It is a politically incorrect thing to say but I'm going to say it anyway. Mexico is our enemy.
Drug desperadoes are, in effect, running that country now and have rendered the Mexican government nearly impotent. It's gotten so bad, for example, that the Mayor of Juarez has fled his country in fear, along with his entire family. They've moved to America! Just how Mayor Jose Reyes Ferriz plans to govern from El Paso, Texas is not known. His safety now rests squarely on the shoulders of the El Paso Police Department.
What a metaphor for our problem with Mexico!
A quick history: In 2000, when President Vicente Fox took office he promptly arrested and jailed the leaders of Mexico's drug cartels. Biting off the head of the snake didn't work as planned. The gangs have been fighting each other for territory ever since.
In 2006, when Felipe Calderon became Mexico's President he tried to regain control. But Calderon's soldiers and police have been overwhelmed. There have been an astounding number of mob murders, kidnappings-for-ransom and assassinations of government officials ever since. More than 5,700 people lost their lives to Mexico's drug violence last year. Some were Americans simply visiting the country.
Now, Mexico's massive crime wave is spilling across our border in tsunami-like fashion, flooding our country with ruthless criminals who aren't just illegally entering the U.S., they are, literally, like crime-on-the-hoof, crossing our border in the most brazen fashion and committing bloody criminal acts.
Mexico's problem has become our problem in a big way. A recent report from the U.S. Joint Forces Command lumps Mexico and Pakistan together as being at risk of "rapid and sudden collapse." The retiring CIA chief, Michael Hayden, says Mexico could rank right next to Iran and Iraq as the biggest challenge for President Obama. Our Justice Department says Mexican gangs are "the biggest organized crime threat to the United States."
Hello? Is anyone in Washington listening? Is anyone coming up with a workable, consolidated plan to counter this threat and keep us safe? I suggest one great place to start is trying to curb U.S. gun dealers from selling arms to Mexican cartel assassins. Mexican authorities say the bulk of the weapons they've seized came from America.
During a recent trip to California a law enforcement officer I know warned me about going anywhere near the border area. "Whatever you do -- do not go to San Diego," he told me. "It isn't safe."
Phoenix, Arizona has now been declared the "Kidnap Capitol" of America. More kidnappings-for-ransom and bloody home invasions happen there than any other U.S. city. Almost every case is connected to Mexican drug smuggling. University students in Arizona are being warned not to take Spring Break across the border.
In New Mexico, drugs from the cartel stream in to major cities like Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Farmington severely straining police departments already struggling with budget cuts.
In Nevada last year, 6 year old Cole Puffinburger was kidnapped by Mexican gang members. They really wanted little Cole's grandfather who had apparently run away with millions of their drug dollars. The boy was ultimately found unharmed but the brazen gunmen got away. The episode sent a shock wave through Vegas, some 400 miles inland from the U.S/Mexican border.
In Laredo, Texas, several Americans who crossed the border into Nuevo Laredo to shop or dine have never returned. They simply disappeared into the drug fueled vortex of crime that's sucking the life out of so many innocent people.
And in Florida, a recent quadruple murder trial was held in the brutal killings of an entire family. Prosecutors say the parents owed $187,000 to a Mexican drug cartel. The Mexican assassins who came for them apparently considered their 3 and 4 year old boys as mere collateral damage.
The wicked facts speak for themselves. Crime is the major export our neighbor to the south sends us -- every day -- whether we like it or not. And as Mexico continues to be hit by the worldwide economic crisis, as their supply of fresh, sweet crude oil continues to be depleted and thus the outside money they get for it, the situation will only get worse.
When does America do something concrete about this?
We've debated immigration policy, borderline fences and beefed up border patrols. We've discussed de-criminalizing drugs to deprive the gangs their profit and we have poured millions of drug fighting dollars into Mexico. Still the violence comes. And we let it.
In December America gave Mexico $197 million to help fight the drug cartels. In January we gave them $99 million more with a promise to keep up the payments. This is not the "change" we were promised. This is just more business as usual.
Our country is under attack by another country. If there was ever a time to call out the National Guard and have them stand shoulder-to-shoulder at the U.S./Mexican border until the threat is lessened it is now.
And, if you're planning a vacation -- I'd stay out of Mexico.
Diane Dimond's web site is: www.DianeDimond.net -- Write her at: Diane@DianeDimond.net
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So we should continue to militarize against those poor, jobless and hopeless people? And we should continue to finance their corrupt politicians and help the American corporations which have been taking control of the country's resources for years, with bribes to those same politicians? At the same time, we're keeping our own weapons suppliers afloat.
Calderon mentioned legalizing drugs recently, but has stopped talking about that, probably because it would mean the end of bribes and the end of US military toys as gifts.
