"Thunder on the Border," click the picture:
Posted on 02/01/2010 2:29:22 AM PST by Michael van der Galien
The media is barely covering the bloody situation in Mexico, but the war against the drug lords there should be of the utmost concern to Americans. As high levels of violence and corruption continue to plague Mexican society, the U.S. needs to brace for a flood of narcotics, arms, and people seeking refuge crossing the border.
The drug war has resulted in about 17,000 deaths over the past three years, and Mexico has claimed the title of the country in the hemisphere with the highest number of journalists killed on its soil. To put that in perspective, about 1000 American soldiers have died fighting the war in Afghanistan since 2001. About 4400 Americans have died in Iraq since 2003.
A quick look at the resume of Teodoro Eduardo Garcia Simental, a top drug lord captured this month responsible for horrendous amounts of barbaric violence in and around Tijuana, shows the brutal nature of the conflict. He and his partners destroyed the bodies of hundreds of their victims by submersing them in tubs of acid, many of whom were kidnapped and held for ransom.
The New York Times describes the conflict as follows: “When it comes to gore, Mexico’s drug traffickers seem to compete among themselves for the title of most depraved. One will chop off the heads of victims. Another will string dead rivals from bridges or burn their genitals. Recently, hit men removed the face from a dead man and sewed it onto a soccer ball.”
The capturing and killing of top figures in the drug trade in recent months has not had an immediate impact. The Official Secretary of the Federal Judiciary in Veracruz City was found beheaded with a message carved into her chest this month.
(Excerpt) Read more at frontpagemag.com ...
Does this imply that we’re going to complete our trip back to the 1970’s on the Obama/Carter II express and have cheap drugs again?
"Thunder on the Border," click the picture:
What Would Teddy Roosevelt Do?
In 1907, Roosevelt issued a presidential proclamation creating what is now called the “Roosevelt Reservation,” a 60-foot strip of land on the United States side of the US-Mexico border, putting that strip under the jurisdiction of the federal government. His state purpose was to keep the land “free from obstruction as a protection against the smuggling of goods between the United States and Mexico.” It is on this strip that the border fence was being built. The Roosevelt Reservation runs from the Pacific Ocean at San Diego to the New Mexico-Texas state line. When Texas joined the Union, it kept state control of all its public lands, so the proclamation does not apply to the Texas-Mexico border. This is why it was such a hassle acquiring property to build the Texas portions of the border fence. Roosevelt was actually very prescient.
This is a ping list promoting Immigration Enforcement and Congressional Reform.
If you wish to be added or removed from this ping list, please contact me.
Attack takes crime to a scary new low (Illinois)
Court Says Ok To Deny Illegal Alien Public Service
U.S. Jews and Latinos form unlikely bond over immigration policy
Feds and MPD arrest 21 gang members in national gang initiative
The U.S. Should Welcome Haitians In
Christie, New Jersey brace for massive influx of Haitian refugees
Ultimate jobs program: Immigration timeout
US halts medical evacuations in Haiti
Immigration Debate Prompts Growing Jewish-Latino Ties
Arizona Law Would Criminalize Undocumented Immigrants
Stealing To Smuggle In Florida?
Obama’s Amnesty Footnote (Virgil Goode)
Gunmen kill 13 students at party in Mexico (Ciudad Juarez)
271,000 Mexicans Slip into Poverty in US
Excellent article. NAFBPO also sent it out today. Thanks for posting, and please everyone read it all. Mexico, and what is coming across the border (not just gentle, hard working people) will be our undoing.
From the article:
“People from countries known to be strongholds for extremist groups are being caught entering Latin America in order to reach the United States. Four Somalis have been found hiding in a tractor trailer in Honduras. In Colombia, 71 illegal aliens from Somalia and Eritrea were intercepted by the authorities in early January. The smuggling business, instability and poor control of America’s southwestern border provides an open opportunity for those wishing to do us harm.
This internal strife should cause Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair and Senator John Kerry to reconsider their assurances in March of last year that Mexico was “in no danger of becoming a failed state.” The conflict is becoming closer to resembling a guerilla war, and if the drug lords succeed in carving out mini-states for themselves, the U.S. will see the chaos and criminal activity they cause spill over the border.”
Another good article:
Gaps on the border: U.S. agencies at odds
http://www.sltrib.com/News/ci_14302803
U.S.-Mexican border » After a 20-minute drive into a federally protected stretch in Arizona, retired Forest Service employee Mark South points to an aging, four-strand barbed-wire fence separating the United States from its southern neighbor.
“See that fence? That’s Mexico,” South says.
“Seriously?” asks an incredulous Rep. Rob Bishop. “That’s it?”
Moments later, after South opens a 3-foot-wide gate, the Utah Republican walks unimpeded onto foreign soil.
Bishop immigrates back to America moments later with a bit of newfound insight about the challenges of protecting the border along the nation’s public lands.
