Someone asked me recently why I blog about Mexico's Civil/Drug/Government war so often. Why do Mexico's troubles matter to someone in the United States? Who cares? These are good questions, and I will give my version of reasons that "their" war matters to us and has implications for Texas and the other border states.
First, I blog about the war in Mexico because I have a great deal of sympathy for the people that are living through the carnage and watching their loved-ones die day by day. From the time I first heard the story of the Alamo siege, I have had a leaning toward the justified underdog in a fight. It seems that the authorities and civilians in many Mexican cities across many states are at the mercy of whichever cartel(s) may be in control at the time. The people are left almost defenseless against the outrages of the dopers because many police departments are undermanned if not outright abandoned. One citizen against one criminal, maybe that would be an equal match. But usually it is several criminals acting together, terrorizing a town, then escaping to one of the rancherias in the countryside. Anyone who acts against these criminals or aids the authorities is sooner or later dealt with by the cartels. The citizens are at the disadvantage...they are the underdogs at the moment. I hope legal authorities will regroup and retake their nation. In the meantime, I can only look on from a distance and pray for the best for those people caught in the crossfire. And one other thing I can do; I can blog about it and let readers from Mexico know that someone cares about them. I know that is little enough, but it is a morale booster just the same.
Second, why do Mexico's troubles matter to us here in the United States? Actually they matter to anyone who lives close to Mexico or who travels to Mexico. Just ask one unfortunate Canadian family if the Mexico War matters to THEM! If you or I were to travel to the usual border towns, we would face the possibility of crime brought on by the drug dealers crossing back and forth over the border. But even more dangerous, we would be faced with the very real possibility of being struck by stray bullets from the shootouts happening south of the border. It is literally just across the river. Several residents in American border towns have had this very thing happen. So from a safety standpoint, the war in Mexico poses a threat of life and limb for anyone near the border. People traveling along border highways face similar risks. If your loved-ones frequent the border towns, they are constantly in danger.
Another aspect of the Mexican war that concerns us is a selfish angle, I admit, but we can no longer feel safe in crossing the border to visit the Mexican border towns for shopping or to see relatives, and we are not safe when traveling to "safe" places like Cancun or Acapulco. The war has made these tourist attractions just as dangerous as the border towns.
Finally, who cares about Mexico's war? That one is harder to answer. Obviously I care about it. Probably at one level or another you care about it as well. I assure you that if we had to spend a few days there we would probably be more concerned. Bur one thing that should be appalling to us is the death toll since 2006. It has steadily climbed and now stands at nearly thirty thousand, with the count growing daily. I believe that as the war in Mexico goes on and becomes more fierce, as the government allows the situation to get further and further out of control, and as more and more people are murdered, the occasional events that take place in Texas and the other border states will become more common, so that people traveling on the southern highways will no longer be safe. In fact, even Texas law enforcement officers will no longer be safe. Many deputies, policemen, and state troopers patrol lonely, isolated areas where help may be miles away instead of minutes. Game wardens and border patrolmen may inadvertently encounter these criminals. Right now it seems that the drug barons have the advantage even in rural Texas.
So I have ranted on for several lines. What is my solution, you ask? For the troubles in Mexico, I really don't have one. The people must decide to stand with authorities and take on the drug lords, running them out of the towns and the countryside, even killing some if necessary. The criminals are, after all, engaged in a war to take over drug routes. Part of that war means terrorising local citizens into cooperation or at least scaring them so that they look the other way and do not cooperate with the police or military. Mexico's history is one of mistrust of authority, with state governments pitted against the central government, and cities often opposing state and federal rule. Haciendas and rancherias may have their own private armies. In this situation, chaos will continue until the people grant some respect and authority to the government. In return, the Mexican government, at all levels, must operate according to the letter and spirit of the law, and throw off the long history of bribery and corruption that bred mistrust of the government in the first place. So the future of Mexico as a federation of states is entirely in the hands of its citizens.
I do not advocate an American intervention (invasion) of Mexico as our nation has done numerous times in the past. One problem is that American soldiers could not distinguish between law-abiding citizens and the criminals just by looking at the people. Ambush and entrapment would be rampant just like it is currently in Afghanistan and Iraq. I doubt if the "success" rate would be any better in Mexico under those circumstances. On top of that, Mexican citizens would more than likely resent another American occupation of their nation, even if the intention were well-placed.
What I do advocate is an immediate withdrawal of American forces from all the un-winnable wars they are engaged in at the moment. Our forces need to leave Iraq, Afghanistan, the Baltic region, Japan, Guam, to name the ones I actually know about. I read that American forces are stationed in over one hundred nations. I am sure many of these forces could be returned to the United States. These forces could then be deployed along the border with the mission of sealing the border and keeping criminal forces south of the Rio Grande. The Border Patrol could then man its check points and carry out its non-military mission of preventing illegal aliens from entering this country. Our policemen and deputies would be free to pursue their legal responsibilities in the relative safety they did before the drug wars got out of hand. Incidentally, the United States armed forces would be ordered to deal with any incursions with deadly force, not with observe and report orders like the national guard has at the moment. Maybe United States forces, if INVITED into Mexico, could secure pacified areas so that Mexican forces could prosecute the war without fear of losing gains made in combat. Citizens could return to those cities and live their lives again. Instead of training militant Arabs and Muslims, our forces could train Mexicans to establish local defense groups to defend their homes against new incursions by the drug lords.
We, as the United States, have an interest in seeing the Mexican war concluded, for our safety, and for the safety of the Mexican people as well. While an armed invasion of Mexico may not be in order, I believe that United States forces should seal our borders and protect our own citizens. Perhaps with support available from the United States, it may be that the Mexican federal government will take the initiative to regain control of their nation, and protect the lives and property of their people.
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