WASHINGTON
(AP) -- Faced with growing pressure from Southern states, the Bush
administration wants the military to come up with ideas to help solve
security problems along the U.S. border with Mexico.
In
back-to-back moves this week, the Pentagon began exploring ways to lend
support at the Southern border, while the House on Thursday voted to
allow the Homeland Security Department in limited cases to use soldiers
in that region.
At the Pentagon, Paul McHale, the assistant
secretary of defense for homeland defense, asked officials to offer
options for the use of military resources and troops -- particularly
the National Guard -- along the border with Mexico, according to
defense officials familiar with the discussions.
The officials,
who requested anonymity because the matter has not been made public,
said there were no details yet on a defense strategy.
Thursday's
House vote allowed Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to assign military
personnel under certain circumstances to help the Homeland Security
Department with border security. The vote was 252-171, and the
provision was added to a larger military measure. [snip]
