Pentagon: Threat from Drug Cartels Reaching “Crisis Proportions”
The Washington Times is reporting, that the two most dangerous Mexican drug cartels have amassed nearly 100,000 “foot soldiers” to combat against the Mexican government, according to a Defense Dept. source. This level of foot soldiers rivals the size of the Mexican military forces (which number 130,000 troops total).
About 7,000 people have died in the last year — more than 1,000 in January alone — at the hands of Mexico’s increasingly violent drug cartels. Murders often involve beheadings or bodies dissolved in vats of acid.
The two most dangerous cartels are the Sinaloa cartel, nicknamed the “Federation” or “Golden Triangle” by law enforcement agencies, and “Los Zetas” (the Gulf Cartel). They have been growing and are reportedly discussing a truce or merger to better withstand government forces, The Times reported.
The situation in Mexico continues to grow more and more dire, and the Mexican government and U.S. Border States are facing a real threat. This threat ranks the third most concerning behind Pakistan and Iran, even beating out Afghanistan and Iraq. I doubt we will see US forces assist the Mexican government with troops on the ground, but some assistance may be necessary to help combat these drug cartels. Their threat can and may spread into the border regions and cause real problems for the citizens in that area.
SA Conservative will continue to follow this situation as it develops.
Gov. Perry Urges Legislature to Fund Border Security
As the Drug War continues to rage in Mexico all along the US Border, Governor Rick Perry has asked the Texas Legislature to provide $135 Million in funding for continued border security and to continue the fight against transnational gangs. These gangs threaten to cause spillover violence into Texas communities all along the border. Here is video from Governor Perry’s recent visit to El Paso:
Texas has recently developed a contingency plan to respond to potential spillover violence from northern Mexico by working with local, state and federal law enforcement. More than 5,700 homicides occurred in Mexico in 2008, with roughly 1,600 in Juárez alone, which borders El Paso on the southern side of the Rio Grande. Already in 2009, Juárez has seen over 230 brutal homicides. The U.S. State Department estimates that more than 200 Americans have been killed in Mexico since 2004.
“Mexico is not only our long-time neighbor whose history and culture is interwoven with ours, they’re our number one trade partner,” Gov. Perry said. “That is why we need to direct our energies into partnering with Mexico on security issues, not pointing fingers.”
Last year, Mexico was Texas’ top trade partner, with more than $62 billion in Texas products exported and more than $143 billion in Mexican goods imported.
A porous border allows international terrorists, organized crime cartels and transnational gangs to put Texas and the nation at risk. Until the federal government fulfils its responsibility to this effort, Texas needs continued leadership and funding from the Legislature to support the state’s current border security strategy, which involves putting more boots on the ground and providing increased law enforcement resources along the border.
Additionally, transnational gangs such as the Mexican Mafia, Texas Syndicate, Barrio Azteca and MS-13 have begun to operate in every region of the state and are involved in extortion, retail drug distribution, vehicle theft, child prostitution, money laundering and drive-by shootings. These organizations recruit members from high schools and prisons and have become highly adaptive, increasingly using technology to thwart law enforcement efforts.
The Border Drug War that is occuring is serious and Mexico is currently not fairing well in this war. The US government should do whatever it takes to help the Mexican government prevail. However, once this violence ends we must pressure them to end corruption in their government that can help leads to violence like this. SA Conservative will continue to follow this Border Drug War since I am originally from the Border area of the Rio Grande Valley.
Perry 2010
