Fast and Furious

Fast and Furious, is the ill fated gun runner program that unraveled publicly, exposed by a few courageous employees, some of who were dismissed for their efforts. This operation is purported to be an intelligence move to expose high level drug leaders. No drug cartels were damaged in this exercise. Instead, it reveals an Administration seeking to create back-lash on firearms use and sales and resulted in arming the most dangerous people on the North American Continent. Whatever their stated intentions, no mature adult would knowingly allow this to happen unless it fulfilled strategic political results, and results of this action are not congruent with the mission of the ATF, the Department of Justice or the intentions of the principles that have founded this country. Whoever was behind the design of this plan is at odds with our legal system and needs to be held accountable for the terror and murder that has resulted from this program. This is a sweeping accusation and requires proof, impeccable logic, or certain knowledge. I offer certain knowledge and logic that anyone can see once they understand administrative restraints and proper investigation will substantiate this.

I will explain:

The ATF is a subordinate organ of the Justice Department. It is a relatively small agency and has in the past been shackled with notable ethics problems; from Ruby Ridge, the Waco Siege and now the Fast and Furious operation— all questionable programs ran under Administrations noted for their lack of moral certitude. These are serious blemishes on an otherwise notable group of law enforcers. The line staff of the ATF has one of the best records of arrests and law enforcement, sporting an impressive record for such a small body that is about 5000 strong. These include Special Agents that are required to have a Top Secret, Sensitive Compartmental Information clearance. The Special Agents comprise just under half of the employee base of the ATF, and must pass extensive training that last beyond than that used by the FBI or US Marshals, lasting about 27 weeks long and the agents are gleaned from the top hopefuls, reported to be about 5% of applicants. Successful picks usually have at least four years law enforcement experience as well as a credible education. These Special Agents are proven professionals, and would not appreciate being manipulated as they have been recently. This must be a waking nightmare for them. The ATF is not, of its own volitions, going to allow for the sale of up to 2500 weapons, such as AK-47s, FN 5.7mm pistols and even .50 caliber rifles to people that they know or highly suspect to be criminals—and not just criminals, but those involved in the most serious cartels of crime that threaten whole governments with their power.  It is contrary to the chartered purpose of existence for the ATF. These are not typical hunting weapons; these are serious anti-personnel weapons, many of which are easily automated. Further; the ATF is not on its own going to allow these sorts of weapons to be sold to people that they know will transport such weapons across an international border and likely trigger an international incident.  To do so would be the very criminal act that they are charged to intercept. No!

This criminal activity was a directed down program. No Bureau Director is going to approve a program contrary to the directives of his organization that might embarrass the Department of Justice that he is subordinate to, that he serves under. No Bureau Director is going to chance an international incident deliberately. This had to have been dictated to him from above. This was not initiated by the ATF.

The Justice Department is the Nation’s top law enforcement body and must, by definition, seek to have a high standard of conduct. Its standards are distilled downwards, to its client agencies. As noble as the body might be, it suffers when the Attorney General seems to be more anxious about political concerns than in evenhanded law enforcement. The Attorney General of the Justice Department is appointed by the President. Because of this, the selective enforcement of law often reflects the goals and agenda of the Administration.

Now, if the Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is directed to organize an illegal operation, who would be giving him those directions? Only Eric Holder, Attorney General of the Department of Justice. Who else could assume to direct a Bureau Director? No one else would be qualified to do so, would have the executive authority to attempt it. Would project managers be placed to take the fall, ‘just in case?’ Yes, certainly! How else could the principle players cloak or even pretend not to know what they themselves initiated? But anyone who understands Agency responsibility and accountability would see it to be a sham and that no rouge elements are existent in the ATF or the Department of Justice, not on the scale needed to run such an extensive program. Any such operation would require the advance approval of the head of that agency. One involving international law would require extra ordinary approval, so no one is going to convince me that Mr. Holder was not involved in this from the start, and I know he wouldn’t want to be accused of starting a war independently with Mexico, so he had to have had permission from his boss.

Think about it: Would Eric Holder arbitrarily devise such a program? No. Why not? Because he is subordinate and appointed by the President of the United States, and he knows that if he were to create such a program on his own and be found out, the act would be seen immediately as a move to discredit or actively sabotage the President. Holder would be summarily dismissed or even imprisoned if he acted independently. This was done either at the insistence of or with the permission of the President. Nothing else makes sense.

So, what do the facts suggest so far? Only those line staff who publicly protested their involvement in a clearly illegal operation has been censored by dismissal. The Department of Justice is investigating itself to ensure that nothing becomes of this failed operation, turning an investigation into a cover-up. Eric Holder continues to boss the Department of Justice, so he has not acted against the knowledge or intents of the White House. Once again the public is being lulled into believing that there is nothing here. This is an impeachable offense against the People of the United States and should be investigated and prosecuted, by someone independent of the Department of Justice, independent of the White House. If laws have meaning, and continue to have meaning, then decisive action must be taken immediately to prove that no one is above the law; not the ATF, not the Justice Department, not the President of the United States. I urge Congress to step up and act in their role of representing the People, and ensuring that our government is accountable and responsible, or the trust of the Nation will again be lost upon political alters, further eroding the standing and effectiveness of its leaders. Trust lost, so is the Nation, for it will become unmanageable, its political structures revealed as farcical and arbitrary. We elected these people with the hope that they would be responsible with power. Let them also be accountable.