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The two men, who were visiting troops and sites where the Department of Homeland Security had sought Pentagon assistance to combat drug trafficking, were presented with various capabilities of the CBP, including surveillance vehicles. vehicles, ATVs, horses and weapons at the Monument 3 site in New York. Mexico, according to a pool report.
But in addition to observing border security capabilities, Shanahan launched a "PLS pepper bullets" – shortly after, Dunford fired an "FN303". According to officials, the "FN303" is similar to the device launched by Shanahan, but with more kinetic energy.
According to CNN, Military Analyst, Ret. Cédric Cedric Leighton, these devices are primarily intended for the control of riots and "designed to fire non-lethal shells on a crowd".
"The pepper ball launching systems are usually designed so that they can be pulled in the direction of a crowd, but not (initially) directly into the crowd or to an individual," Leighton explained by email. "If the situation escalates and an individual lodges a complaint against a law enforcement officer, he may react by shooting the pitcher with pepper balls, without seriously wounding or killing him."
But it is somewhat unusual to see the Acting Secretary of Defense and the Joint Chief of Staff issuing weapons, given the message she could send on the US position.
During his visit to the south-western border today, General Dunford attended briefings and attended demonstrations by CBP officials detailing current border control efforts. at the demonstration of a CBP officer who proudly used his equipment (in this case, paint ball), he offered General Dunford the chance to try it, that's what he did, "said Dunford spokesman, Colonel Patrick S. Ryder.
"Apart from routine weapons skills, I can not say that I've ever seen leaders of this level shoot with real weapons," said a diplomatic and military analyst at CNN. Rear Admiral John Kirby said in an email that the incident was "not the best optics".
"It sounds like an effort to be polite with their hosts, I guess it's fine, but I hope they understand the message that it probably sends," said Kirby, who said also served as spokesperson to the former president of the Joint Chiefs Admiral Mike Mullen. "Our troops are not playing a repressive role and the politics of this mission are already causing great concern, and such images will not help to allay these fears."
Leighton also noted that this was "a bit unusual" and said, "They could have just been familiar with what CBP has in its arsenal or determined whether weapons should be distributed to military personnel while they are deployed on the southern border. "
"This last situation would raise many questions because it would imply a greater role for the military on the Mexican border than what is currently authorized," he said.
However, Lt. Col. Joseph Buccino, a spokesman for Shanahan, disputed the fact that this action represented something bigger and stated that there was "no wider message" .
"During today's reconnaissance of the southern border to determine CBP's support needs, Acting Secretary Shanahan has been briefed on the capabilities of her agents." Part of this meeting, a CBP officer introduced the equipment and then offered the secretary an opportunity "hands on" the equipment, "said Buccino.
Barbara Starr, Tammy Kupperman and Veronica Stracqualursi from CNN contributed to this report.
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