Gov. Jan Brewer wants President Barack Obama to move some National Guard helicopters from other states to Arizona to help secure the border.
In a letter to the president, released Friday, Brewer said the state has only four OH-58 Kiowa helicopters available for border missions.
“These helicopters are extremely valuable assets in supporting law enforcement efforts on the ground,” Brewer wrote to Obama. “The number available, though, is inadequate to provide the kind of support needed on the Arizona border.”
So Brewer had her staff search out where other of these helicopters are located. And she came to the conclusion that at least some of these should be moved to Arizona as well as other border states.
“As a governor, I understand the desire to hold on to personnel, equipment and funding,” she wrote.
“On the other hand, I believe I must be objective when national priorities are under consideration,” Brewer continued. “In the case of Arizona, despite my obvious bias, I believe that there are legitimate national interests in my request to beef up aviation assets to supplement current Custom and Border Protection capabilities.”
Gubernatorial press aide Paul Senseman acknowledged that Brewer has not talked to governors in other states — those that would be sending equipment and troops to Arizona under a presidential order if Obama accepts her plan — about such a move. Instead, he said Brewer has had discussions with counterparts “in general about improving Arizona’s border security.”
Anyway, Senseman minimized the need for Brewer to get the blessings of other governors.
“We’re not talking about losses in every state in the union,” Senseman said. “We’re talking about the transfer of some aviation assets that are used in some training in other facilities that could be used in training and operations along the Arizona border.”
And he said the bottom line is that the consent of the other governor’s is unnecessary. He said Obama has the power to deploy each state’s Guard unit and its equipment as he believes is necessary, the same way they have been sent to the Middle East.
More than helicopters, pilots and support staff are at issue.
Brewer also wants Obama to move some unmanned aerial vehicles into border areas. Brewer acknowledged these UAVs are now being used in Afghanistan and Iraq but said they should be redeployed here once they are no longer needed overseas.
“It seems UAV operations would be ideal for border security and counter-drug missions,” the governor wrote.
Senseman defended the request to move equipment and personnel from other states. He said Obama, in his criticism of Arizona’s new law aimed at illegal immigration, has conceded the federal government needs to do more to secure the international border.
“This proposal will be an excellent way, and a tangible way, for that security to be improved,” Senseman said.
He said none of this is designed to undermine legitimate needs elsewhere in the country.
“However, he has not supported the state of Arizona and its citizens in our efforts over many years to improve border security,” Senseman said. “That’s something that Arizonans and Americans alike believe should be improved.”
And Senseman said if the president believes there are problems with this specific proposal to move helicopters and UAVs, he is free to alter it or ask for another one.
One alternative Brewer pointed out is that Arizona actually has nine more Kiowa helicopters. But there are earmarked for national training activities.
She said Obama might consider, in the short term, using some of these helicopters for border efforts.
AZMomma posted at 2:08 pm on Fri, May 21, 2010.
That's ok Jan...if the PONTUS won't help us, maybe we need to just move some volunteers down there.
The day is coming, and the PONTUS may have to make a choice between defending American citizens and playing host to ILLEGAL invaders.
One terrorist caught, and all hell will break loose.
Accuracy posted at 3:45 pm on Fri, May 21, 2010.
The Army National Guard Bureau created the Reconnaissance and Aerial Interdiction Detachments (RAID) and the program’s mission has been expanded to support U.S. Border Patrol activities.
The program covers 32 states, consist of 116 Bell OH-58 Kiowa helicopters, including dedicated training aircraft at the Western Army Aviation Training Site (WAATS) in Marana, Arizona.
It's a national security issue that Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer is asking President Barack Obama to reallocate Army National Guard helicopters from other states in the war against terrorism and supporting U.S. Border Patrol activities, secure its border with Mexico, and in support of homeland defense.
Accuracy posted at 6:03 pm on Fri, May 21, 2010.
Arizona Gov. Brewer to President Obama: Send Army National Guard helicopters from other states to secure border and along the Arizona-Mexico border to support counter-drug missions.
The Obama Adminstration referred requests for comment over to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which declined to officially address the requests outlined in Gov Brewer's letter, or say whether it is even feasible.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is willfully choosing to ignore Gov. Brewer's letter, because they think it isn't in Obama's interest to secure the U.S.-Mexico border, only ways to increase cooperation with the Mexican government.
RollerCam posted at 7:28 pm on Fri, May 21, 2010.
QUOTE: "The American Southwest is a boiling cauldron. Revolutionaries, violent criminal gangs, agitators, drug runners, human traffickers, and agent provocateurs--all loyal to Mexico--have been allowed to freely unleash their anti-American vitriol to the point that, in desperation, the State of Arizona is now trying to fight back. It is probably too little too late, however. Both the central government in Washington, D.C., and the national news media are sympathetic to the cause of La Raza. Look at how those brave legislators and governor in Arizona have been lampooned by the national press corps. "
http://capitolhillcoffeehouse.com/more.php?id=8568_0_1_0_M
RollerCam posted at 7:30 pm on Fri, May 21, 2010.
P.O.T.U.S.= President of the United States
P.O.N.T.U.S.=???
P.O.S.=Obama
vickiln posted at 11:10 am on Sat, May 22, 2010.
Gov Brewer may need to learn that she has no right to demand anything, any more than the gov of any other state. A little courtesy and diplomacy goes a long way in ANY job.
Ateam1 posted at 2:11 pm on Sun, May 23, 2010.
vickiln: You are wrong! She has every right to demand the law to be upheld! It's people like you that stand in the way of the law!!! You just might change your tune when one of these illegals complicates your life!