The War In Mexico

War is raging in Mexico now!  Did I say "war?"  That is exactly what I meant to say.

I demand that our new and returning legislators look to the events transpiring daily in Mexico and take action to protect our borders now!

In Mexico at this moment, the government is drawing plans to build a "police city" near the city of Monterrey.  This project will be a protected subdivision where police officers and their families will reside in relative safety, according to the Nuevo Leon Secretary General.  This project is the first of four planned across Mexico.  The intent is to shield the families and off-duty officers from the constant threat of retaliation at the hands of the drug gangs.  I applaud this effort on the part of the Mexican government.  It is a step forward in the ongoing drug wars.  But let us look at the deeper meaning here.

As well-intentioned, and necessary, as the "police city" may be, the project ultimately tells us that the government of Mexico is not able (or willing in some cases) to curtail the violence and rein in the criminal gangs.  This is a loud and clear message and one that should not be misunderstood.  Mexico is in a state of chaos.  There is a very real war being waged, with each of the participating factions facing a two-front war.  The military/police of the legitimate government are fighting the drug cartels AND corrupt officials and police.  The drug cartels are fighting government forces and other drug cartels. 

War, of course, means gunfire, bombings, killings, executions, kidnapping, and all the other evils associated with one force trying to defeat another.  Unfortunately, the ordinary Mexican citizen is caught in the crossfire.  And, increasingly, tourists are being targeted as well.  The death toll since 2006 is well over 28,000 people.  For years the Mexican government insisted that the casualties were drug gangs and police officers or soldiers.  But the truth is that Mexican citizens have been casualties since day one.  If they were not killed outright, they were terrorized by the cartels and on occasion mistreated by the police and the military.  And now, even the "mainstream" press of the United States cannot ignore the suffering of the Mexican citizenry and the mounting death tolls.  Mass graves containing scores of bodies are common-place.  Just a few days ago, persons unknown shot at least fifteen people at a drug rehabilitation center.  I have lost track of how many police officers have been killed since Commander Flores was found beheaded last month. 

It is a sad commentary on the press and maybe on you and me as well, that as long as those dying were "only" Mexican citizens, there was not a lot of American press coverage, and not a lot of American interest, in the killings and the misery being experienced in Mexico.  But after a few American citizens, and a Canadian, were killed, suddenly coverage was a little wider, and maybe a few more people were paying attention.  Maybe for the wrong reasons, but paying attention, just the same.  For instance, people planning trips to Acapulco, and even Cancun, have suddenly revisited their plans.  Tourists wanting to visit the Mayan ruins are thinking twice.  Now that Americans are in danger (really they have been for some time) there is growing concern and outrage at the situation in Mexico.

The Mexican people are somewhat upset at the coverage of the murder of David Hartley, and the rather lengthy investigation, that ultimately cost Commander Flores his life.  They have good reason to be upset.  Mexicans are murdered and assaulted at a daily rate that is mind boggling, to say the least.  If the police are not able to help them, and the military is not able to secure the countryside, why should the police spend so much time trying to solve the murder of an American who strayed into a dangerous area and paid the price.  Many people in Mexico are afraid to cross the street.  Weddings and parties are becoming favorite targets for cartel terrorists.  Store owners across the nation must either pay one or more cartels "protection" fees, or they must close their doors, if the stores are not burned down first.  Can you imagine sending your children to school under these circumstances?

I am not sure what the United States government can do for Mexico.  It may be that the only course for Mexico is all out war for the very existence of that nation.  But I do know what the United States government can do for United States citizens.  Indeed, I call on and demand that the new government take action to protect our borders and our border cities from the war raging just across a narrow river.  And I propose two steps that the government should take immediately.

First, I demand that we pull all United States forces from all the "brush wars" and "police actions" we are engaged in world wide, and return these forces to the United States.  I include Afghanistan and Iraq in this demand for one reason: we have been fighting in both of these countries for over nine years with nothing to show for the high price we have paid.  I did not agree with the Second Gulf War, but it happened, and the goal was obtained, that Saddam was captured and eventually executed.  Why are we STILL THERE?  In Afghanistan, no victory is in sight, and no real objectives have been set.  The people of Afghanistan do not want us there.  I know, they will go back to growing poppies and to a fundamental Muslim government...but that appears to be what they WANT.  Do not the people of a nation have the right to choose what form of government they want?  I don't approve, but it is not my business.  But we in American should not forget one thing: it was the Soviet War with Afghanistan that brought about the economic downfall and eventual collapse of the Soviet Union.  I do not want history to repeat itself in regard to the United States.  Again, WHY ARE WE STILL THERE?  Bring all of these troops and their equipment back to the United States.

Second, I demand that we "militarize" the United States border.  What? You cannot be serious!  We are the freedom loving United States of America, where everyone is welcome!  I am serious, and yes, I said MILITARIZE.  There is a WAR being fought in Mexico, and the government there IS NOT WINNING at the moment.  The Mexican military has its hands full fighting the drug cartels.  The military cannot possibly seal its own borders...they can barely keep ahead of the cartels.  The ease of crossing from Mexico into the United States has assured that the war WILL spread into South Texas, and probably across Texas, as time goes on.  We have no right to ask the Border Patrol, a POLICE agency, to defend our borders against heavily armed drug cartels and other criminal gangs.  That is not the mission of the Border Patrol, and they are too few and too poorly armed to carry out that mission.  But the returning United States forces could be deployed along the border, and at much less expense than stationing the same forces overseas.  Of course, the armed forces would have to be actually authorized to use force, too.  That should have gone without saying, but currently national guard troops that are deployed have orders not to use force, so this is not as inane is it sounds.

So there is a war going on right at our back door.  So far our government is doing nothing to protect us.  I demand that the new government respond to the wishes of the American people by protecting US, not occupying nations that do not want us there in the first place.  The war is here!