This is the most comprehensive story of F&F that I've read so far
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepu...ious-fall.html
There is a lot to digest in this article - its more like a book now. But one thing that struck me was the pressure Mexican President Felipe Calderón was exerting on the U.S. which seemingly translated into a lot of pressure on BATFE to stop the flow of weapons south.