Pentagon to send 5,200 troops to Southwest border

WASHINGTON: The Pentagon said on Monday it is sending 5,200 troops to the Southwest border in an extraordinary military operation orderedupjustaweekbeforemidterm elections in which President Donald Trumphasputasharpfocusoncentral American migrants moving north in slow-moving caravans that are still hundreds of miles from the US.

In an interview on Monday, Trump said the US would build “tent cities” for asylum seekers.

“We’re going to put tents up all over the place,” told Fox News Channel’s Laura Ingraham. “They’re going to be very nice and they’re going to wait and if they don’t get asylum, they get out.”

Trump denied his focus on the caravan is intended to help Republicans in next week’s midterms, saying, “This has nothing to do with elections.”

The Pentagon’s “Operation Faithful Patriot” was described by the commander of US Northern Command as an effort to help Customs and Border Protection “harden the southern border” by stiffening defenses at and near legal entry points.

Advanced helicopters will allow border protection agents to swoop down on migrants trying to cross illegally, said Air Force General Terrence O’shaughnessy.

Troops planned to bring heavy concertina wiring to unspool across open spaces between ports.

“We will not allow a large group to enter the US in an unlawful and unsafe manner,” said Kevin Mcaleenan, commissioner of Customs and Border Protection.

Eight hundred troops already are on their way to southern Texas, O’shaughnessy said, and their numbers will top 5,200 by week’s end.

Some of the troops will be armed. He SAID troops would Focus irst on TEXAS, followed by Arizona and then California.