The Situation In Mexico

[Mean Green 93-98]

A lot of review, but some interesting comments made. The description of "The Situation" itself begins on p. 3.

http://www.mccaffreyassociates.com/pdfs/Me...cember_2008.pdf

[FirefightnRick]

There is no shortage of courage among Mexican Security Forces. More than 475 police and soldiers have been murdered during the President Calderon offensive to reclaim the streets and rural areas. More than 218,000 prisoners crowd the 455 penal facilities. Of Mexico’s 390,000 police only 26,000 or 6.8 % are Federal. The 39.8% of the force who are Municipal Police (more than 2,600 separate police forces) are badly trained, poorly equipped and frequently corrupt or intimidated. Essential law enforcement tools are lacking. For example, there is no National registry of police officers’ nor is there a national registry of vehicle registrations or license plates.

B. The Mexican people believe the justice system is corrupt and ineffective. Mexican police regularly obtain information through torture and prosecutors use this evidence in courts. The suspect is deemed guilty until proven innocent. Most ominously--- the Mexican people are losing faith in the system. At the start of the Calderon Campaign more than 87% supported the President. Now only 67% are in favor. There is increasing discussion of legalization of drugs—or acquiescence in the drug trade, which used to be presumed to be a US not Mexican problem.

C. The Mexican Armed Forces (225,000 personnel) are one of the most trusted institutions in the nation. In a general sense they are disciplined, reliable, courageous, and responsive to civilian leadership. Clearly the Armed Forces are also subject to penetration--- and also subject to individual intimidation or corruption. The desertion rate of trained military personnel is also a significant threat to the state. The heavily armed “Zetas”

Can there be a more conflicting analysis? And how can someone as experienced as Mcaffrey, with all of his years spent in Central America give all of this and NOT mention anywhere a suggestion of closing the border? Seems to me both nations would benefit from it?

Rick

Edited May 26, 2009 by FirefightnRick

[eulesseagle]

Yea, Mexico has a drug problem and fortunately the drug cartels are killing each other off like old Chicago. Unfortunately, they are killing the cops and forcing some out of the country.

Mexico is the world's sixth largest producer of crude.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oil_reserves_in_Mexico

The United States is currently in a covert/overt drug war in Columbia (depending how you analyze the situation). Perhaps, if the Mexican government would like some of our covert help then perhaps we can trade our help for their oil......and lots and lots of it for a long time. Evidently, they are not using their oil fortune to assist their own people in the vast social networks that the United States have. Where is that oil money going??? One guess is in the government's corrupt pockets.

Some say close the border. Since Operation Wetback, of President Eisenhower, our government has been unwilling to close the border or "round-up illegals en mass. Reasons: (1) cheap cheap cheap labor and (2) Democrats need their votes when they "naturalize" all the illegals to keep implementing socialistic policies such as welfare, free hospitalization, free elementary - secondary education and free in-state tuition at just about any college or university.....oh yea.....don't have to pay taxes. Friends, can we, as Americans, denounce our citizenship and ask for asylum in Mexico so we, too, can receive these great benefits??

Guns: yea, the cartels may get some guns and ammo from north of the border but the majority are "not" from the USA.

The United States is doing little, in my estimation, to curb the drug trade in the United States and go after the Cripts/Bloods and MS-13 then do you think that they have the "RESOURCES" to go after the Mexican cartels?

In a perfect world I would like to see the southern border tightly closed and only except "legal" immigration into our fair land but that is in a perfect world and we do not live in a perfect world. We just live in a corrupt world governed by those who pad their pockets with special interest money for special legislation and laws.

The Mexicans are taking, at least, one step in the right direction to bring out their military to help fight the problem. Hopefully they have the resources to get the job done because if not we will see more influx of illegal immigration into the USA and more of our "over burdened" social services becoming bankrupt.

Edited May 26, 2009 by eulesseagle

[UNTflyer]

Can there be a more conflicting analysis? And how can someone as experienced as Mcaffrey, with all of his years spent in Central America give all of this and NOT mention anywhere a suggestion of closing the border? Seems to me both nations would benefit from it?

Rick

I have to disagree. Closing the border will solve nothing, absolutely nothing. The problem is not a lack of fencing, it's a lack of jobs and poor quality of life on the other side.

Why is it we don't need a fence along the border with Canada?

Edited May 26, 2009 by UNTflyer

[eulessismore]

I have to disagree. Closing the border will solve nothing, absolutely nothing. The problem is not a lack of fencing, it's a lack of jobs and poor quality of life on the other side.

Why is it we don't need a fence along the border with Canada?

