Thoughts On Mexico

So here's something I've been giving a fair amount of thought to lately.

What in the serious fuck is up with our neighbor to the south? More importantly, where is the news coverage/public outrage over this travesty?

Think about it. No one bats an eye anymore when multiple bodies (or parts thereof) are dumped in a major metropolitan area of Mexico (more here). Be warned, there are some mildly graphic pictures in that article. That took place directly across the border from the Texas city of Laredo, and has happened in several other border cities, notably Juarez. These types of atrocities have been occurring for a decade or more. (Edit: How did I miss this? "More than 50,000 people have been killed [nationwide] since the Mexican government began a crackdown on narco-trafficking in 2006.")

So here we sit as a country, spending billions upon trillions of dollars (not to mention the lives of our servicemen) to fight for democracy in not just another nation, but another continent... yet we allow extreme violence to become commonplace in a nation which shares nearly 2,000 miles of largely unguarded border with us.

This is a huge long term mistake - and here's why.

First, if you haven't noticed, Mexico has become one of the most (if not THE most) violent "at peace" nations in the world. It's a telling fact that the world barely notices as dozens of hanged/decapitated bodies turn up in a city that borders the US. Simply put, this kind of brutality has become commonplace as a result of drug cartels who, collectively, likely have more pull than their federal government.

Second, Mexico (as mentioned above) shares a very porous border nearly 2,000 miles in length with us. This border serves as an inlet for all types of horrors, the obvious ones being narcotics. However, since the drug cartels that control the border flow are simple profiteers, their travel routes are open to all. Oh, hey there, anti-American extremists! Welcome to our country.

Third, their violence has involved, and continues to involve, US citizens. Granted, American tourists are annoying as fuck, but I hardly think that warrants their abduction or murder.

Fourth, the Mexican government is unable to counteract this threat. Police/military leaders who speak against the cartels, often even their families are publicly assassinated without repercussion. Cartels have the all important aspect of fire superiority within their areas of operation, precluding anything but all-out military action - which the Mexican government will not authorize for fear that it will escalate into civil war, thus castrating their international standing as a free state.

Fifth... I was going to bypass this one, since it should be obvious to anyone with a pulse, but: if Mexico wasn't in the crime-driven economic shitstorm they're in, why would they illegally emigrate to the US as they are now? Problem solved, problem staying solved.

.......

So now that you've had a chance to absorb that - yes, my response is direct military action. Sometimes, war IS the answer.

A la Baghdad, in miniature: assault with a brigade per city (or several, depending on size), isolating the known cartel-controlled areas via fixed-wing, CAS, armor, arty, naval gunship if available - every asset we have. Send SOCOM sniper/recon teams in advance of the main elements to provide intelligence and covering fire. Breach, clear, rinse and repeat.

Just one dumb grunt's opinion, take it for what you will.

Stay classy.