As a former Marine and a father of three Marines I will support a good Marine to the death. But as a retired counterintelligence officer and immigration inspector with over 5,000 criminal interrogations I see a lot of holes in Sgt. Tahmooressi’s story. My experience with Mexican agents working across the line from us at the Douglas, AZ Port of Entry who dealt with BP agents mistakenly crossing the line returning UDAs, and cross border shooting incidents is they are fairly reasonable – if they are not lied to and the suspect doesn’t flunk the attitude test – just like our border officers.
Therein probably lies the reason for their intransigence. It would be interesting to hear the Mexican Custom officials version of the inspection conversation with Tamooressi. An indicator of lying is the suspect’s story gains credibility with each new version – as his has since being caught. What the media has ignored is the fact there is a well-known, military-wide standing General Order banning all U.S. military personnel from going into Mexico due to the drug violence. All U.S. / Mexico Ports of Entry are clearly and distinctly marked for several hundred feet prior to the actual border “line” to prevent any doubt one is leaving one country and entering another. One would have to be blind to not know one is entering Mexico. As far as I know PTSD (a pity party appeal) doesn’t affect vision or he shouldn’t have been driving. Most Marines are mighty warriors. But, despite the PR, they are fallible human beings.
The fact Tremooressi is a Marine should have no bearing on his situation – just as being related to or friends of politicians had no bearing on admitting persons into the United States. Every person entering the U.S. (and Mexico) is subject to inspection. In fact, we inspectors on the line looked with suspicion on any “U.S. citizen” entering the U.S. from Mexico by showing their military identification card. It turned out almost all who did so were attempting to mask a more intensive inspection by using military service as a “free pass.” Invariably, they had been discharged from the military – often years previously – and were trying to smuggle drugs / illegal aliens into the U.S. or had outstanding arrest warrants for them. Amazingly, it is common practice for the U.S. army to let separating service members to keep their active duty ID cards! The potential for fraud is obvious.
Military service is a duty not a benefit program. While I appreciate the veteran’s benefits I, my sons and all veterans have earned, no number of combat tours earns special treatment as a citizen expected to obey the law. Tahmooressi could be returned ASAP with the understanding he will face charges for disobeying a direct order not to go to Mexico and for conduct unbecoming an NCO (casting discredit upon the service).
