“It just seems like sheer bloody slaughter for its own sake. Any particular reason why this couple was targeted or were they just going for any handy consular employee?”
They were targeted and their movements known. Information like that likely came through the consulate, or their home, perhaps ‘domestic’ help. Don’t think consular employees can’t be bought off, too. The cartels are recruiting from all our government ranks.
Ex-federal official facing immigration charges
[snip]“In the past two years, there have been 400 public corruption cases involving federal, state and local law enforcement agents originating from the Southwest border region, Kevin Perkins, FBI assistant director for criminal investigations, told the Senate Homeland Security subcommittee on preparedness.
James Tomsheck, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection assistant commissioner, told the panel the drug cartels operating in Mexico are making a concerted effort to infiltrate CBP, and the agency is responding with more screening of job applicants with polygraph tests and background investigations. Corruption cases were opened last year on 576 CBP officers and Border Patrol agents.”
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2470799/posts?page=1#1
If the USA still had all its marbles, this would be interpreted as an act of war. Not even the Medellin cartel dared to screw around with US diplomatic personnel, and if I were president, I would be giving the Mexican govt. a choice — they deal with the problem, permanently, or I send a few SEALS to get wet with these savages. Unfortunately, Obama is too busy pushing his “health care reform” to be bothered.
It's hard to imagine any reason other than lucrative corruption opportunities, why any remotely sane person would sign up for these jobs. They get paid like ordinary civil servants, are in extreme danger most of the time, and aren't allowed to do what really needs to be done to fix the problem.