Biden Sending 3,000 U.S. Troops to Romania, Poland, and Germany; 'Unmistakable Signal'
(CNSNews.com) - President Joe Biden is sending 3,000 U.S. troops, under U.S. command, from the United States to NATO allies in Eastern Europe "in the next few days," Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told a news conference on Wednesday.
The troop deployment is intended to deter Russian aggression and to reassure and defend U.S. allies, he said.
"These are not permanent moves," Kirby said. And the U.S. troops will not fight in Ukraine, he added.
The 3,000 troops mentioned today "are separate and in addition to" the 8,500 troops put on heightened alert last week, in case NATO activates its response force.
"Those 8,500 are not being deployed, but remain ready to move if called for the NATO response force or as needed for other contingencies as directed by the secretary or president Biden," Kirby said. "We continue to review our force posture and the situation in Europe, and we will make adjustments as the situation warrants."
Kirby said the deployment of 3,000 troops sends an "unmistakable signal to the world that we are ready to defend against any aggression."
As the secretary said on Friday, we do not know if Russia has made a final decision to further invade Ukraine. But it clearly has that capability. The Department of Defense will continue to support diplomatic efforts led by the White House and the state department to press for resolution.
We do not believe conflict is inevitable. The United States, in lockstep with our allies and partners, has offered Russia a path to de-escalate. But we will take all prudent measures to assure our own security and that of our allies.
Kirby said the troops are going to Poland, Germany and Romania, following "full consultation" with those countries.
Reporters pressed Kirby on whether there is any indication that Russian President Vladimir Putin might move beyond Ukraine, into Poland and Romania?
"What we see is clear evidence every day that he continues to destabilize the environment by adding more forces in the western part of his country and along Belarus," Kirby replied.
"In addition to additional naval activity in the Mediterranean and the North Atlantic, he clearly is providing himself many options and lots more capabilities. For exactly what purpose, we don't know right now. And because we don't know exactly what his purpose is, we want to make sure that we are ready on the NATO front to defend our allies.”
Kirby repeated that the message to Russia and the world is "that we take our NATO commitments are very, very seriously."
And he said other NATO nations -- Denmark, the U.K., France and others -- are also discussing the deployment of troops to Poland and Romania.
"This is not about an intel assessment of what Mr. Putin will or will not do," Kirby said. "We do not believe he has made a decision to further invade Ukraine. If he does make that decision, there's going to be consequences, but he has many options and capabilities available to him as to how he might do that. We simply do not know.
"We want to make sure that he knows that any move on NATO is going to be resisted and it is going to trigger Article Five. We are going to be committed to the defense of our allies. That is what this is all about."
Kirby said the Biden administration has the option of moving additional forces to Eastern Europe "if that is desired and needed."
"The steps we're talking about today could very well be preliminary steps to future ones we might take," he said.
Customs and Border Protection Intercepts 5,000 Rounds of Ammo Being Smuggled Across Mexican Border
(CNSNews.com) - U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents in Hidalgo, Tex., intercepted 5,000 rounds of ammunition that were being smuggled from the United States into Mexico last Thursday.
“On January 27, 2022, CBP officers conducting outbound enforcement operations at the Hidalgo International Bridge encountered a white Chevrolet sedan driving southbound to Mexico,” said a statement from CBP.
“The vehicle was driven by 23-year-old U.S. citizen,” said the statement. “A CBP officer referred the vehicle for further inspection. After physically inspecting the vehicle, officers discovered 5,000 rounds of 7.62x39 rifle ammunition as well as $4,555 which was also seized as proceeds of illicit activity.”
CBP Port Director Carlos Rodriguez praised the agents for their “diligent inspection.”
“The undeclared exportation of weapons and ammunition into Mexico is illegal. Our CBP officers prevented this ammunition from reaching Mexico thanks to their diligent inspection work,” said Rodriguez.
Here is the full text of the CBP statement:
“Release Date:
“February 1, 2022
“HIDALGO, Texas—U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations (OFO) at the Hidalgo International Bridge intercepted 5,000 rounds of ammunition.
“‘The undeclared exportation of weapons and ammunition into Mexico is illegal. Our CBP officers prevented this ammunition from reaching Mexico thanks to their diligent inspection work,’ said Port Director Carlos Rodriguez, Hidalgo/Pharr/Anzalduas Port of Entry.
“On January 27, 2022, CBP officers conducting outbound enforcement operations at the Hidalgo International Bridge encountered a white Chevrolet sedan driving southbound to Mexico. The vehicle was driven by 23-year-old U.S. citizen. A CBP officer referred the vehicle for further inspection. After physically inspecting the vehicle, officers discovered 5,000 rounds of 7.62x39 rifle ammunition as well as $4,555 which was also seized as proceeds of illicit activity.
“CBP OFO seized the ammunition and vehicle, arrested the driver and the case remains under investigation by special agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI).
EXCLUSIVE: 105K Migrants Intercepted by Texas National Guard near Border Under Operation Lone Star
DEL RIO, Texas — Texas National Guardsmen encountered approximately 105,000 migrants under Operation Lone Star. The soldiers and airmen also participated in “significant drug and weapons seizures.”
