Posted on 08/21/2008 1:07:48 PM PDT by IntheknowGuy
Honestly we shouldn’t do anything about it. That whole peace keeping/ propping up the government thing has a tendency to make nasty problems decades later. Only thing we should be doing is increase border security so Mexico’s problem stays south of the border and let them solve it.
It’s their country, it’s their land, it’s their people, it’s their problem. Columbia’s done a pretty good job of cleaning itself up, hopefully Mexico can do the same.
I don’t know if you followed the riots and destruction in Oaxaca at the time of the Mexican presidential elections. It was pretty scary - for one thing, I suspect the left would love to do the same thing here if their golden boy loses - but it was interesting to see who was out there.
Some of them were labor union people, particularly, those fromthe teachers’ union, which has a regular strike every year that was used as an initial pretext; some were “indigenist” or native groups; and others were leftist students. However, it was basically coordinated by the “workers’ party” from Mexico City. There wre rumors of foreign involvement, but the events weren’t fully (or at least publicly) investigated once the legitimately elected president, Calderon, was able to take office and put an end to the disruption.
Frankly, I have been rather surprised that Calderon has lasted this long. He must have very good security. He’s trying to do what he can, but since just last week a number of high ranking military and police personnel were arrested for their involvement with the drug cartels (including leaking information and identities of other police), it’s clear that he’s got an uphill battle with little support.
I agree that the Middle East is important, but I think we should pay some serious attention to Mexico in particular and Latin America in general, because they are equally important. Russia is already threatening to put missiles in VZ and possibly even Cuba (shades of the 60s), and Iran has its hands all over the petroleum industry. And in the meantime, the Dems spend their time blocking aid to Colombia, undermining trade alliances, and generally getting ready to hand over our security buffer to our enemies.
Colombia didn’t improve on its own. It did it with massive help from the US after Bush got elected.
Bill Clinton virtually handed Colombia over to the drug lords and the left, forcing the Colombian government to set aside a huge internal territory for them. The left used it to launch attacks and create a terrorist power within a state.
Bush put an end to this and worked with Uribe to rebuild Colombia’s army, provide it with support in engagements with FARC and the other leftist guerrillas there, and move the country into a modern, transparent economic and legal system. The Dems fought him every step of the way, and if the Dems win the presidency this time, you can kiss Colombia goodbye.
There was a lot that went into the changes in Columbia. The biggest part was the Columbian people deciding not to put up with that crap anymore. Without that change none of the rest matters. Columbia won’t revert if Obama wins.
Currently the Mexican people seem more than willing to keep putting up with the crap. Not a good situation for somebody else to step into. These things are a lot like domestic disputes, cops hate going to domestic calls because the two fighting parties have a tendency to very quickly agree they don’t like the intervening third party even more. We’d be the intervening third party in Mexico too, and you’ll be surprised how quickly everybody agree they hate us more than each other.
They need to learn to clean their own house.
Thanks for the clarification. I did post it with -Intheknow Guy- is that sufficient? Certainly want to abide by the rules.
I like the peice about Chavez (and almost fully concur). I do think the Colombians, having the FARC on the run, bodes well for ole’ Hugo and the leftists in general. The cartels, especially in Mexico, is another thing. I feel the Army is completely fed up, and MAY (I believe they will) react aggressively.
Let’s hope you’re right.
The Oaxaca protests were not particularly violent or scary. American and European tourists and expats in Oaxaca during the protests were out and about like any other day. The protests were lead by elementary school teachers for god’s sake.
This IntheknowGuy troll is a newb sent here to get good “right wing” quotes or something nefarious, he’s pumping this forum full of shit, and people here are feeding his trolls.
I am sure that some individuals in the Mexican Army are not crooked, and are fed up. But they are hardly in the majority, and they do not have the power to overthrow the government.
Right now, I have no idea what it is. I think we should probably annex the northern states, militarize a defensible line from Veracruz to Acapulco, and let the rest go to hell, but YMMV.
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