PLAN FOR U.S. TROOPS TO PATROL MEXICAN BORDER DRAWS FIRE

PHOENIX (AP) -- A congressional plan to put U.S. troops on the Southwest
border to battle drugs and illegal immigrants is drawing fire from Gov. Jane
Hull and other officials along both sides of the border.

The U.S. House plan would authorize the military to be dispatched to join
with civilian law enforcement agencies to prevent the entry of "terrorists,
drug traffickers and illegal aliens" into the United States.

The plan was attached by an Ohio congressman to a $270 billion defense
budget bill approved by the House last month. The defense bill will be
considered by the U.S. Senate this summer -- possibly as soon as next week.

In a recent letter to Arizona Sen. John McCain, Hull wrote that the prospect
of armed, uniformed soldiers patrolling the streets of border towns "creates
a terrifying image that threatens our very nature as a peaceful nation."

Hull also said in the letter that the state had worked for years to
strengthen its relationship with the neighboring Mexican state of Sonora.

"Permission to militarize the border is unnecessary and antagonistic to a
country that is working to overcome the many challenges of a developing
nation," Hull wrote. "It is a confrontational action that will gravely
impact relations between the United States and Mexico. "

The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors also sent a letter to McCain
questioning why such a move would be considered "where many Santa Cruz
County families share commerce, work, play and have family relatives in a
connected society."

The plan is opposed by the Pentagon and Gen. Barry McCaffrey, the national
drug czar. The proposal could come up Monday when McCaffrey meets with
Arizona mayors, journalists and law enforcement officials about his crusade
against drugs.

The plan is "an affront to our relationship with Mexico, and it wouldn't
work," said Jim McDonough, a top McCaffrey strategist. "We could line up
every division we have in the U.S. Army and the Marine Corps put together,
and you couldn't cover that border."

McCaffrey's office said the nation needs a single person to coordinate all
of the border drug-control efforts now handled by 10 agencies which act like
rivals. Many agencies can't even agree on simple tasks -- such as inspecting
cars for drugs.

The government spent $1.7 billion in the last fiscal year that ended in
October on drug-fighting efforts along the 2,000-mile border.

Rep. James Traficant, D-Ohio, said his amendment would not deploy troops,
but merely authorize the Pentagon to do so if requested by the U.S. attorney
general or Treasury secretary. The troops would provide support for the
Border Patrol and other agencies.

"The border is a national security issue, and, by God, the Congress of the
United States better start securing our borders," said Rep. James Traficant,
D-Ohio, the proposal's author, in a speech on the House floor.

For now, Mexican officials are waiting for Congress' next move.

Jesus Reyes-Heroles, Mexico's ambassador to the U.S., called it typical
election-year posturing and said, "I'm sure that we will get more
initiatives that are contrary to U.S.-Mexico interests.

Rob Daniels, a spokesman for the U.S. Border Patrol in Tucson, warns that
there could be many problems in a combined effort by the Border Patrol and
military.

"The jobs and training are awfully different," Daniels said. "But if we do
get help, it couldn't be coming at a better time. There hasn't been a time
in recent memory when it's been more violent on our border. "

All of the Arizona representatives voted against the measure except
Republican Reps. Matt Salmon and John Shadegg, whose districts are in the
Phoenix-area.

The military already performs a border function, including intelligence. The
Air Force operates aerostats looking for planes, and the National Guard
helps unload trucks so they can be inspected at the border.

Checked-by: Melodi Cornett