“The work each of our service members is doing is very important,” Texas Adjunct General Maj. Gen. Tracy Norris told Breitbart Texas. “Their presence along the border creates a significant deterrence to criminal activity along our southern border.”
A Texas National Guard service member posted at a security checkpoint between Del Rio and Eagle Pass, Texas, under Operation Lone Star. (Bob Price/Breitbart Texas)
The general’s comments to Breitbart followed a tour of Texas National Guard facilities and checkpoints in the Border Patrol’s Del Rio Sector.
“Whether serving at a security point, constructing a barrier, or providing logistic and administrative support, each of our Soldiers and Airmen is critical to the broader effort to bring safety to our local communities,” General Norris stated.
A Texas National Guard soldier observes a Rio Grande border crossing area in Del Rio, Texas, under Operation Lone Star. (Bob Price/Breitbart Texas)
Breitbart Texas spoke with numerous soldiers and officers of the Texas National Guard during tours in Del Rio and Eagle Pass this week. The guardsmen repeatedly expressed their dedication to the mission.
“Our soldiers are making an impact,” one officer stated. “Even when they are not seeing illegal border crossings, they are having a deterrent effect and are moving the crossers to other locations where Border Patrol agents are present.”
General Norris offered the following:
Because of our service members’ outstanding work:
- Approximately, 105,000 illegal migrants have been apprehended or referred to our partner federal and state law enforcement agencies;
- More than 9,000 individuals, attempting to enter Texas illegally, have been returned to Mexico;
- Significant drug and weapon seizures have occurred, including the lethal drug fentanyl;
- And the ongoing construction of temporary barriers, including 10 miles of temporary barriers, with an additional 60 miles under construction contract, along the border is further deterring criminal activity.
Construction of the Texas-funded border wall continues in a well-known border crossing area near Eagle Pass, Texas. (Bob Price/Breitbart Texas)
Breitbart observed the progress of nearly two miles of border wall in the Eagle Pass area of operations. This is in addition to the rapid construction of miles of fencing designed to slow or deter migrants from crossing through the private property of landowners along the border.
Texas erected ten miles of temporary security fencing in high-traffic crossing areas near Del Rio, Texas. (Bob Price/Breitbart Texas)
“The impact of their work is incredible,” the Texas Military Department’s Adjunct General stated. “The latest reports indicate those who may be seeking illegal entry into the United States are now avoiding Texas border cities and redirecting their march toward other locations.”
In addition to apprehending migrants or referring them to other law enforcement agencies, the guardsmen are also saving lives along the border. One example occurred earlier this week when two guardsmen at a security checkpoint near Eagle Pass rescued a family of migrants who were drowning after getting caught in the swift currents of the Rio Grande, Breitbart reported.
“On January 31. 2022, around 5:50 am, a family of nine undocumented migrants, including several small children, attempted to cross the Rio Grande river on foot, near Eagle Pass, Texas,” Norris reported. “The family got caught in the current and began to drown. Upon seeing the family, two Texas National Guardsmen and a partner law enforcement officer immediately responded, risking their own lives, going into the river and successfully saving each person, bringing them ashore safely.”
These rescues occur on a regular basis with at least five other rescues in the past four months — just in Eagle Pass, she noted.
As the sun sets in Eagle Pass, a Texas Guardsman continues to maintain security at a Rio Grande migrant crossing point. (Bob Price/Breitbart Texas)
“I am so proud of each of our service members supporting Operation Lone Star,” General Norris concluded. “Regardless of their specific assignment within this mission, each of these Texas service members is making a tremendous impact on the safety and security of our state.”
Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior news contributor for the Breitbart Texas-Border team. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. Price is a regular panelist on Fox 26 Houston’s What’s Your Point? Sunday-morning talk show. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX and Face
GRAPHIC: Three Cartel Gunmen Die in Shootout in Mexican Border State Capital
Three cartel gunmen died in a shootout with authorities in the capital of Tamaulipas. They had also kidnapped a man in that city.
The case took place Tuesday morning when gunmen kidnapped a man in the Azteca neighborhood in Ciudad Victoria. Soon after, they clashed with police as they tried to escape.
According to the Tamaulipas government, authorities used surveillance cameras to track the gunmen. When police tried to stop the vehicle, the gunmen dropped road spikes and fired rifles as they tried and failed to escape.
Authorities seized weapons and road spikes. At 6 a.m. the relatives of the kidnapping victim contacted police to inform that their loved one was released in a rural area.
The shootout comes days after Gulf Cartel gunmen clashed with police outside a department store called GranD. Authorities arrested seven and an eighth at the scene. The Gulf Cartel and the Cartel Del Noreste faction of Los Zetas are waging a fierce turf war for Ciudad Victoria.
Editor’s Note: Breitbart Texas traveled to Mexico City and the states of Tamaulipas, Coahuila, and Nuevo León to recruit citizen journalists willing to risk their lives and expose the cartels silencing their communities. The writers would face certain death at the hands of the various cartels that operate in those areas including the Gulf Cartel and Los Zetas if a pseudonym were not used. Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles are published in both English and in their original Spanish. This article was written by “J.C. Sanchez” from Tamaulipas.
