NPR's and Attorney General Eric Holder's amazing distortions on Mexico Crime Guns Coming from US

I have previously linked to this Fox News story: "The Myth of 90 Percent: Only a Small Fraction of Guns in Mexico Come From U.S.."

Here is the way that NPR covered the issue:

NPR'S INTRODUCTION TO THE STORY

"This is Morning Edition from NPR News. Good morning — I'm Renee Montaign and I'm Steve Inskeep.

"Americans may be concerned about illegal drugs coming from Mexico to the United States, but Mexicans are concerned about a bit of trade the other way.

"A related bit of trade. Weapons in this country are going to Mexico where they are used by drug cartels battling for control of turf.

"Homeland Security Secretary Janet Nepolitano and Attorney General Eric Holder are wrapping up a trip to Mexico this morning and discussing illegal weapons trafficking.

"NPR's Jason Beauvean reports."

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"Mexico has extremely strict gun ownership laws. Yet the nation's drug cartels have being amassing huge arsenals by buying up weapons in US gun shops, and then smuggling them south."

"During a raid on a stash house in Renoso last year, Mexican police seized almost 300 assault rifles, more than 100 pistols, a dozen submachine guns and a half a million rounds of ammunition."

"An American reporter asked Attorney General Holder about the Fox news report challenging the statistic that 90% of the guns used in Mexico's drug war come from the US."

"Holder responded: 'It almost doesn't matter if it's 60%, 70% or 90% the reality is that too many guns are flowing from the United States into Mexico.' "

"The Attorney General said the weapons, particularly the high-powered assault rifles are making it difficult for the Mexican police and military to confront the drug gangs. 'We will take responsibility for what is happening and do what we can on our side of the border to stop that flow of guns.'"

"Last week Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was here, saying that the US needs to take responsibility for its "insatiable demand for narcotics."

"Homeland Security Secretary Nepolitano on this trip said the US will spend $400 million to upgrade and improve screening for weapons and other contraband at the border."

"In Mexico there's wide-spread indignation that AK-47s, M16s and other military style firearms can be purchased legally just across the Rio Grande."

"Nepolitano was asked if the Obama administration would push for an assault weapons ban. 'We intend to go forward and believe we can go forward with the laws that we have. We're not going to wait for Congress to act or not act. Ah — but ah — the sense of emergency is with us now. So we will go with what we've got.' "

Somebody tell me how NPR could do this story without once mentioning the Fox News finding that the number was 17 percent, not 90 percent. Somebody tell me how Holder could make his "It almost doesn't matter if it's 60%, 70% or 90% the reality is that too many guns are flowing from the United States into Mexico" claim and not be challenged by the reporter.

Thanks very much to Brian O'Connor for the link and the transcript.