Bush Should Pardon Border Agents Ramos and Compean

Is there any limit to Bush's sucking up to the Mexican government?

Since he has been in the White House, President Bush has handed out 113 pardons--16 of those were in 2006.

A sampling of those pardoned, according to CNN:

• A man who conspired to defraud the U.S.
• Several for the distribution of cocaine
• Several more for bank fraud
• A Connecticut man, for accepting kickbacks

Absent from those year-end pardons were Border Agents Ramos and Compean. These agents were convicted of shooting Osvlado Aldrete-Davila, a drug smuggler from Mexico, and then trying to cover it up.

Aldrete was shot in the buttocks as he fled across the Rio Grande into Mexico after a confrontation with Ramos and Compean. The agents said they shot in self defense, but prosecutors charged that they had no reason to shoot at the fleeing man, who later claimed he was unarmed. (Ex-border agents sentenced for shooting smuggler--DallasNews)

Ramos said that he saw a shiny object in Aldrete-Davila's hand and thought that it was a gun; the prosecution said that he was unarmed. Who wouldn't take an admitted drug smuggler at his word?

Relatives of the smuggler had this to say:

Two of Aldrete-Davila's family members, interviewed by the Daily Bulletin in El Paso last week, said Aldrete-Davila has been smuggling drugs since he was 14 and "wouldn't move drugs unless he had a gun on him," said one. (Carter, Sara. Where is the proof? Those backing border agents want to see evidence of wrongdoing daily bulletin)

The prosecution asserted that the agents were just "out to shoot Mexicans" that day, which seems rather odd since both agents are of Hispanic background.

Because there was gunfire, the mandatory-minimum prison sentence the agents will serve is 10 years. The U.S. Probation Office in El Paso, Texas, has recommended 20 years -- 20 years away from their wives and their children, and among the type of people they've put behind bars.

As for Aldrete-Davila, he faces no charges for the 743 pounds of pot. That leaves him free to carry out his plan to sue the Border Patrol -- that is, U.S. taxpayers -- for $5 million because his civil rights were violated. What a country. (Saunders, Debra. The Border Patrol Inquisition Real Clear Politics)

Ramos, who was nominated for Border Patrol Agent of the Year in 2005, was sentenced to 11 years and a day; Compean got 12 years.

Video: Lou Dobbs Reports

More links: Father In-Law of Border Agent Ignacio ‘Nacho’ Ramos’ Speaks Out; Breaking the silence: Convicted border agent tells his story; Border agents plead for Christmas pardon; PHX: Border Supervisor David Stoddard On Agents Ramos & Compean & Immunity to a Drug Smuggler