American guns and the war next door

Reuters-UK ^ | 18 dec 08 | Bernd Debusmann

[rellimpank]

WASHINGTON, Dec 18 (Reuters) - Last year, around 2,500 Mexicans died in the twin wars drug cartels are waging against each other and against the Mexican state, using weapons smuggled in from the United States. In the first 11 months of this year, the death toll was 5,367, according to the Mexican attorney general. Next year?

There is no end in sight. At least two of the lethal ingredients in the toxic brew that fuels Mexico's ever-widening violence are unlikely to change: lax American gun laws and a Mexican border that barely controls north-south traffic. On many of the crossing points along the 2,000-mile frontier, travellers coming in from the United States, by car or on foot, are routinely waved through without even having to show identity papers.

Weak Mexican border controls rarely feature in official or academic reports on a problem that has prompted some experts and U.S. publications to wonder whether Mexico is a "failing state". That's the headline over a cover story on Mexico in the latest edition of the business magazine Forbes. Mexican officials reject the label.

[rellimpank]

--last sentence makes sense--

[devistate one four]

What they need is MORE guns. Then the folks won’t be intimidated by those pesky cartels

[DB]

Lets see... The Mexican gangs are breaking the drug laws with extreme prejudice but if only guns were illegal in the US the Mexican gangs wouldn't have access to guns and Mexico would be a peaceful place...

Riiggghttt.... How stupid do you have to be to buy this crap???

[BenLurkin]

So because Mexicans are incapable of handling liberty Americans must lose theirs?

[Wonder Warthog]

Mexican gangs are well equipped with full auto firearms. The “average joe” in the US CANNOT BUY THOSE. So the US CANNOT be the source (unless they are being stolen from the US military, which is highly doubtful). The drug cartels have connections with the far East, near East, the Russian Mafia, any of which DOES have access to full auto firearms, and will readily smuggle them to the Mexican gangs.

[DuncanWaring]

Yep - the Mexicans should build a fence.

[Gator113]

For those that want to take that liberty away, they should make sure this is an issue they are willing to die for.

[Myrddin]

Notice the moron author is writing for Reuters-UK. The spineless moron has already lost his firearms rights and wants to inflict that stupidity here. Frankly, STFU.

[bitterohiogunclinger]

Yep, it's the United States fault, always. I just bet a ton of law abiding citizens are buying 8,000 dollar barrets and selling them to mexicans at gun shows all over the country. Why, it's the favorite weapon of choice for gang bangers in LA, dontcha know. I say we strike a deal with the Mexican government. You keep your criminals and their drugs on your side of the border, and we'll keep our guns here at home.

[RJL]

Lets see... The Mexican gangs are breaking the drug laws with extreme prejudice but if only guns were illegal in the US the Mexican gangs wouldn't have access to guns and Mexico would be a peaceful place...

Riiggghttt.... How stupid do you have to be to buy this crap???

Well said.

[Oldpuppymax]

So these thugs are killing each other and that’s a bad thing?? The thought process of a leftist provides more laughs than the Marx brothers.

[Robbin]

“Yep - the Mexicans should build a fence”

Oh man, LOL! That was great....

[goldstategop]

Hogwash! We gringos have been accused of many things - but instigating Mexicans to kill each other? That's a laugh! And our Second Amendment has absolutely nothing to do with the violence in Mexico.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[meadsjn]

Last year, around 2,500 Mexicans died in the twin wars drug cartels are waging against each other and against the Mexican state, using weapons smuggled in from the United States. In the first 11 months of this year, the death toll was 5,367, according to the Mexican attorney general. Next year?

Cry me a river. Last year, more than 3000 American citizens were murdered by illegal invaders from Mexico; many thousands more American citizens were victimized by Mexican illegal invaders during assaults, robberies, rapes, identity theft, etc., etc.

[William Tell]

Wonder Warthog said: "The drug cartels have connections with the far East, near East, the Russian Mafia, any of which DOES have access to full auto firearms,..."

I would imagine that Mexican drug cartels have the resources to equip a machine shop. Most of the parts to make a full-auto M4 are probably available world-wide over the Internet.

Many of the smuggled drugs require an entire growing season to create. Machine guns can be made in hours.

Anti-gunners live in a fantasy world in which only governments would be able to create weapons.

[ScreamingFist]

lax American gun laws and a Mexican border that barely controls north-south traffic.

Lax AMERICAN gun laws? This moron is smoking the drapes. The gangs are armed with MILITARY hardware, courtesy of mexico's "army".

Bernd Debusmann, is an idiot.

[caver]

“using weapons smuggled in from the United States”

Prove it Reuters.