Alberto de la Cruz has a terrifying and depressing look at the state of affairs in Mexico these days. It is an article all should read.
The bottom line of the situation is that corruption has so pervaded Mexico’s government that no reliance can be placed upon the Mexican government’s ability to curtail the drug lords and secure peace and justice for the Mexican people. The risk to us is if Mexico completely falls apart in to drug gangs fighting for territory while no central authority is in command that we will take, first, an enormous hit to our economy (trade between the US and Mexico is massive) and then a flood of refuges fleeing the violence. Mexico’s problem is, ultimately, our problem, too.
But it is exceedingly complicated. Any attempt by the United States to project power beyond the border and assist the Mexican government in fighting the drug gangs will rub up against Mexico’s prickly national pride…they still haven’t forgotten that we took half of Mexico in 1848 and once flew our flag over Mexico City; nor have they forgotten the repeated interventions in Mexican affairs through the years. It is a point of honor, to Mexicans, to stand aloof from the United States.
And yet, we cannot allow such considerations to control our actions – we must do something positive to help the Mexican people. The first step must be to enforce our own laws – the reason the drug cartels are so powerful is that they make huge sums illegally transporting things across our border. Not just drugs, but all manner of items – and the people coming across are just another commodity in the drug lords’ operation…they loot the illegals mercilessly (and, often, rape and kill them, in to the bargain) and you can rely upon it that not a single person crosses our border without permission…they are just getting permission from the drug lords (and paying the price for that permission) rather than getting ours. Enforcing our laws so that not a single illegal person or thing can cross the border is the most important thing we can do…it will immediately cut in to drug cartel finances and thus limit their ability to buy weapons, goons and government officials.
Beyond that, we must offer whatever para-military help we can. Even if it means recruiting mercenary forces from ex-US service members of hispanic background. The main thing is to get powerful forces on the ground who will not be susceptible to either bribery or threats – and a battalion of US trained soldiers, even if not officially part of the US military, would be highly effective against the drug lord rabble. And the key to success would be to back these forces with US military assets on our side of the border – aerial support, supplies, safe havens, etc.
Whatever happens, we cannot just stand aside – the call of humanity and raw politics commands us to do something. Our friends in Mexico are suffering, and soon their suffering will come here, unless we help the Mexicans get control of the situation.
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