Community | April 29, 2009 | 5 comments

Mexico: Why Is U.S. Backing Away From Gun Ban?

source: http://www.newsweek.com/id/191037?from=rss

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After fierce resistance from the gun lobby and its allies in Congress, Attorney General Eric Holder has dialed back talk about reimposing a federal assault weapons ban to help curb the spiraling violence in Mexico.

As much as 90 percent of the assault weapons and other guns used by Mexican drug cartels are coming from the United States, fueling drug-related violence that is believed to have killed more than 7,000 people since January 2008, according to estimates by Mexican and U.S. law enforcement officials. But the political obstacles to addressing the U.S.-to-Mexico weapons flow are dramatically underscored by Holder's experience in just the last few weeks.

Speaking at a Feb. 25 news conference announcing a roundup of Mexican cartel members in the United States, Holder endorsed reinstituting the ban on assault weapons—a position that President Obama himself supported during last year's campaign. A federal ban on high-powered, semi-automatic assault weapons, originally passed by Congress in 1994, expired five years ago.

"There are just a few gun-related changes that we would like to make, and among them would be to reinstitute the ban on the sale of assault weapons," Holder said in response to a question from a Mexican reporter. "I think that will have a positive impact in Mexico at a minimum." Holder then ducked a follow-up question about whether he expected Congress to act on a renewed ban this year, saying, "I'm not sure exactly what the sequencing will be" on legislative issues that the Obama administration presses on Capitol Hill.
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5 comments // Mexico: Why Is U.S. Backing Away From Gun Ban?

  • jh64487
    • 0
      jh64487  

    • regardless the dems have clearly stated they have no intention of taking away anyones guns

      so maybe all the nutters can stop panicking now...

    • 2 years ago
  • evoleon
    • 0
      evoleon  

    • Yeah it only costs the Russians around $8.00 USD to manufacture the weapon and many countries have surpluses of older weapons that they sell to groups. China has gotten in trouble before in the US for trying to send fully automatic weapons. Why should we change our laws because of a corrupt system of government that fails its people.

    • 2 years ago
  • chicala
    • 0
      chicala  

    • The "90 percent" statistic has been disproved time and time again, It is 90 percent of traceable weapons, not 90 percent of all weapons. When you look at the fact that most of the firearms can't be traced, it turns out that the statistic is closer to 17 percent of firearms coming from the US.
      Think about it, why pay $1000 plus for a semi-auto AR and smuggle it over the border when you can get a full auto AK from China, Russia, most of the South American countries, etc for less than $100?

    • 2 years ago
  • ssnigg
    • 0
      ssnigg  

    • I don't think it's right for US Citizens not to be able to protect themselves and properties because Mexico drug cartel is buying guns. Or smuggling. Glad they stood up for it in Congress.

    • 2 years ago
  • ClipsFC
    • 0
      ClipsFC  

    • The National Rifle Association quickly sent out "action alerts" to its members. Sixty-five House Democrats signed a letter saying they would oppose any new ban—as did Montana's two Democratic senators, Max Baucus and Jon Tester.
      "Senators to Attorney General Holder: Stay Away From Our Guns," read a press release sent out by Baucus's office. In addition, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid both shot down the idea that Congress would take up any new assault weapons ban this year.

    • 2 years ago
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