Thursday, March 19, 2009

US media, leaders, refocusing on Mexico in wake of cartel violence

It seems like the national media is just now, finally, catching on that feuds between transnational drug cartels and the Mexican government have become a bigger, immediate security problem for America than anything happening in the Middle East. Here are several recent items that indicate the media and US leaders are thinking more seriously about the issue than at any time in recent memory:
  • Drug cartels' new weaponry means war," LA Times, March 15. "Narcotics traffickers are acquiring firepower more appropriate to an army -- including grenade launchers and antitank rockets."
  • Houston's underworld connection with Mexican drug cartels, The New Criminologist, March 16. "'Right now, we know Texas [is] the number one source of weapons smuggled into Mexico, most of them coming from Houston and Dallas,' says, Special-Agent-in-Charge, Dewey Webb, of ATF (Alcohol Tobacco Firearms)."
  • The Evolution of Los Zetas, Mexidata.info, Sam Logan, March 16. "Many journalists and analysts who write about Los Zetas still refer to this group as the enforcement branch of the Gulf Cartel. This was a true description when the original 31 Special Forces soldiers abandoned the Mexican military to protect a young, upcoming leader of the Gulf Cartel, Osiel Cardenas Guillen. But today the Zetas have evolved into a separate entity with its own agenda. And it doesn't take orders from the Gulf Cartel."
  • How to stop the drug wars, The Economist, March 4. "Prohibition has failed; legalisation is the least bad solution," reads the subhed.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Texas prison gangs are the ones who control the drugs on this side of the border. When are they going to focus attention on controlling our prisons and stopping the Texas Syndicate, Mexican Mafia, HPL, Barrio Azteca, and other violent Texas prison based gangs from controlling the flow of drugs on the US side of the border.

It appears the Texas Legislature could care less about stopping these organized groups at the source, our Texas prisons.

Anonymous said...

Take away prison gang member rights. Do not allow them to have any contact outside the prison walls.

Anonymous said...

Anon - An your support for your assertions is ???

On THIS side of the border, the problem is the same as on THAT side of the border. ....
And it is NOT the prison gangs.

But here, potential competition & rats goes to prison. That's not as effective in Mexico so there are executions and gun battles in the street.

For Anon 2 - Human Rights cannot be "taken away". If it can be "taken", then it is not a "right", but a privilege. The purpose for creating Law is to SECURE Human Rights, so that they will not be reduced to a "privilege" a owner and his slave-masters can "take" or "grant".

Anonymous said...

Anon 3 this is not an assertion. It is a fact. I've been on the frontlines working in law enforcement in south Texas and have worked in the prisons for the last 15 years.

The Gulf Coast Drug Cartel is not that active on the US side of the border. Their body count on the US side of the border does not come anywhere near what Texas based gangs have caused.

If you have kept up with border events you would know that over 20 deaths in Mexico a week ago were the result of violence caused by the Texas based prison gang Barrio Azteca. Google it in and find out for yourself. Don't question my due diligence when you have not researched this area yourself.

Anonymous said...

And, if Obama gets his way, you will not have guns or ammo to protect you self or your family from these gang thugs, so involved in drugs. Stand up for your rights, before they are all taken away.

Anonymous said...

9:54 say what?