[snips] “That offensive and growing drug violence elsewhere in Mexico drew a tough response from Calderon, who sent the military to try to restore order shortly after he took power in late 2006. But since then, more than 34,000 people have died with the death toll rising sharply each year.
....Led by former elite soldiers who switched sides to join organized crime in the 1990s, the Zetas have grown quickly over the past few years after splitting from the Gulf Cartel. They are known to operate widely from Guatemala to Texas and often co-opt existing gangs to do their dirty work.”
What Would Teddy Roosevelt Do?