Rick Perry, what took you so long?

Texas Governor Rick Perry will reportedly announce today that he's activating 1,000 members of the Texas National Guard, and will deploy them as additional enforcement along the border in the Rio Grande Valley.

Is a 1,000 member contingent large enough to be an effective force?

And will it be properly equipped, and allowed to return fire, if fired upon from the Mexican side of the border? The Border Patrol last week reported taking fire from "heavy caliber" weapons.

In another time: U.S. troops on the border in 1916.