Exposed: The secret guns sting that backfired on the US

[babsbunny]

Exposed: The secret guns sting that backfired on the US

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/exposed-the-secret-guns-sting-that-backfired-on-the-us-2297924.html

America's firearms watchdog allowed weapons to flow in, failed to catch ringleaders, then tried a cover-up

By Guy Adams

Thursday, 16 June 2011

The lethal fallout from a botched operation by the US Department of Justice which allowed almost 2,000 illegally purchased firearms to be transported from the streets of Arizona to drug gangs in Mexico has been laid bare in a scathing Congressional report, which concludes that it resulted in countless deaths.

A mixture of arrogance, over-confidence, and staggering ineptitude by the Department's Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives was outlined in a 51-page investigation by two Republican members of a House panel charged with getting to the bottom of what went wrong during a two-year operation called "Fast and Furious".

It tells how, between 2009 and this year, the ATF instructed agents to turn a blind eye to hundreds of AK-47 assault rifles, sniper rifles, and revolvers purchased from gunshops in Phoenix and en route to Mexico. They hoped to eventually recover them from crime scenes and build a complex conspiracy case that might take down the leaders of a major drug cartel.

[TheWraith]

1. Not mentioned in the initial part of the article is, ATF authorized illegal purchases.

These were primarily purchases which had been red-flagged by the background check system, and the ATF ordered the gun shop owners to go ahead with them anyway.

[Hoyt]

2. The "sting" didn't work as intended -- but the target is/was real, and needs to be pursued.

[gejohnston]

3. what was the intent and who is the target?

[Katya Mullethov]

4. Appropriations

And they would have gotten away with it too .....if it werent for those meddling kids !

[rl6214]

5. The "target" tried to get the ATF to do something about it

But they wouldn't so that target was NOT real.

Be honest.

[TheWraith]

9. No, that's simply not the case.

The purchaser was committing a crime, whether they got the gun or not. Without ATF intervention, there would have been no sale--just arrest the would-be purchaser and call it a day. Since by their own count 5 guys were responsible for 3/4 of this, it's an easy way to eliminate the problem.

[palmtree guy]

6. take down the leaders of major drug cartels

some how we all the sudden have jurisdiction in Mexico? they were sold to straw buyers in the U.S. then flipped to low level mules who smuggled them across the border ....the border....where our jurisdiction ENDS.....EPIC EPIC FAIL , for the ATF, and their leader!!

[spin]

7. Rumors are the the head of the ATF is history ...

Head of ATF Is Likely to Go
JUNE 18, 2011

By EVAN PEREZ And DEVLIN BARRETT

The Justice Department is expected to oust the head of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, according to people familiar with the matter, amid a troubled federal antitrafficking operation that has grown into the agency's biggest scandal in nearly two decades

Moves toward the replacement of Kenneth Melson, acting ATF director since April 2009, could begin next week, although the precise sequence of events remains to be decided, these people said.

The shakeup shows the extent of the political damage caused by the gun-trafficking operation called Fast and Furious, which used tactics that allowed suspected smugglers to buy large numbers of firearms. Growing controversy over the program has paralyzed a long-beleaguered agency buffeted by partisan battles. The ATF has been without a Senate-confirmed director since 2006, with both the Bush and Obama administrations unable to overcome opposition from gun-rights groups to win approval of nominees.

***snip***

At a House hearing this week, Rep. Darrell Issa (R., Calif.), chairman of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, disclosed internal documents showing that Mr. Melson was closely involved in managing Fast and Furious operation. One email among ATF officials described Mr. Melson's request for an Internet link to hidden cameras the ATF had planted in gun shops cooperating with the operation, Mr. Issa said, citing the documents. That allowed Mr. Melson to watch a live feed of suspected "straw buyers," who purchase firearms on behalf of others, buying AK-47-style rifles, he said.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304453304576392023631543738.html?mod=WSJ_WSJ_US_News_5

[Endangered Specie]

8. Well ain't that convienent...

Tell the public that we need more gun control because guns are flowing from the US to Mexico, then allow the very thing to happen under your nose (and probably even encourage it a little).

Alot of people in the ATF need to be sacked, over this.

[Bold Lib]

10. If the allegations are true, a lot of people at ATF need to go to JAIL.

There are potentially violations of U.S, Mexican, and international laws here.