Mexico. The Deplorable and Deathly Silence.

I have to agree Fripouille - for whatever reason the escalating drug-related violence does not grab as much attention as elsewhere in the world - and yet it is in danger of spilling across the American border. Perhaps then more people will care?

Its about power and money in the wrong hands.The predators are at it again picking on the weak and helpless.Who cares? only those of us with heart.

Now that's an excellent question Rachel, and it's one that many people would much rather not answer.... 

I chose not to address the external issues in the post, but, concerning the USA, in my view it's still all about trying (and it won't work) to cut this off at the border.

If it does get ugly, then things may get done. It's always the same. Last minute emergency measures........

Interfering in the domestic politics of Mexico would be seen as "Ugly American" stuff, the kind that prompted the "Yankee go home" of the fifties and sixties.

More importantly, George H.W. Bush & Son and William Jeffeson Clinton decided that something like a "North American Union" was in the best interests of Canada, the US and Mexico.

Our agreements with Mexico allow us to import from Mexico, killing our jobs here, while our exported food kills off small farmers'livelihoods in Mexico. The Maquilladora region along the US-Mexican border, the one built with the jobs transferred from the US can no longer compete with China.

That unholy trinity of presidents, and a host of others in the democratic and republican party, don't want to control the border because preventing the economic refugees of Mexico a place to live in the US will effectively kill off the NAFTA agreement.

So, in spite of all common and uncommon sense, we get the border open to get that NAFTA superhighway built to unload ships with non-union Mexican workers with the result that our porous border allows human trafficking and gun running with the drugs.

Obama is now the one in charge and he is committed to keeping the border open. Republicans basically disallowed the candidacies of Romney and Guiliani base on their history of competence and their commitment to closing off the border to illegal activity of any kind.

I know this from what I have read and from the offhand comments of the top management types I drive and talk to.

Where is Obama and the democratic party on this,and the Wall St republicans ?

Right now, they believe that poverty is causing this and that keeping the border open will help reduce poverty and therefore will reduce crime.

That is what kind of idiots we have in charge. They are like the Prohitibtionists who had to see American almost done in to organized crime before they would admit that Prohibition created more problems than it solved.

This is always the way it is with idealists.

great story frip

To me, this situation is akin to what is happening in places in Africa too - take the Sudan for instance, no one is willing to get involved there either - I think it's ultimately because the risk of damage to business and flow of money could potentially be too great and governments don't want to cut off imports and exports from somewhere that they need or are making money off. I'm not saying it's right, I'm just saying those are my thoughts.

Terrorism and terrorists, plain and simple. In this case,  all levels of authority throughtout the country have been infiltrated overtime and so the global community does not see a cry for help. The atrocities are communicated mainly for Mexican national consumption.

Thank you, Cypresso for linking the story. It should answer some of the questions raised here. Thanks again!

Thanks for sharing a beautifully written opinion piece, Fripouille!

No, Fripouille, it's not quite silent here in Canada.  The violence in Mexico has a ripple effect.

America and other countries should be rallying to support Mexico.  When I was in college in nearby Las Cruces Juarez was the place to go for fun and college adventures.  We would walk the streets without worry about being shot. 

Excellent post, Fripouille. It's a hugely complex issue but the US, as neighbour, should not turn and walk on the other side. I don't know much about Mexican politics, but the example of razil shows that things can be turned around if people persist.  They have made huge strides there.

very nice article. comments real great. I agree the same size

Remember, until the mexican government asks for "military" help the various nations and national organizations can do nothing.  The U.S. is currently providing large amounts of cash to the Mexican government to assist its efforts against the cartels.  Mexico has not, however, requested direct military aid and until it does they are on their own.

Fripouille:  there's a major three page article on Mexico and the drug barons in this week's Economist, setting out some of the intractable issues.  in particular, the sorry state of the 32 states' different police forces and the ineffectual federal forces (unlike Columbia which is far better).  This has been going on for 20 years so the change the present govt is trying to achieve is going to be long and diffiicult.

This week's issue raises the problem of ineffective (actually, disastrous) 100 year drug policies.  The mag says the least worst solution is legalising drugs, ensuring better control of the substances, cutting out the drug barons and saving the huge and wasted resources in trying to fight the supply of drugs.  There would be far resources available for rehab work too of course.  I find their arguments compelling!  Its something they have been advocating for 20 years now.

Thanks for this Gerry, it's kind of you to take the time to put it up.

I have always been theoretically against legalising, even grass (which I still smoke occasionally) because I don't like the idea of being taxed on my grass!

But here, exceptional circumstances require exceptional measures. This would seem to be a good idea. I'll go check the article out for more info...

Thanks again...