Yesterday, a car bomb attack killed three people in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. In case you don't know, Ciudad Juarez is located on the US-Mexican border across from El Paso, Texas. Not only does this represent a new tactic in the cartel wars in Mexico, not only does this add to the incredible bloodshed going on in that city, it underlines the urgent reasons why we must secure our border with Mexico.
As one who is married to a Mexican, I grieve for the innocent citizens of Mexico who have to live with this terroristic situation -especially on the border areas. I hope that the Mexican government can defeat these vicious criminals by whatever means is necessary. If that means carrying out a guerra sucia (dirty war) I don't much care how its done as long as it doesn't provide a cover for innocent people to disappear-as happened in Chile and Argentina.
Yet, while I hope for President Calderon to eliminate the cartels, the primary focus for our country is to prevent this horrific violence from spilling over onto our own territory.
It already has. Phoenix, Arizona is the capital of kidnapping in the US second in the world only to Mexico City. Now we hear reports of heads and skulls being found in the Arizona desert north of the border. We can no longer seriously deny the problem. It must be confronted, and it must be stopped. Two things must be done immediately:
1 Secure the border (double fencing and necessary personnel). If the Border Patrol is not sufficient, then bring in the National Guard and/or troops from Southwestern military installations.
2 As to those 12 million already in the country, we need to focus on the violent gang members and criminals. That requires close cooperation and sharing of intelligence between local-state and federal authorities.
Unfortunately, under this administration, that is not likely to happen.
7 comments:
I will give you 3 guesses on who taught these idiots how to build a car bomb?
IED's are next, followed by this violence crossing the border next.
Yes, another reason we need to secure that border.
The primary responsibility for the USA is to figure out how to stop funding the drug cartels with our dollars, and selling them American weapons to run their reign of terror with.
Siarlys,
It is our appetite for drugs that fuels this. Yes, weapons are being smuggled into Mexico, but they have always had enough without our help.
So, as Felipe Calderon has repeatedly pointed out to both Bush and Obama administration officials, American appetite for drugs is inflicting this damage on Mexico. So what WE need to do is to secure our borders? Maybe if we could seal off the flow of drugs and dollars, but short of that, what ARE we going to do about OUR appetite for the drugs that fuel these gangs and pay for their arsenals?
Siarlys,
Both sides are to blame.
Hey Gary, it looks like the National Guard is heading for the border. Any chance you'll post about that?
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