End the Drug War. It's stupid, it's unjust, it's outrageously expensive and it's destabilizing a good portion of the entire world. It's become an industry that is much like Big Tobacco. It's too powerful to be swept away easily, but until this stupidity is ended the cost will continue to rise to everyone's sorrow.
I couldn't agree with you more. The Mexican government, for years, has turned a blind eye towards the U.S. while sanctioning a continuing invasion of our country by its citizens. Disregard for the laws, those of Mexico as well as those of the U.S., is a common denominator on both sides of the border by these invaders. In So. Cal. street gangs are an overflowing menace, flooding our communities with drugs and violence. It is evident that Mexico has no intention of making any definitive move to stem this abhorrent tide. I respectfully submit that it is incumbent on the Mexican people to unify, organize and fight for the establishment of a government of, by and for the people (like we did in this country). Flocking over the fence because the grass is greener on the other side is a weak, tepid perspective on resolving their national issues. We are losing a way of life here, timidly pressing 1 in order to proceed in English in our own country. Aside from the inundation of drugs and violence in our communities, our social services system is overburdened and closing, our wages are being suppressed and our education system is being dumbed-down in order to accommodate these invaders. There is no doubt about it, we, as a culture, are being attacked physically, economically, socially and culturally. If there was ever a time to call out the National Guard it is now.
The leaves of the cottonwoods hung motionless
As outside the walls Santa Anna's horde closed in.
A small band of Texans watched and waited
Preoccupied by combat and how life would end.
The battle raged from building to building
Till the old mission's chapel was the last to fall.
Over 180 Texans died fighting to the man
Never to yield, surrender or crawl.
Six weeks later Sam Houston rallied his forces
With "Remember the Alamo" as their battle cry.
Attacking and defeating Santa Anna's army
To win independence for Texas or die.
The Spanish word for "cottonwood" is "Alamo"
The long time popular name for the mission.
Today the stout-walled old chapel still stands
Preserved as a shrine of sacrifice and tradition.
By Conservative Poet
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So, in other words if all the American gun sources dried up and all American drug addicts were miraculously healed the Mexican cartels would simply start behaving themselves?
I can't go for blaming others for the criminal misdeeds of an identified group. Gee, maybe their Mommy's did cuddle them enough either. ~DD
The border towns are definitely places to stay away from. That is where most of the drug activity is taking place, for obvious reasons... they are very accessible to the United States.
But there are many places in Mexico that are beautiful, and safe, and are far away from the drug cartel activity.
I have a relative that lives down in the Guanajato area. I feel safe when I am there. I have also been to a couple of border towns, where I did not feel safe. There are certain parts of Washington D.C., New Orleans, Boston and New York where I don't feel safe, either. But I don't advise everyone to avoid the country. That would be ignorant and irresponsible, don't you think?
No, I think that would be prudent. If some place - any place - doesn't feel safe, if there are warnings galore about it I would think the smart thing to do would be to stay away from it.
None of the American cities you mention have crime anywhere near what's being reported in certain spots in Mexico. ~ DD
End the war on drugs, end the violence--it's that simple, and until shortsighted, conservative-minded drug policy Luddites like you get that through your thick skulls nothing is likely to change, even though the majority of Americans would gladly end the war on drugs tomorrow.
I think you should go to Mexico and see if you can get a clue while you're there....
I grew up in New Mexico. I've been to Mexico a lot. Frankly, I care more about what happens in my country when the violence spills over the border.
And I encourage you to read my response comments above. The Mexican violence is somehow AMERICA'S FAULT? If all drug addicts were cured and gun shops closed up you think the cartel would stop its actions and spend its time in church?
Get a clue. .... they'd just cross the border and rob our banks or kidnap wealthy Americans for ransom. ~ DD
Drugs use to be a friendly mom & pop, hippie type operation. Every escalation in the War on Drugs that is initiated by the U.S. has been met with a like response from those protecting their interests. In economic times like this, is this really the time to be throwing more and more money down the drain? Or is it time to start being smart and laying seige to the cartels. Starve them of their money and everything else will fall into place. This can be done with the stroke of a pen. Legalization costs a lot less than the $60+ Billion we spend every year on this.
The obvious answer is legalization. If you take all the profit out of the business, there will be nothinhg to fight for. With no drug profits, they will not be able to afford the expensive wepons. Why can't we just give this alternitive a try. It certainly can't do any more harm than the current situation. Come on people give it a chance!!!
but I still don't think you can blame the Mexican eruption of bloody violence on American dopers. Its borne out of that country''s own poverty, unemployment and hopelessness. America can't solve all the worlds problems. We have too many of our own. ~ DD