Texas Congressman: Label Drug Cartels 'Terrorists'

In light of the ATF / DOJ Gunwalking scandal, the attempts by U.S. Representative Michael McCaul (R-TX) to identify drug cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO) will only serve to underscore how bad or corrupt the decision was to allow guns to 'walk' into Mexico. Even more interesting is the fact that McCaul's proposed legislation would necessarily involve Secretary of State Hillary Clinton because it would require her to be the one to identify cartels as such.

That's a potential issue for her because Rep. Darrell Issa has already sent her a letter to Hillary asking for her to turnover any documents relative to a meeting in Mexico city between US Ambassador to Mexico and an Asst Attorney General. It's believe that the meeting involved discussions about Project Gunrunner and Operation Fast and Furious, the ATF program that allows guns to 'walk' into Mexico.

Via CNS News:

Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) introduced legislation on Wednesday that would direct Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to designate Mexican drug cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO) – a designation that would put them on the same list as al Qaeda, the Taliban and Hezbollah.

The designation by the State Department also would make the named cartels subject to the same sanctions as other terrorist organizations, including the freezing of the cartels’ monetary assets and the criminal prosecution of those that provide “material support or resources” to an FTO.

“Cartels kidnap, kill, and mutilate innocent civilians, elected officials and law enforcement, using gruesome tactics to intimidate government officials and citizens to abide by their rules,” said McCaul, chairman of the Homeland Security Oversight, Investigations and Management Subcommittee, which held a hearing on the cartels on Thursday.

Hard to say if McCaul's bill is meant to put more pressure on Hillary and the Obama administration about its stonewalling with regard to Project Gunrunner but it may have just that effect. If a Secretary of State not only refuses to identify as terrorists those who congress mandates as such but stonewalls efforts to uncover the administration's involvement in arming such groups, it's likely to only compound her problems.



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