Pubdate: Tue, 19 May 2009 Source: Los Angeles Times (CA) Copyright: 2009 Los Angeles Times Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/bc7El3Yo Website: http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/front/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/248 Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v09/n510/a10.html Author: Bill Caid ON THE TRAIL Re "Tracking smugglers, the old-fashioned way," Column One, May 12 I really enjoyed your coverage of the Border Patrol agents in southern New Mexico. Having recently traveled the backcountry in that area, I can relate to the challenges they face. Southern Arizona and New Mexico are full of Border Patrol vehicles with elevating towers. Yet despite the increase in manpower, equipment and general funding, the drugs keep coming. Short of building the "great wall of America," I am not sure what we can do. And we cannot confuse "border sovereignty" with "immigration policy." The two are unrelated. Some folks think that non-enforcement of border sovereignty constitutes a de facto immigration policy. At some level that is true, but it really cannot be that way anymore. Your story highlights the real reason for enforcement. San Diego - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake