Do Mexican Drug Cartels Pose A Bigger Threat Than The Taliban?

Liberty Juice ^ | 10/11/2010 | Chris Bounds

[ChrisBoundsTX]

Mexican drug cartels are like a malignant cancer that keeps on spreading. Mexico has spent billions of dollars on its drug war to combat the power and influence of the cartels, but when you look at the statistics it seems as if little progress has been made. Considering the dramatic impact cartels have on the United Sates, America should consider if securing our border is as important to our national security as is the war we are fighting in Afghanistan.

Mexico’s war on drugs has been ongoing since 2006, but the problem keeps getting bigger each year. So does the body count! Since Mexican President Felipe Calderon launched his campaign to crackdown on the drug cartels, nearly 28,000 people have been killed. Here is the breakdown according to Wikipedia sources:

- 62 killed in 2006

- 2837 killed in 2007

- 6844 killed in 2008

- 9635 killed in 2009

- 8152 killed in 2010

- Total killed: 27,530 (December 2006–September 2010)

That is a staggering number, yet it has received very little mainstream media attention. Compare that to the war in Afghanistan which has cost a little over 1100 American lives (and 4400 lives in the Iraq war). To make matters more concerning, Mexico’s Intelligence agency director, Guillermo Valdes, claims that some 84,000 weapons and $411 million U.S. dollars have been confiscated in the same time frame.

Most of the casualties in the drug war have been cartel members. In an effort to expand their influence and trade routes, they are constantly battling each other over territory. However, with their ample supply of money and a deadly cache of weapons, targeting outsiders to flex their muscles is hardly a concern. Here are just a few examples:

- The Los Zetas cartel is responsible for murdering 72 unarmed immigrants from Central America when they refused to go along with the gang’s extortion scheme.

- An 18 year old University of Texas student was killed when the bus he was on was hijacked by cartel members.

- Mayor Gustavo Sanchez was the cartel’s most recently government official victim, making the fifth mayor to be murdered.

- Two journalists were gunned down, sparking the newspaper to plea for a compromise in coverage for a truce.

Is that a problem America wants to see worsen in our neighboring country? Cartels may not be aggressively targeting Americans, but states that border Mexico like Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas are absolutely feeling the spillover effects of this out of control problem. That is not hard to understand when you look at the Mexican states with the most violence (most severe in red):

Image

The cartel problem in Mexico is primarily Mexico’s fault. They refuse American help and allow cartels to run freely on their side of the border. As Bill O’Reilly suggested, perhaps they believe a death toll of 28000 people is acceptable, but in America that is intolerable! America must do everything it can to prevent this cancer from continuing to spread on our side of the border while it is still containable.

The United States is spending nearly $6 billion per month on the Afghanistan war effort, which seems to be falling further and further from something that Americans can considerer victory. I certainly am not advocating a pullout in Afghanistan. That would cause a substantial power void leaving our enemies emboldened and the opportunity to rearm. But if a distant war against an enemy bent on our destruction is important enough to spend billions of dollars to fight, is securing our southern border and fighting the deadly organizations that operate openly on both sides not equally as important? Which of these enemies impose a more immediate threat to America?

Those questions are the questions Washington refuses to take seriously. Whenever solutions are presented to secure the border, it is always wrapped in a political cloud. While Washington plays political games with a serious problem, America becomes increasingly less safe. God help us if they wait until a terrorist takes advantage of our weakness while our country’s leaders squabble over trivial matters. The blood may be on their hands, but whose blood will it be that is spilt?

[Paladin2]

It’s been clear for a while that the lack of US border control has much to do with the failure of the WOD.

[wideawake]

The Mexican government does not seem to understand that as long as there are multiple cartels, the government is only their secondary target.

When one cartel is left standing, the government will be their primary target.

The Colombian government moved to defend itself - will Mexico's?

[Vaduz]

When the Drug cartels the Taliban team up (if not already)maybe just maybe congress will get off it dead useless a$$ and do something,and Santa his making toy’s now too.

[Honorary Serb]

.....Do Mexican Drug Cartels Pose A Bigger Threat Than The Taliban?......

That’s like asking whether the Huns posed a greater threat than the Visigoths.

America is beset with TWO barbarian invasions: one by muslim extremists and the other by Mexican drug cartels and illegals.

Unfortunately, we have a government in Washington that is handing us over to BOTH sets of barbarians.

When we get new, patriotic leaders, we will be able to defeat both sets of barbarians and expel them from America!!!!

[bcsco]

This is a ping list promoting Immigration Enforcement and Congressional Reform.
If you wish to be added or removed from this ping list, please contact me.

New Blood Evidence Found in Lake Pirate Attack

Deport Nicky Rally, The Whiny Illegal Alien Identity Thief Rally (pics)

Mexicans Name Suspects in Pirate Attack on American Couple

California man admits illegally working as Yemeni agent

Teen Rape Suspect Sentenced To 28 Years (Illegal 14 rapes senior citizen 64)

Feds touting National Guard mission in Arizona

Illegal Alien & Liar Nicky Diaz Sues Whitman for $6,210 –Claims Whitman... (truncated)

Reid Voted Against Law Enforcement, Supported the Rights of Illegal Aliens

This Week in California - Puff Piece Profiles Illegal Immigrant Student

Texas sheriff on Jet Skier: 'All we want ... is a body'

Mothers with immigrant housekeepers have harsh words for Whitman

The message inside Meg's maid mess

Four men arrested for illegal hunting

Lured Into a Trap, Then Tortured for Being Gay (Latin Kings gang tortures suspected gays)

Family, friends of David Hartley rally at Mexican Consulate, call for justice

Americans on a deadly pace in Mexico

Our undefended border keeps Mexican unemployment low...while our own rises to Depression levels

Mexico ID's Border Lake Suspects

Hispanic Group Angry About "Racist" Campaign Ad: Demands Apology From Sen. Vitter (R-LA)

Mayor-elect shot as hits on Mexico politicos climb

The latest Dem concern: Raul Grijalva

Border Patrol Agents’ Unions Issue Resolutions Declaring No Confidence In Obama, ICE

Muslim Brotherhood Declares War on America; Will America Notice?

A shift in messaging for Border Patrol stirs border battle debate

United States Less Favourable For Unskilled Migrants

Falcon Lake Murder: New Blood Evidence Found (Video)

Americans on a deadly pace in Mexico

YOU MUST WATCH THIS: IMPEACH OBAMA NOW..10 Latin American Nations...

Barney Frank On Illegals: No One Should Be Allowed To Work Until It's Verified They Can Vote?

Mexican officials: No suspects in Hartley death, despite reports

[rrrod]

The USA needs to demexican.

[PGalt]

No...but anti-life, anti-freedom, anti-individual crime syndicates will likely join forces.

[bgill]

Those are numbers south of the border and any red blooded American with a half an ounce of sense should know better than to cross the border now days so their fate is in their own hands. I want numbers of US citizens killed by illegals on this side of the border. And not just killed by drug cartels, but DUI, gunshot, physical beating, etc. For each and every American citizen harmed or killed by an illegal is more blood on our congressmen’s hands.

[stephenjohnbanker]

B U M P

[SwinneySwitch]

Ping!

[SwinneySwitch]

ping

[Cindy]

OPINION:

War is war.
Terrorism is terrorism.
Threats are threats.

Each threat should be addressed adequately.

Are they being addressed adequately?
The answer is obvious.

[Molon Labbie]

500,000 documented, armed and violence prone Latino gang members who owe their allegiance to various drug cartels, who are but one charismatic leader away from consolidation and La Revolucion’?

I think the answer is pretty clear.

They terrorize daily and in the long run have cost us more in blood and treasure.

If La Raza ever goes mainstream, these guys are going to be the foot soldiers.

[FlyingEagle]

Thanks for the ping— This Houston Chronicle article says there are 10,000 (TEN THOUSAND!) Houston area gang members in 225 gangs connected to 446 drug trafficking organizations. 50% of gangster arrests are drug-related.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7240745.html

It is here already. These figures are just the tip of the iceberg.

[Grimmy]

The cartels are just the latest problem with Mexico.

For so long as Mexico maintains the corruption and incompetence of a medieval feudal system, Mexico will continue to breed ever bloodier internal fights. Some will be “revolutions” with said revolutions simply attempting to impose a newer form of Europeanized feudal system such as communism or fascism or naziism or State Socialism, others will be simply blood feuds gone wild.

But Mexico is a hell hole and will continue to be a hell hole for so long as Mexican culture of governance mimics all that is and ever has been bad/wrong/corrupt/incompetent/dysfunctional with Europe throughout the history of Europe.

[AuntB]

“Do Mexican Drug Cartels Pose A Bigger Threat Than The Taliban?”

Yes. In fact MEXICO is a bigger threat....we were warned, over and over and now this...

We’re running out of time....Mexico’s war is HERE.

1 (illegal aliens!) arrested after man found decapitated in Chandler (Arizona)

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2605937/posts

[doc]

The Mexican Mafia leaders have stated, “forget the Taliban it is us the Americans need to fear”