The New York Times reported last week that up to 2,000 active duty service members were being deployed to the southern border for another political stunt, but the actual number is 3,750 according to the Pentagon.
Moreover, CNN reports that these troops will be asked to do exactly the same thing the last wave of troops was asked to do back in November -- deploy barbed wire.
(CNN)The Pentagon announced Sunday approximately 3,750 additional U.S. forces will deploy to the southwest border to provide additional support to Customs and Border Protection.
That support includes a mobile surveillance capability through the end of September 2019 as well as placing 150 miles of concertina wire between ports of entry. The Defense Department said the total active duty forces supporting CBP at the border will be approximately 4,350.
These additional units are being deployed for 90 days.
Service members who were shipped to the border back in November of 2018 were ordered to remove the wire they deployed before they were sent home in December.
Will this new wave of service members be asked to remove the wire they deploy before they return home in 90 days?
I believe House Democrats should hold hearings on these deployments and even consider cutting off funding for them in the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that must be passed later this year. We're pissing away hundreds of millions of dollars on politically-motivated deployments while damaging the environment and our international standing at the same time.