Leo Terrell: Biden Has 'Turned the Border Officers into Travel Agents’ for 'Future Democratic Voters'
By Emily Robertson | February 1, 2022 | 3:49pm EST
Border officers function as travel agents in President Joe Biden's America, argued civil rights attorney and talk radio host Leo Terrell Monday.
"There’s a disconnect between the Biden Administration that wants open borders and the border rank and file officers who signed up to control the border and prevent illegal aliens from coming in," Terrell told Fox News Sean Hannity on "Hannity," responding to a video in which a border officer confronted U.S. Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz. "They have – the Biden Administration has turned the border officers into travel agents."
"The Democrat party sees these as potential Democratic voters."
“Joe Biden is diluting and damaging citizenship, by allowing people to come into this country in violation of our laws," chimed in America First Legal Founder and former President Donald Trump Senior Advisor Stephen Miller.
Below is a transcript of this portion of “Hannity”:
Sean Hannity: “Now Biden’s border neglect is getting worse by the second as the president today claimed that all we need to do to solve the border crisis is figure out now why do illegal immigrants come here in the first place. Are you really that dumb, Joe? And it gets worse because we have more evidence of growing tensions inside the Border Patrol amid the Biden Administration’s all-out disregard for the rule of law, aiding and abetting law-breaking. Listen to this exchange between the border chief and rank and file standing up to him last week in Laredo, Tex. as the failed DHS Secretary Mayorkas visited the area; watch this.”
[Start clip]
U.S. Border Patrol Chief Raul Oritz: “I get it. You come to work, you’re frustrated. You’re upset because you didn’t get the desired outcome that you want. Doesn’t mean you give up, right?”
Agent: “We’re not.”
Oritz: “I know you’re not. That’s why I’m saying, we don’t give up. I’ve been doing this job as long as y’all.”
Agent: “That’s the problem.”
Oritz: “What’s that?”
Agent: “That’s the problem, chief. For evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.”
Oritz: “I can’t hear you.”
Agent: “For evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing. That’s exactly what’s happening here. Good men are doing nothing. You’re allowing illegal aliens to be dropped off in communities.”
[End clip]
Hannity: “Wow. Here with reaction, Leo "2.0" Terrell, along with America First Legal Founder Steven Miller, who’s doing some great work with his legal firm. Leo, I’ll start with you. When you think – that never happens where an agent will stand up to a chief, a boss like that and be that bold and that blunt, but it really was warranted.”
Leo Terrell: “It was necessary because, Sean, there’s a disconnect between the Biden Administration that wants open borders and the border rank and file officers who signed up to control the border and prevent illegal aliens from coming in. They have – the Biden Administration has turned the border officers into travel agents. They have basically now accommodated criminals, illegal aliens to designate them to any place in this country. They have flipped it around. The Border Patrol agents are frustrated; they don’t want to be travel agents. They want to keep illegal aliens out of this country and they’re being denied by the Biden Administration and the progressive left.”
Hannity: “Stephen Miller, if you or I decided, this is actually a joke, not even a great lawyer like Leo "2.0" Terrell could save us. If we pick and choose the laws that we obey and those we choose not to obey, we'd go to jail. If you and I were helping illegal immigrants cross into this country, I think we’d probably be charged with something like human trafficking, is that not true?”
Stephen Miller: “Yeah, there’d be severe and lengthy prison sentences. In fact, if you as a U.S. citizen present your arrest warrant to a law enforcement officer, you’ll be placed into handcuffs, not boarded as illegal aliens are onto planes and taken to the destination of their choice. I know because I speak to border agents, I know because I still have good contacts inside DHS. They are enraged. They signed up, they put on that green uniform because they wanted to protect this country and enforce our laws and this administration is ordering them to violate the laws they swore to uphold. For Joe Biden to say we want to find out why they’re coming here, people from 160 nations are coming here for the very simple reason that Donald Trump’s policies of detain and remove were replaced with Joe Biden’s policies of catch and release into the United States of America.”
Hannity: “Why they’re coming here, Leo, is simple, because they’re coming from countries that don’t provide hope, opportunity, and this dream that we all take for granted. How hard is that to figure out?”
Terrell: “It’s not hard. See, the Democrat Party sees these as potential Democratic voters. That’s the reason why they’re being allowed in. Let’s be clear, these are the future Democratic voters: chaos, criminals, people who are coming over here illegally, breaking the law.”
Hannity: “Something of great value; it's called citizenship. Last words, Stephen Miller.”
Miller: “Joe Biden is diluting and damaging citizenship, by allowing people to come into this country in violation of our laws. Their first act on this soil is to disrespect our sovereignty, rather than people who come here, take the oath, do it right, and join our family and community. All citizens of all backgrounds from all places should be deeply outraged.”
Emily Robertson is a CNSNews intern and a senior at Liberty University studying Strategic Communication with a double minor in Government and Politics & Policy. She has written for the Liberty Champion as an opinion writer and news reporter, as well as participated in other extracurricular activities involving law and politics.
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