Got to agree with Flyer on this one; when an unstoppable force (economic desperation) meets a fence, there's always a way over, under, or around it. Until they build a fence high enough to keep aircraft from landing at DFW Airport, there will always be people who come to be in the USA illegally by just overstaying a tourist visa. Maybe that's ignored, because they have the money to buy an airline ticket, but they're still illegal, and some are a security threat. The only reason we talk about Mexico all the time, and have ignored the fact that most of the 9-11 hijackers were from Saudi Arabia is that we need the Saudis oil.

[hickoryhouse]

I agree that there will always be a way around over etc a wall, but the point of increasing the border security would be to slow the influx of illegals into the country. We cannot fix Mexico's problems and we shouldn't be required to, we can however try to reduce our own problems and I am of the opinion that tightening border security to the south would be a large step in alleviating some problems and tension on the north side of the border.

[Rudy]

The United States is currently in a covert/overt drug war in Columbia (depending how you analyze the situation). Perhaps, if the Mexican government would like some of our covert help then perhaps we can trade our help for their oil......and lots and lots of it for a long time.

Maybe we can offer our covert/overt assistance in return for the Mexican police returning all of the crap they have stolen from us. Ie stolen cars they have turned into their police fleet.

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

--- Flyer is right... The Damn fence is worthless except in urban areas. Those who have never been to the sparse areas of Texas just don't seem to understand how worthless it is. Mexico has a big problem ... a poor economy and a history of government corruption. The USA contributes largely to their problem... so many here now use illegal drugs which creates the highly profitable gangs there.

--- Jobs would help them but the quick large money by drug cartels is too tempting. I pity the honest policemen and courts that do exist there. Their life is in danger. As for the border jumpers.... everyone (even our families) left were they where because of bad economic conditions or a poor political situation (war, corruption, not in the group in power, etc.). I feel sorry for them but we need to protect ourselves.... decreasing drugs to the level it was during the 50's would be nice but likely impossible.

---I don't see as much the conflicting opinion as Rick... they can be courageous but poorly trained and some may be trying hard while others are on the take. They have serious problems with law enforcement including courts and there are no easy answers. Fighting organized crime is tough... they don't play by any legal rules.... they buy their way out or just shoot folks that get in their way.

Edited May 26, 2009 by SCREAMING EAGLE-66

[Mean Green 93-98]

I'm a little surprised nobody commented on this (point 6.D):

Mexican law enforcement authorities and soldiers face heavily armed drug gangs with high-powered military automatic weapons. Perhaps 90% of these weapons are smuggled across the US border. They are frequently purchased from licensed US gun dealers in Texas, Arizona, and California. AK-47 assault rifles are literally bought a hundred at a time and illegally brought into Mexico. Mexican authorities routinely seize BOXES of unopened automatic military weapons. The confiscation rates by Mexican law enforcement of hand grenades, RPG’s, and AK-47’s are at the level of wartime battlefield seizures. It is hard to understand the seeming indifference and incompetence of US authorities at state and Federal level to such callous disregard for a national security threat to a neighboring democratic state. We would consider it an act of warfare from a sanctuary state if we were the victim.

The bottom line---the US is ineffective and unresponsive to Mexican concerns about weapons, bulk cash, and precursor chemicals flowing south into Mexico from the United States--- with a blow-torch effect on the security of the Mexican people.

Kind of strange that he proposes a percentage for how many weapons are smuggled from the U.S., but does not suggest how "frequently" they are purchased from licensed U.S. gun dealers.

Edited May 27, 2009 by Mean Green 93-98

[Rudy]

I'm a little surprised nobody commented on this (point 6.D):

Kind of strange that he proposes a percentage for how many weapons are smuggled from the U.S., but does not suggest how "frequently" they are purchased from licensed U.S. gun dealers.

I challenge the validity of this statement. If this were true, and this guy knows of it, I garauntee the ATF would know it too.

[UNTflyer]

I'm a little surprised nobody commented on this (point 6.D):

Kind of strange that he proposes a percentage for how many weapons are smuggled from the U.S., but does not suggest how "frequently" they are purchased from licensed U.S. gun dealers.

The blame game. If America melted down every gun within our borders, Mexican drug lords would still be well-armed. Are we to believe Mexican law enforcement when it's a well-known fact half of them are on the take?

[The Fake Lonnie Finch]

I'm happy the drug dealers are killing each other in Mexico.

Barry McCaffrey is so lost it's not even worth discussing. The world is getting four years of aimlessness out of American foreign policy with all of the idiots Obama has appointed. We're going to fold just about everywhere. Where we don't fold, we'll be railroaded.

It really is sad to watch.

[meangreendork]

The blame game. If America melted down every gun within our borders, Mexican drug lords would still be well-armed. Are we to believe Mexican law enforcement when it's a well-known fact half of them are on the take?

It's kind of hard to accept any statement from any officials in Mexico for exactly this same reason. In a country where it's either get on the payroll or get your life taken, it's hard not to take a bribe. The solution is to work both the supply and demand sides of this.