Feds urge Houstonians not to help in arming of criminals in Mexico

[jpak]

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7420584.html

An imposing .50-caliber belt-fed monster gun now sits on a tripod in a protected federal government office in Houston.

Instead of landing in the hands of Mexican drug cartel gangsters, it was captured by federal agents a few weeks ago when it was being delivered as part of a journey to the border.

Although no one has yet been charged in connection with the gun, it stands as a giant green reminder that a war is raging in Mexico and Houston remains a major staging ground for hefty weapons headed there.

It swallows shells about 5 inches long and fires rounds as far as mile — a steel fist that few weapons can match. It fires as fast as the trigger can be pulled - and can be sold at gun stores.

<more>

[midnight]

1. I just read that the guns were coming in via the pentagon...

And not these Houstonians.

[RSillsbee]

2. Oh bullshit

you can not buy an M2 over the counter in Houston. And an M2 will shoot a Hell of a lot farther than a mile

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

4. There are semi-auto .50's

http://www.tnwfirearms.com/guns_m2hb.shtml
http://www.50bmgstore.com/m2hb50bmg.htm

[RSillsbee]

5. Oh Snap

Now I want one

[shadowrider]

3. Blame the feds. They're the ones, apparently, behind this stuff, you know, to catch the bad guys

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=118x373855

[Hangingon]

7. This shows up in the comments on the story.

e-versions of news articles usually have very interesting comments. The Chron lets readers rec/unrec comments. This article is showing a lot of negative comments.

[jpak]

11. ummmm....

<snip>

ATF officials pointed to a Houston case in which a group of men bought more than 300 guns passed on to cartel henchmen.

So far, the guns have been linked to at least 63 deaths, including gangsters, police officers and civilians, according to the ATF.

Many of them were military-style weapons that are sold at gun stores here but are illegal to possess in Mexico.

Just last week, border inspectors in the Rio Grande Valley city of Pharr captured another high-impact weapon, a .30-caliber gun described by the government as a "machine gun and tripod

<snip>

:thumbsdown:

[PavePusher]

6. The writer (and the folks he questioned) seem to be conflating...

semi-auto or bolt-action .50's and actual machine guns.

Someone is either clueless or lying.

[Hangingon]

8. It is hard for me to believe that the media can remain clueless.

Their stories draw comments and often direct e-mails.

[shadowrider]

9. For the most part, the media is like gun control posters on this forum

They have no desire to learn, listen and develop intelligent arguments to support their position.

Repeat a lie often enough yada yada yada

[ManiacJoe]

10. Apparently, fact checkers cost too much money.

[RSillsbee]

12. The media remaining clueless

I know it's almost like they had an agenda or something

[Katya Mullethov]

13. THey have invested a good deal of effort

Over many years in some kind of a Reefer Madness redux .
http://www.google.com/#hl=en&sugexp=ldymls&xhr=t&q=Guns+fuel&cp=11&pf=p&sclient=psy&safe=off&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=Guns+fuel++&pbx=1&fp=92188ee12107320c&bs=1

[rl6214]

14. It's the ATF that is supplying the firearms

Not the legal gun community.

[Name removed]

15. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[AnneD]

16. They have also been running ads...

That are trying to recruit folks to apply for jobs with the CIA as covert operators on a local radio station. We have a bunch of bill board ads and I think I saw a message flashed on TX DOT message board (used for Amber alerts).

They have a 'holding area' for INS but I suspect it has been used as a site of possible rendition. Why I have it with my on eyes, it is armed to the hilt and concertina wire and no windows and I have seen unmarked white vans, no windows shuttle passengers from one of the smaller regional airports to this site. They are deporting people you say. Maybe, but why all this security to send Juan back to his coffee plantation in Columbia.

I also saw a HS team with their dog team around the Boliver Ferry. Now you have to understand that this ferry is the only connection between between Boliver Island Galveston and the mainland. I can't say exactly how many 'terrorists' take the ferry but I am sure it is not enough to justify the cost of this, especially after Ike diminished the population. I don't think I'm being too paranoid.

We handled Ike well without FEMA interference. I fear they are trying to do a roll out of their new security plan for the large cities. Maybe I am a paranoid nut, but I would rather be thought of as crazy than read the memo on Wikileaks.

[lawodevolution]

17. The Feds don't want competition arming the drug gangs in Mexico.