WASHINGTON – Republican Senator John McCain called Thursday for deploying more US National Guard troops to the southern US border to contain violence spilling over from Mexico's fight with drug cartels.
"I support sending National Guard troops to assist with securing our southern border and stemming the flow of violence spilling over into the United States," the Arizona lawmaker said in a statement.
McCain cited requests by Arizona Governor Jan Brewer and Texas Governor Rick Perry for help from Washington amid a "continued escalation of violence" as a result of Mexico's drug war.
Brewer wrote US Defense Secretary Robert Gates on March 11 asking for 250 more specialized National Guard anti-drug agents.
Perry asked Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano in late February for 1,000 more National Guard and six helicopters equipped for night operations.
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