October 1, 2011

Teaching Aids: Operation Gunrunner in One Easy to Explain Chart

"Operation Gunrunner" is one of those government "brainstorms" that's difficult to explain uninitiated Americans.** There's a lot of "backgrounding" that makes the whole thing sound like the "magic bullet" in the Kennedy assassination. Even when "Gunrunner" is explained well there is the incredulous response, "But nobody in the federal government could be that stupid!"

Fortunately, the government is forever "that stupid" in this matter, and thanks to the not-so-stupid 'Friday evening document release syndrome' we have this handy graphic from the White House that sums it up:

FF_p93_chart.jpg
[Click to enlarge or get your own copy HERE ]

On one level, it's pleasing to see a massive outflow of things leaving Arizona for points south. On another, I don't think that massive outflows of weapons south was exactly the reversal of border conditions the citizens of Arizona were looking for from the Feds.

.

"Guns for Gardeners" is probably not the kind of free trade arrangement Arizona wanted to strike up with Mexico right now. Especially since future 'gardeners' from Mexico could re-import those automatic weapons into Arizona at any time. Purely for "varmint control" on the golf course, you understand.

Of course, the White House is doing all that it can to help clear up this little 'misunderstanding' with the congress. Everything that is except get a key White House security agent back from Iraq:

Documents show extensive communications between then-ATF Special Agent in Charge of the Phoenix office Bill Newell - who led Fast and Furious - and then-White House National Security Staffer Kevin O'Reilly. Emails indicate the two also spoke on the phone. Such detailed, direct communications between a local ATF manager in Phoenix and a White House national security staffer has raised interest among Congressional investigators looking into Fast and Furious. Newell has said he and O'Reilly are long time friends.... Congressional investigators for Republicans Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) and Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) have asked to interview O'Reilly by September 30. But the Administration informed them that O'Reilly is on assignment for the State Department in Iraq and unavailable. -- New Fast and Furious docs released by White House - CBS News Investigates - CBS News

How inconvenient. I certainly hope "then-White House National Security Staffer Kevin O'Reilly" returns safely from Iraq to speak with Congress. It would be a shame if anything happened to him over there. But then again, I guess O'Reilly knows that.



**[ See A Journalist's Guide to 'Project Gunwalker'-Part Four @ Examiner.com for a mind-numbing series of links to coverage if you've got an afternoon to spare ]

Posted by Vanderleun at October 1, 2011 11:32 AM
Bookmark and Share

Comments:

HOME

"It is impossible to speak in such a way that you cannot be misunderstood." -- Karl Popper N.B.: Comments are moderated and may not appear immediately. Comments that exceed the obscenity or stupidity limits will be either edited or expunged.

I think we're starting to see that the apologists who think they are merely "in over their heads" are engaging in some wishful thinking. Seems more deliberate to me, in ends justify the means sort of way.

Posted by: stephen b at October 1, 2011 12:24 PM

That has to be the most graphic graphic ever made. It looks like a gaping wound, bleeding into Mexico. This picture, alone should convince people of just how evil their government has become.

Posted by: Mme Scherzo at October 1, 2011 11:34 PM

And there is likely a similar graphic, detailing the guns and other military ordnance which was shipped out of the Tampa ATF Region, directly into Honduras.

If you'll remember, it was this (mis)Administration which tripped over it's dick in it's haste to recognize the communist Honduran President, who wanted to supercede that country's constitution in order to (Chavez style) remain in power.

When the Honduran Supreme Court told him "No Mas!, O'bummer and Hitlery hastened to label the citizens and Supreme Court of Honduras as "staging a coup", over the commie who actually WAS trying to stage a coup.

And all those guns to Honduras? Didn't go to the legitimate government, but to the drug cartels and Sandinista type revolutionaries.

"Fast & Furious" will turn out be be only one chapter in a much larger book of Obama High Crimes and Felonious Misdemeanors.


Jim
Sunk New Dawn
Galveston, TX

Posted by: Jim at October 2, 2011 8:45 AM

You know, a long while ago, they defined 'sin' out of existence, and then they 'defined deviancy down', and got all soft and squishy on crime.
What exactly is a high crime and misdemeanor these days?

Posted by: Jewel at October 2, 2011 10:01 AM

This was not a "botched" operation - the guns flowing into Mexico from Arizona AND Texas as well as the ones flowing into Honduras through Florida were moved deliberately. I am convinced this was a part of Obama's "under the radar" gun control efforts that blew up into a spectacular cloud of chaff we are only now feeling our way through.

Without the help of the major media.

Posted by: Kevin Baker at October 2, 2011 6:17 PM