A tall metal fence may not be the solution here, Bishop concedes. But when drug smugglers, human traffickers or would-be terrorists can simply open a gate into the United States, he’s convinced something more needs to be done.[snip]
Here is the latest NAFBPO report. They provide the best news of what is going on in Mexico/CEntral America and the spillage over our border.
Mexico: Violence unabated
February 2, 2010 by m3report
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FORMER BORDER PATROL OFFICERS
Visit our website: http://www.nafbpo.org
Foreign News Report
El Debate (Sinaloa) 2/1/10
January, “a month of barbarity”
The month of January was one of “barbarity” in the state of Sinaloa, with 230 assassinations recorded, many of them with cruelty never before seen. Nearly all of the violence was generated by warfare and challenges between organized criminal groups. The 31 days saw car-to-car executions, abductions, decapitations, dismemberments, hangings and even to removing a victim’s face to display on a ball. In the history of Guasave, Mazatlan and Los Mochis, and actually in the entire state, there have never been so many homicides in only one month. In just 20 days, Mazatlan surpassed in assassinations the first six months of 2009. On the state level, the number of crimes in January surpassed the first quarter of last year and the first four months of 2008. The article concludes: “Sinaloa is more than ever a land without law.”
——————–
El Universal (Mexico City) 2/1/10
La Familia Michoacána calls for the elimination of Los Zetas
In the wave of attacks against the police in Michoacán, narco-banners have begun to appear around the state capital city of Morelia charging links between the federal police and Los Zetas, the armed branch of the Gulf cartel. The messages invite the public to unite on a common front and do away with Los Zetas, whom they call “the worst kind of beasts.” According to the banners, besides La Familia Michoacána, their equivalent organizations in the states of Mexico and Guerrero expect to join together as “Familia Mexicana.”
——————–
El Imparcial (Hermosillo, Sonora) 2/1/10
Narco rivals “collide”
A gun battle between rival narco groups in Magdalena, Sonora, left seven dead. From the battleground in the center of town, authorities collected seven AK-47 assault rifles, one 12-gauge shotgun and seven vehicles. Investigators are presently guessing the two rival groups simply ran into one another while cruising the streets in the wee hours of the morning.
—–
Student massacre an error?
In the aftermath of Sunday’s attack on a group of youths at a party in Cd. Juarez that left 14 of them dead and another 14 in the hospital, neighbors and survivors have no idea of the motive behind the attack. The party was just a gathering of friends, according to a witness. ”They weren’t harming anyone,” he said, “they must have been a mistaken target.” He added, “The only thing I can say is that it was a gathering of friends, of youths in high school, with kids and adolescents. I believe it was a mistake.”
——————–
El Informador (Guadalajara, Jalisco) 2/1/10
Student deaths rise
The mayor of Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, reported that the number of deaths in the attack on the student gathering Sunday is now 16 and those injured 12. The mayor also said he has received five calls so far today giving important data about the multi-homicide. A reward of a million pesos has been offered for information leading to the arrests of the attackers.
——————–
El Diario de Juarez (Cd. Juarez, Chihuahua) 2/1/10
Another attack in Cd. Juarez
Unofficial sources indicate that an attack at a crowded dance hall in Cd. Juarez killed four people and wounded a dozen more. The incident began when four people riding in a vehicle began to be chased by a group of armed men. The four, a woman and three men, parked in front of the dance hall and entered, seeking refuge. The armed men followed and gunned them down inside, injuring 12 others in the crowd.
—–
Merida Initiative back in the news
A ranking member of the left-leaning PRD party lamented that the Merida Initiative [US assistance to Mexico in the narco-war] has had scant results to benefit Mexico. He said that at the moment, “Mexico is alone in its war against organized crime.” El Universal reports a similar view from the opposition ruling party, PAN. A ranking member of President Calderón’s party said the plan seems a deception by the US. He said that the US should take responsibility in combating organized crime, against which Mexico wages a determined war. He said, “I see no conviction by the US to combat the crime.”
——————–
-end of report-
I remember that one. I thought sure that would be the image that would wake up America. I guess it’s going to take more blood and violence.
Charlie Daniels had something to say about this:
“Do you really think that the situation in Mexico is not going to eventually spill over into the U.S., and do you think Obama would be able to deal with it?”
http://www.charliedaniels.com/soapbox-2010/soapbox-2010-0104.htm
Ping!
Thanks, AuntB- it seems to me those problems have already spilled over here!
“Thanks, AuntB- it seems to me those problems have already spilled over here!”
Oh, you are so right about that. Phoenix, az being the #2 kidnap capitol of the world ....2nd only to Mexico...proves that.
The only impact removing top figures ever has is a spike in violence as would-be successors fight it out. It's Prohibition all over again; anyone remember how we resolved that situation?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.