Posted on 01/20/2009 9:47:01 AM PST by Coleus
A report released this month by the U.S. Joint Forces Command is warning of the potential for rapid and sudden collapse of the Mexican government due to the corrupting influence of criminal gangs and drug cartels. The Joint Operating Environment 2008 document (pdf) also lists Pakistan as the other of two large and important states that bear consideration, explaining that these would be worst-case scenarios for the Joint Force and indeed the world."
The Mexican possibility may seem less likely [than the possibility that Pakistan's government collapsing], but the [Mexican] government, its politicians, police, and judicial infrastructure are all under sustained assault and pressure by criminal gangs and drug cartels, the report explains. How that internal conflict turns out over the next several years will have a major impact on the stability of the Mexican state. Michael Hayden, the retiring head of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, also expressed concern over the situation in Mexico, telling reporters that it could rank alongside Iran, and possibly be even worse than Iraq, in terms of the problems to be dealt with by incoming President Barack Obama.
The U.S. Justice Department pointed to Mexican gangs as the biggest organized crime threat to the United States, with National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley saying that the increasing violence south of the border threatens Mexicos very democracy. Former U.S. drug czar Barry McCaffrey also warned that Mexico is on the edge of the abyss it could become a narco-state in the coming decade. He added: Mexican law enforcement and soldiers face heavily armed drug gangs with high-powered military automatic weapons and noted that he believed the United States should do more to help the beleaguered government.
Even former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich has commented on the situation, saying: We have to rethink our entire strategy for working with Mexico. The war thats under way in Mexico is an enormous national security threat to the U.S. If we allow the drug dealers to win we will have a nightmare on our southern border and no amount of fence and no amount of national security would compensate for the collapse of Mexico." Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff has also announced plans for a surge on the border region, along with Mexicos 45,000 soldiers already working to combat the escalating violence. Last year there were over 5,000 murders related to the drug cartels, more than double the amount from 2007, with some estimates placing the figure even higher. The gangs are also becoming increasingly brazen, routinely murdering members of the police and military, and even decapitating soldiers in some cases. Most of the violence is concentrated in Mexico's northern states and cities, but it is indeed a nationwide problem.
The U.S. Joint Forces Command report noted: Any descent by Mexico into chaos would demand an American response based on the serious implications for homeland security alone. It also said: In particular, the growing assault by the drug cartels and their thugs on the Mexican government over the past several years reminds one that an unstable Mexico could represent a homeland security problem of immense proportions to the United States. The document was a broad outline of various predictions regarding future global threats to America, and it also included speculation relating to American demographics. It forecasted that by 2030, the U.S. population will grow by more than 50 million people, many of whom will come from continued immigration from Mexico. According to the report, at least 15% of the population of every state will be Hispanic in origin, in some states reaching upwards of 50%. The report said that how well these immigrants assimilate will play a major role in Americas prospects.
Mexicos government has so far blasted the U.S. concerns, with Secretary of the Interior Fernando Gomez-Mont saying: It seems inappropriate to me that you would call Mexico a security risk. There are problems in Mexico that are being dealt with, that we can continue to deal with, and that's what we are doing." Mexican President Felipe Calderon recently met with Obama, and the incoming American president agreed to help stop guns from flowing into Mexico from the United States. He also pledged to cooperate in helping Mexicos government further, even though it recently received $400 million to help fight drugs already.
Of course, with the corruption that exists in the Mexican government including its military and police bracnches, $400 miilion in U.S. aid to fight the Mexican drug cartels does not mean that the money was well spent for that purpose.
Good, we need a place to empty all those port-potties...
(/sarc)
Now would time for the U.S. to take it over just think of what we could ship back.
Man up on the border.
Ok, Mr. President, play time is over.
States 51 throun nn here we come.
Mexico collapsed along time ago. If it hadn’t, we wouldn’t have 40 million Mexicans here now.
He will vote "present" on this issue.
What ever you said, I agree.... I think.
The situation is just waiting for the next Pancho Villa to rise up and lead the ...masses?
Legalize drugs - problem solved.
Actually, pretty close to the truth. The second most powerful party in Mexico is the Communist party. They would be running things if the USA hadn't lent support to the current regime. It may not be a happy relationship, however considering the alterative...
So if things should suddenly go downhill, you've probably named the next likely scenario.
Conqueror the place. Keep them as Territories for a generation or two until the place is at least fully bilingual Spanish-English if not majority English speaking, then admit them to the Union.
Unfortunately, the Obama administration would probably be happy to conqueror the place and immediately admit each of the Mexican states as a new state to create a permanent leftist majority in both houses of Congress.
So here's one more little point: Mexico collapsed a long time ago. It has been nothing but a narcocracy for at least 25 years, and prior to that, just an ordinary thug "state".
There has never been a time when it could be called a stable, functioning country of any form, except maybe in 1520 when it was ruled by the Spanish Crown.
Pretty much everything since then is nothing but a chaotic gangster operation, and about every 80 years or so it finally descends back into mass bloodshed.
That is all that is happening now.
Thanks - I grew up on the SoAz border, so I may be numb to larger issues of the Mexican eletorate - such as it is.
THat they lean Left is no surprise, that the rich have allowed it to get so out of hand is a surprise.
One must wonder I supose, how much Russian (since the old CCCP is gone) money is fueling the problems....
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