Effort to draw down troops on border invites mixed reactions

The Bush administration began quietly last month to reduce by half the number of National Guard troops deployed along the U.S.-Mexico border, a move that has triggered objections from lawmakers and governors, but brought an expression of confidence by the chief of the Pentagon's National Guard Bureau that the drawdown would not impede border security operations.

In an interview this week, Lt. Gen. Steven Blum said the Guard -- which last year dispatched 6,000 troops to assist the Border Patrol -- is withdrawing personnel that are no longer needed because of the success of the mission over the last 14 months.

"We're pulling down specific skills and people from places where, over the last year, we don't need them because the Border Patrol's capabilities have come up in those areas, the number of agents has come up, the number of infrastructure has come up," Blum said.

His views are at odds with Southwest elected officials, who are battling the administration over the reductions. By next month, 3,000 troops will remain along the border, a reduction that was planned when President Bush announced the mission, dubbed Operation Jump Start, in May 2006.

The Guard's mission was only to be a temporary fix to give the Border Patrol time to hire agents and improve infrastructure and technology. There is widespread concern in border states -- particularly New Mexico and Arizona -- that the White House is cutting back the mission too soon.

"The statistics are telling and strongly indicate that Arizona continues to be a prime crossing location into the United States, turning Arizona cities and towns ... into transit hubs for human- and drug-smuggling organizations," Arizona Democratic Gov. Janet Napolitano warned in a letter last week to Defense Secretary Gates and Homeland Security Secretary Chertoff. "The drawdown of Operation Jump Start's strength is ill-timed and should be halted and re-examined."

In a letter to Bush, Sens. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., Pete Domenici, R-N.M., and Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., questioned the White House's priorities in addressing the "crisis" along the Mexican border, stating that the American people "clearly expect" the government to protect U.S. borders. Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., wrote Bush July 16, saying the military operation has led to fewer undocumented immigrants crossing the border through El Paso's sector, which includes New Mexico. "I am concerned that if we prematurely reduce the number of Guard personnel it will be difficult to maintain recent achievements," he wrote.

Blum acknowledged the concerns, saying the Guard's success has made its presence all the more valuable.

"How well are we doing [our missions]? We're doing them very well," Blum said. "We're doing them almost too good to the point that nobody wants us to leave. And that's the dilemma."

Customs and Border Patrol statistics as of July 31 show the National Guard has aided in over 103,000 apprehensions and assisted in seizing nearly 220,000 pounds of marijuana and nearly 5,000 pounds of cocaine. Guard troops have laid 18.2 miles of fencing, 16.6 miles of roads and 58.1 miles of vehicles border barriers. In addition, they have repaired 428.3 miles of roads.

Despite the success, Blum emphasized that the mission always was a temporary one.

"The Border Patrol appreciates the Guard being there, but it doesn't want to be dependent on the Guard being there," Blum said.

Meanwhile, continuing the Guard's deployment to the border means fewer troops are available for missions elsewhere in the United States and abroad.

"In a normal, pre-9/11 state it would've been very easy," Blum said. "But we're not there. We're in a different place right now."