Agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean Preparing To Report To Prison
DOBBS: Russia today admitted it has defied the United States and sold sophisticated anti-aircraft missiles to Iran. Russian defense minister Sergei Ivanov said that Russia is prepared to sell even more weapons to Iran and plans to do so. Russian officials said Moscow has supplied to Iran with 29 missile systems for defensive purposes, as they put it. Iran is believed to be using the missiles to defend its nuclear weapons facilities. The United States is also supplying military equipment to Iran, however, because of bungling and incompetence in the Defense Department. Federal investigators now say the Pentagon has sold surplus U.S. military equipment to middlemen representing some of our most dangerous adversaries. We have literally been, it turns out, arming our enemies. Bill Tucker reports.</s>BILL TUCKER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The United States retired the F-14 Tomcat fighter plane program last year, leaving a surplus of parts necessary to maintain those planes stockpiled. Only one air force in the world still flies the F-14, Iran. Repeatedly, brokers have purchased parts for the F-14 at surplus auctions with the intention of shipping them to Iran, only to be arrested. But not everyone gets caught. Investigators for the Government Accountability Office successfully bought parts for the F- 14 over the Internet using fake identities.</s>GREG KUTZ, GAO SPEC. INVESTIGATIONS: We actually, in the time we did our July 2006 study, identified 79 buyers, not us, but 79 other buyers that purchased over 2,600 sensitive military items that were not supposed to be sold to the public. Law enforcement sources tells CNN they have no doubt that contraband shipments have made it into the hands of Iran, China and even terrorist organizations. DOD says that it is confident with its procedures, and that, "We will continue to monitor our policies and procedures to ensure no excess military items fall into unauthorized hands."</s>JOHN PIKE, GLOBALSECURITY.ORG: They're clearly people who are cashing government paychecks who are not doing their job properly.</s>TUCKER: Congress and the GAO have tried numerous times to sound the alarm bells about the waste and vulnerability of the program.</s>REP. CHRISTOPHER SHAYS (R), CONNECTICUT: We're selling inventory that we're still buying. And we're selling it on pennies on the dollar. And then we're selling to people that we don't even know who they are. We are, in essence, funding Iran. We're funding China. We're funding jihad on the cheap</s>TUCKER: The final irony is, this is a program that was created to save taxpayers money by selling unnecessary military equipment.</s>TUCKER: Now, Shays says there are improvements that have been made since the last GAO study in July. But he asked, why is it that Sam's Club can tell you within minutes what a product sold and where, and why can't the military be as efficient with its inventory, Lou, and as protective of its sensitive technology?</s>DOBBS: The Pentagon is perhaps the answer. And a general staff that doesn't know what it's doing, either in fighting a war or in running an organization. It's the only conclusion possible. Bill Tucker, thank you very much. Former Border Patrol agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean tonight are preparing to report to prison. The two men were convicted of shooting a Mexican drug smuggler, partly on the testimony of the smuggler, who was given full immunity by the Justice Department to testify against the agents. Casey Wian reports -- Casey.</s>CASEY WIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Lou, there's still no word tonight from U.S. district Judge Kathleen Cardone (ph) on the request by former Border Patrol agents Jose Compean and Ignacio Ramos to remain out of prison while their convictions are appealed. The agents are scheduled to surrender to U.S. marshals in El Paso, Texas, tomorrow afternoon, to begin serving 11 and 12-year sentences. Their convictions for shooting and wounding an illegal alien Mexican drug smuggler has sparked nationwide protests. Fifty-five members of Congress and nearly a quarter of a million Americans have signed letters and petitions demanding a presidential pardon for the agents. Texas Congressman Ted Poe, who served 22 years as a felony court judge in Texas, says he's never seen a case like this.</s>REP. TED POE (R), TEXAS: The reason the members of Congress and 250,000 people have asked for a pardon in this case is because these border agents are in a war zone. They're protecting our southern border. They're trying to keep the drug dealers out of the country. They were doing their job. There's a conflict on what happened down there on the border, but they're just doing their job and they were prosecuted for that.</s>WIAN: Congressman Poe also criticized President Bush for pardoning more than 100 criminals while he's been in office but so far not the Border Patrol agents. I spoke with Agent Ramos earlier today, and Lou, I must say, it was absolutely heartbreaking. These men vow to keep fighting for justice from prison if necessary, but they are devastated now that they are just hours away from being separated from their families, possibly for more than a decade -- Lou.</s>DOBBS: And no indication that this White House and this president's attorney general are going to respond in any way to the entreaties of the U.S. Congress?</s>WIAN: Absolutely no indications. The only good news they got is that the attorney general's office did not oppose the request to remain free on bail while their case is appealed. Supporters of the agents took some hope that that might result in a positive outcome. But so far, we haven't seen it -- Lou.</s>DOBBS: And any -- any indication that the judge in this case will intervene?</s>WIAN: No indication at all. We just don't know. We've called the judge's office. The judge's chambers say they will have absolutely no comment, nothing they can say. No idea whether there's even going to be a ruling. There's a possibility she just may not even act on this motion -- Lou.</s>DOBBS: Well, the federal prosecutors in this case, in the office of Johnny Sutton, the U.S. attorney general there in Texas, the federal judge, this president, and this attorney general, in my opinion, have a lot of explaining to do and a great deal, in point of fact, to be ashamed of. Casey, thank you very much.</s>WIAN: OK.</s>DOBBS: Casey Wian. If you'd like to voice your views on agents Ramos and Compean, you can contact the White House directly at comments@whitehouse.gov, or the attorney general at askdoj@usdoj.gov. If you prefer to make a phone call, you can reach the White House switchboard at 202-456-1414. Ask for the White House comment line. The attorney general's office can be reached at 202-514-2001. All of this information, direct routes to your elective representative, your congressmen and your senators, can be found at our Web site, at LouDobbs.com. Easy access and reference directly to your congressman or your senator in your state. The new House majority leader, Steny Hoyer, is once again blasting plans for that 700-mile fence on the border with Mexico. Congressman Hoyer voted against legislation authorizing that fence last year, and tonight he says the whole idea, in his words, will be revisited. Hoyer said the matter would be taken up in Appropriations and added that the Bush administration is not enthusiastic about the fence either. We knew that, Mr. Hoyer. Coming up next here, Congress may finally do away with the practice that's put millions of taxpayer dollars into the hands of corporations and hundreds of thousands of jobs taken away from working Americans. We'll have that report. Potential jurors answering questions about their views on the Bush administration in the CIA leak trial of former vice presidential aide Scooter Libby. That report. And severe winter storms continue to batter the Midwest and Northeast. Dozens have now died. Hundreds of thousands tonight still without power. We'll have the latest for you. Stay with us.