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Blaming the United States for Mexico's problems
Read the transcript of the entire interview
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,510916,00.html
VAN SUSTEREN: Well, the issue with the weapons, some people thought, you know, Is that sort of a -- a sort of a hidden agenda, sort of like a gun control. I tell you one thing, that we looked into it. We talked to some ATF sources. And they're hardly, you know, the liberal wing of the Democratic Party.
(LAUGHTER)
VAN SUSTEREN: And they desperately need more funding because they have some presence here in Mexico under the agreement, and every time that there is a bust here of huge weapons, they track down where these weapons are from. They go in there with the cooperation of the Mexicans. And the ATF has told us these weapons, these automatic weapons that go right through these -- you know, right through police officers here, are coming from the United States.
CLINTON: There's no doubt about it. And you know, Greta, I remember 15 years ago, the reason the assault weapons ban was passed is because police chiefs in America begged for it. They said, I'm sending my guys out onto the street, they're being outgunned. The criminals, the gang members, they have automatic weapons, military assault rifles. Get them off the street. Give our guys a fighting chance.
And there's no doubt in my mind that the 10 years we had an assault weapons ban in America was one of the tools that helped to drive down the crime rate. And we've been really fortunate. We changed our policing techniques, which we're sharing with the Mexicans. We put in more technology, which we're advising the Mexicans about. But getting those assault weapons off the streets was really helpful. We also began to better arm our own police.
But if Americans will just think back, those of us old enough to remember, what it was like 15, 20 years ago when our own police were facing those assault weapons, and now, unfortunately, the Mexican police are.
So we have to take our share of the responsibility because they're bought by straw purchasers. They are smuggled across the border. And then they are used to, as you point out, you know, kill a brave policewoman who was doing her job.
VAN SUSTEREN: And it's the ATF here who told us, We need help. You know, it's not the Mexicans, it's our people here in New Mexico that told us...
CLINTON: Well, and the ATF guys are doing everything they can do, but we want to give them some more authority. You know, they need some help tracking down the illegal guns and where they came from. And we've got to give them, you know, more authority. You know, if you're the strongest pro-gun person in America, you have to stop and ask yourself, OK, we want those guns in our country. But another country just across our border has different laws. So why should we be the source of their problems?
If we want to have them in our country, fine. That's -- you know, that's for us to decide. But the Mexican police and people have decided they don't want them in their country, and we're facilitating by our inability to stop the illegal sale and smuggling of these guns.
Blaming the United States for Mexico's problems
Read the transcript of the entire interview
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,510916,00.html
VAN SUSTEREN: Well, the issue with the weapons, some people thought, you know, Is that sort of a -- a sort of a hidden agenda, sort of like a gun control. I tell you one thing, that we looked into it. We talked to some ATF sources. And they're hardly, you know, the liberal wing of the Democratic Party.
(LAUGHTER)
VAN SUSTEREN: And they desperately need more funding because they have some presence here in Mexico under the agreement, and every time that there is a bust here of huge weapons, they track down where these weapons are from. They go in there with the cooperation of the Mexicans. And the ATF has told us these weapons, these automatic weapons that go right through these -- you know, right through police officers here, are coming from the United States.
CLINTON: There's no doubt about it. And you know, Greta, I remember 15 years ago, the reason the assault weapons ban was passed is because police chiefs in America begged for it. They said, I'm sending my guys out onto the street, they're being outgunned. The criminals, the gang members, they have automatic weapons, military assault rifles. Get them off the street. Give our guys a fighting chance.
And there's no doubt in my mind that the 10 years we had an assault weapons ban in America was one of the tools that helped to drive down the crime rate. And we've been really fortunate. We changed our policing techniques, which we're sharing with the Mexicans. We put in more technology, which we're advising the Mexicans about. But getting those assault weapons off the streets was really helpful. We also began to better arm our own police.
But if Americans will just think back, those of us old enough to remember, what it was like 15, 20 years ago when our own police were facing those assault weapons, and now, unfortunately, the Mexican police are.
So we have to take our share of the responsibility because they're bought by straw purchasers. They are smuggled across the border. And then they are used to, as you point out, you know, kill a brave policewoman who was doing her job.
VAN SUSTEREN: And it's the ATF here who told us, We need help. You know, it's not the Mexicans, it's our people here in New Mexico that told us...
CLINTON: Well, and the ATF guys are doing everything they can do, but we want to give them some more authority. You know, they need some help tracking down the illegal guns and where they came from. And we've got to give them, you know, more authority. You know, if you're the strongest pro-gun person in America, you have to stop and ask yourself, OK, we want those guns in our country. But another country just across our border has different laws. So why should we be the source of their problems?
If we want to have them in our country, fine. That's -- you know, that's for us to decide. But the Mexican police and people have decided they don't want them in their country, and we're facilitating by our inability to stop the illegal sale and smuggling of these guns.