Border Patrol.

Use of the military in 'local disasters' is a recent Administration fiat and violates the posse comitatus restriction of our Constitution.

Oooooooo wee, wait 'till La Raza hears about this! US military on the southern border. Long overdue. Warning to drug dealers and the Mexican Federales who back them: These folks don't shoot you in the butt with a popgun. Mess with them and it's the last thing you'll do.

Considering the number of OTM crossing the border - this is great.

Nothing like a few of America's finest to put the fear of God into anyone thinking about "breaking our laws".

Considering Mexico's reputation, wouldn't be surprised to hear about a few gun battles taking place. Our military has better aim than theirs.

Sock-it-to-them!

L&L

I guess now mainstream American will know that in addition to al-Qaeda terrorists crossing into Texas by the dozens, we now have commando-style heavily-armed foreign soldiers regularly violating our border and attacking our citizens. When will our government say enough is enough? How many American deaths will it take? Our sovereignty is violated on a regular basis. It is appalling and beyond negligent - I’d call it a severe dereliction of duty - for President Bush to ignore our border crisis.