SOLVED older sci fi short story - set in SW USA every house it's own freehold, Mexico? invades and someone nukes the invaders, local police investigate [s]

[Brian]

I was thinking James Blish, but a quick review of his bio and now I think not, but same general era?

Kind of a dig at Farnam's Freehold

[Fresno Bob]

I've read this story, the police force are more like private Texas Rangers, where they are super thin on the ground and have mutual assistance pacts with other groups. I've got a bunch of spoilers I could post, but I'm hoping what I've said jars someone else's memory, I thought it was in "Wastelands" or some other PA anthology I've read recently, but didn't see anything I recognized

[Andy]

This is Vernor Vinge's "The Ungoverned" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ungo...) which takes place between "The Peace War" and "Marooned in Realtime".

[Brian]

Yes! That's it! and right here on my shelf too

Many thanks!