ATF loses track of 1,400 guns in criticized probe

[RamboLiberal]

Federal agents can't account for more than 1,400 guns after a widely criticized operation aimed at tracing the flow of weapons to Mexican drug gangs, sources with knowledge of the investigation tell CNN.

Of 2,020 guns involved in the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives probe dubbed "Operation Fast and Furious," 363 have been recovered in the United States and 227 have been recovered in Mexico. That leaves 1,430 guns unaccounted for, the sources said.

The ATF operation was intended to build cases against Mexican drug cartels by allowing firearms to go from the United States into Mexico. The hope was by tracing the guns in Mexico, agents would be able to determine the structure of various cartels and then bring them down.

The problem was that once the guns were allowed to "walk," there was no way to recover them until they turned up at crime scenes. The operation has been widely criticized in Congress, with the chairman of a House committee that investigated the issue calling it "felony stupid."

http://www.cnn.com/2011/POLITICS/07/12/atf.guns/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

[ileus]

1. It's okay when the goverment approves it...

[friendly_iconoclast]

2. That's unpossible! Our resident ATF mouthpiece said they were keeping track of those guns n/t

[spin]

4. I heard a rumor that the ATF planted GPS tracking devices in the weapons ...

but the batteries ran down.

[spin]

3. 363 have been recovered in the United States???

and only 227 in Mexico.

It's beginning to sound our government was doing more to help out criminals in the states rather than drug gangs in Mexico.

It's possible that these weapons will leave a long bloody trail in both nations.

I suspect that this story will grow and any attempts to cover it up will only delay the exposure. It might be wise for the administration to cooperate with the investigation rather than have to face a major scandal just before the next election. CBS news and CNN have started to cover this story in between their almost coverage of Casey Anthony.

American's favorite news source Jon Stewart has even noticed the story on the Daily Show.

Jon Stewart: ATF Director Was 'Tivoing' Fast And Furious Plan (VIDEO)
Ryan J. Reilly | June 22, 2011, 2:45PM



The Fast and Furious scandal at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has reached the Daily Show stage.

***snip***

"If this was the plan that they went with, what plan did we reject?" Stewart asked.

"I'm going to assume this was some little-brain, lot of balls idea coming out of the ATF's local office. Couple of guys going renegade, not running things through the chain of command, like their acting director, Ken Melson, he didn't know," Stewart said, before airing clips discussing the video feed Melson had set up in his office so he could watch the straw buys take place at cooperating gun dealerships.

"You're baiting me. So the head of the ATF didn't just know about this plan, he's Tivoing it," Stewart said.
http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/06/jon_stewart_atf_director_was_tivoing_fast_and_furi.php