-By Gary Krasner
WHAT WAS FAST AND FURIOUS?
A sting operation PURPORTEDLY to identify and arrest gun smugglers who transport guns over the border, and Mexican drug cartel members.
WHAT WAS UNUSUAL ABOUT IT?
The contraband in THIS sting operation was not tracked electronically and there was no surveillance of suspects.
WHAT MADE THAT AN ISSUE OF INCOMPETENCE / GROSS NEGLIGENCE ETC?
Because the most important feature of all sting operations is to track the contraband, otherwise there’s no sting and hence no prosecutions, and the dangerous contraband gets distributed to harm people.
WHAT PROMPTED CONGRESSIONAL INQUIRY?
Eric Holder was unable to determine who ordered the contraband not be tracked. (i.e. no accountability. Normal oversight role of Congress.)
WHY HAS IT BECOME A SCANDAL NOW?
Because we now know, after lies and dissembling, that “Main Justice” (DoJ in DC) and at least the Deputy AG HAD TO KNOW at least a year prior to Agent Terry’s death, and likely before the operation had begun, that the guns were not being tracked, given the fact that it was a high profile OCDETF (Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force) operation. All OCDETF cases for 30 years were planned by Main Justice, and all court warrants for the wiretapping (and there were wires involved) describing the minute details of the operation had to be written and submitted, by law, by Main Justice.
WHY IS THIS SCANDAL IMPORTANT?
Because it’s a monumental failing which fits a pattern of bungling through inexperience and fidelity to hard left doctrines, which has plagued the administration since inauguration day.
WHAT LED TO THE CONSPIRACY THEORY?
The refusal of Holder to identify who’s decision it was to NOT track the contraband. If it was a simple bungling, someone would normally take the blame and we would move on. The only reason for the stone-walling, therefore, must be to conceal a greater sin. Independent collateral evidence appears consistent with the idea that before, or after the fact, the distribution of guns traceable to US gun stores, which are confiscated following the commission of crimes, would add fuel to the fire to enact stricter gun laws.
WHY IS THIS SIMPLE TUTORIAL NECESSARY?
Because there are liberal blogs who live in such insular political environments which renders them clueless when it comes to conservative issues. Exhibit A was their stunned reaction to hearing competent arguments against Obamacare in oral arguments before SCOTUS. Fast and Furious is another one. So copy this tutorial word for word and Paste baby, Paste!
POSTSCRIPT:
Don’t forget my previously posted simplified rebuttal to the Democrat talking point on Fast as Furious.
The main Democrat talking point to defend Obama’s debacle—-Fast & Furious—-is to claim that had begun under Pres. Bush. But in fact, the program they’re referring to that was run during Bush’s administration was called “Wide Reciever”, and it had been discontinued 2 years before Obama took office. But more egregious than that is that it’s a facile sound-bite that ignores the stark differences between “Wide Reciever” and “Fast & Furious”, and worse, supposed serious journalists and correspondents do not call Democrats to task for it.
Here are the stark differences between Bush’s Wide Receiver (WR) and Obama’s Fast & Furious (FF):
When program was active:
WR: 2005 to 2007
FF: 2009 to 2011
Number of guns involved:
WR: 400
FF: 2,000
GUN TRACKING METHODS:
Electronic tracking
WR: RFID trackers installed in guns.
FF: No electronic tracking.
Surveillance
WR: Actively tracked by airborn surveillance.
FF: No active surveillance of any kind.
Purchases
WR: Straw purchases recorded & surveilled
FF: No recording or surveillance of straw purchasers
Further Explanation: The local ATF field agents were ordered not to follow the straw purchasers. Federal agents were not allowed to interdict the guns and they even ran interference for the smugglers with local law enforcement on multiple occasions to make sure those guns made it across the border.
When Mexico was notified:
WR: When arms were purchased & smugglers crossed border.
FF: Not told the program even existed.
Results of the operation:
WR: 1,400 felony arrests & identification of cartel operators.
FF: No arrests were made.
Reason operation was discontinued:
WR: When smugglers discovered & began disabling RFID tracking devices.
FF: Over 200 Mexicans + two US federal agents killed by the guns.
Agencies involved:
WR: DoJ and Arizona-local ATF.
FF: 4 federal agencies & 10 cities in five states.
Purpose of operation:
WR: Identify & prosecute gun smugglers & drug cartels.
FF: Build case against 2nd Amendment & American gun dealers.
Further Explanation: Following the failure of the assault weapons ban in Congress, the Administration realized that gun mayhem was necessary to outrage Americans to justify future legislative efforts. HOW DO WE KNOW THIS?
First, just ask yourself what possible reason could there be for making no attempt to trace the guns for the two years this operation was in effect? In every state and federal gun and drug sting operation since they were first tried in the US, it has always been of prime importance to trace the contraband. Tracking it, to ultimately retain possession of it, was essential for successful prosecutions, and of course to keep these dangerous items off the streets.