Mexican gunmen force National Guard to retreat on border.

In an incident that could have turned deadly, a four-man National Guard unit serving near the Arizona-Mexico border was forced on January 3 to retreat before a larger group of armed Mexicans that was attempting to flank and surround them. The Bush administration, in keeping with its past performance on armed incursions from Mexico, has attempted to play down the seriousness of the occurrence. Initially, it said that the intruders had only come within 100 yards of the Guard unit and that the Guard had not retreated. However, a summary military report, released by Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano on January 19, says that at least one of the gunmen, armed with an automatic weapon, came within 35 feet of the U.S. soldiers.

"As the group approached, and while under observation of the Guardsmen, the group split into two groups to surround the site," the report states. According to the Associated Press, the report states that the Guardsmen "then began to withdraw to avoid a confrontation. As the troops were loading their gear into their vehicle, one of the armed men approached within 10 meters." After loading the vehicle and driving away, as per their orders, the Guardsmen called Border Patrol agents, who tracked the intruders back to the border but were unable to find them.

Foxnews.com cited unnamed "Border Patrol sources in Tucson" who described the event as "a tense, armed confrontation, with both sides lifting their assault rifles to shoulder height." The Fox sources say "12 men assaulted the Guard position, dressed in black tactical vests and khaki military style fatigues.... Surrounded, outmanned and outgunned, the four Guardsmen made a 'tactical retreat' to their Humvee."