While the details of this incident are fuzzy at best, I think the following in is pretty clear. A group of armed uniformed subjects crossed the border from Mexico, into Arizona. This group of armed uniformed subjects engaged a group of Arizona National Guardsmen. The Guradsmen for what ever reason, lack of ammo, lack of weapons, higher orders whatever retreated. There has been debate about using the Guard for law enforcement, I don't see as that is relevent to this incident. These Guardsmen were manning a border security point and they were attacked by a uniformed force from another Country, that is not law enforcement, that is an invasion. The fact that they were forced to retreat is an abomination, in this particular case with the circumstances that have been given, they should have been able to bring the full weight of the American Military Machine to bear on these folks if their rifles and machineguns could solve the problem a little artillery and tac air surely would have. If we do not trust these folks enough to put them out there with their weapns and ammo then they are certainly not trustworthy enough to protect this Nation and they shouldn't be there. The bottom line is whoever made the decision to put them there was afraid of a political scene. We have put Americans in harms weigh enough worrying about a political scene. If you are not willing to let them do their job, and keep in mind a solidiers job is to kill the enemy and destroy their infrastructure then leave them at home with their families. This appears to be a totally seperate issue from illegal imimigration but it will become clouded by that issue. I don't care if you are the National Guard, Border Patrol, or Rancher Ron, if you are fired upon you have the right to shoot back. Politics aside, it is foolish to send these folks down there and tell them now if someone shoots at you just run away, fortunately this time they were able to next time they may not be able to and there the politicans will have killed more Americans because they are to concerned with being politically correct. I can only imagine how those poor Gaurdsmen must feel, here they are warriors and their commanders will not allow them to engage the threat and then it is plastered all over the news that they retreated. What kind of impact is that going to have on them? I think people need to let them know that it is not their fault that the powers that be will not allow them to do what they are trained, willing and able to do.