POLITICS: Mexicos Stability Threatened By Rogue Special Ops Troops

Mexican drug cartels have a new weapon in their fight against law enforcement. A group of elite commandos known as Zetas, originally intended to fight drug traffickers, has in recent years begun to work for the traffickers. Attacks by the well equipped and highly disciplined soldiers have resulted in several jail breaks and forced a re-organization of Mexican prisons housing druglords. They are also known to have acquired information on President Fox's travel plans from members of his staff. Mexican army officers admit that they are out-matched by this growing threat.



This is a little disconcerting, and I can't help remembering that in 1996 Caspar Weinberger wrote about the prospect of drug cartels destabilizing the Mexican government in his book, The Next War. If these drug cartels and the mercinary "Zetas" are capable of holding territory against government forces and threatening the life of Mexican president Vicente Fox, then America needs to get down there and offer to help its neighbor. The last thing we need is organized crime of this magnitude coming to our side of the border, and the second to last thing we need is a refugee crisis if the worst case scenario of Weinberger's book plays out. It may be time to send in our SEALs and separate the men from the boys. Of course we won't; this particular terrorist group isn't part of our "war on terror" and the news networks are keeping it that way by not covering this very significant story.

Originally posted by The Vagabond
The last thing we need is organized crime of this magnitude coming to our side of the border,

Forgive me, but I think we're already dealing with vastly more organized crime - just less overtly violent and more socially acceptable...

and the second to last thing we need is a refugee crisis if the worst case scenario of Weinberger's book plays out.

There have been problems with youth gangs throughout Central America as a product of destabilization - they were imported to California as immigrants- and then exported again. Interesting older story.

...All in all, this is not good news. The idea that drug cartel armies could overthrow a government pretty much takes us back to the middle ages. ...But given the history of Mexico and Central America - they were already taken over by foreign corporations that bought up their land, threw all the people out into the street, ruined the water, yada yada. ...Seems like the poor Mexicans are just trading one tyrant for another, business as usual.

And on top of all this, Vicente Fox is a nincompoop, who is distributing comic books with detailed information on how to cross the border undetected, safely cross open territory and blend in with the population. Of course, they don't need to speak English because, nearly every service and phone menu is bilingual and everybody thinks it's cool to hire illegals, until they have to pass a Senate confirmation.

.
And when the US becomes an annex to Mexico they will be operating here in the former US.

Thank You US government for sucking up to corporate interests and not securing the Southern border.

Thank You for the repeated amnesties. Each time it is the 'LAST' time. over and over again. [The last, the last last, the last last last, the . . . ]

Just think someday we can have a government that is as uncorrupt as Mexico's. We don't have enough corruption as it is.

Thank You for speding 300 Billion for nothing in Iraq and not spending 20 billion securing our Southern border.

When you are spending all your energy overseas but not bothering to take care of things at home what kind of home if any will you have?
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I'm surprised the US isn't taking this more seriously. There seems to be quite a bit of concern over the Russians and Chinese among some Americans here, and Mexico is your buffer zone for South America. Better to have Fox in control, than a bunch of crazy drug lords who will do anything for money.

[edit on 13-2-2005 by Duzey]

Yeah. Fox is better than the drug lords only because he has diplomatic skills and a good front. Personally, I think he's in bed with the drug lords.

He doesn't really inspire much confidence, does he? The corruption is just so rampant down there, from the very top to the very bottom. You guys really need to do something about that border.

Originally posted by GradyPhilpott
Yeah. Fox is better than the drug lords only because he has diplomatic skills and a good front. Personally, I think he's in bed with the drug lords.

But you don't think the CIA is? [sorry]

FYI - Japan has an interesting system of government - haven't looked at it since the 1980's, but their central government is a triad 'committee' - no decisions are taken without agreement from the triad. Two of the three 'interests' represented are 1. business/corporate, and 2. criminal. Not sure now, but I believe the 3rd triad member is the emperor, as the peoples' representative. ...The important point is, the government gives equal representation to 'legal' and illegal business.

...Does anyone here have more info on Japan's system of government? ...It apparently works to prevent violent crime or at least, keep it in line...

Originally posted by GradyPhilpott
Yeah. Fox is better than the drug lords only because he has diplomatic skills and a good front. Personally, I think he's in bed with the drug lords.

To a certain extent perhaps, but if the Zetas are buying information on his travel plans he has apparently upset at least one drug lord. I hope he's got real good body guards.


Now here's what we have to look out for- if serious organized crime violence spills over into America, for example hits on police, we could be going down exactly the path Weinberger suggested in The Next War.
Let things get too rowdy North of the border, or let people from Northern Mexico begin to come over in a major refugee movement, and it'll be about 5 seconds till we decide to send in the Marines.

Of course if we wanted to be big-time conspiracy theorists we could say this is what the NWO wants. Not only would it give us a chance to annex Mexico but afterwards we'd have to prevent a mass migration North, so we would probably pass a law restricting relocation. We need to see your papers please.

Oh well whats new here. Perhaps our system isn't the best in the states but atleast we don't have such problems here. Now if we would only close the boarder to Mexico maybe then the Mexicans will take control of their lives. I just don't understand them at times. I love them and have many Mexican friends but dam if they just little to relaxed as a people to let this crap go on.

Originally posted by thehamsamiam
Oh well whats new here. Perhaps our system isn't the best in the states but atleast we don't have such problems here. Now if we would only close the boarder to Mexico maybe then the Mexicans will take control of their lives. I just don't understand them at times. I love them and have many Mexican friends but dam if they just little to relaxed as a people to let this crap go on.

Before I disagree with you I'll say that this is the longest post I've seen you make so far, and that's a good thing. Articulating your points on an issue is always better than giving one-liners. So welcome to ATS and please do continue to express your opinions this way.

Formalities being addressed, we can now get on to why it would be a horrible idea to just shut the border and leave Mexico to its own devices. Mexico has not been a great neighbor, their economy depends much on illegal immigrants to America sending back money, and they have shown little or no respect for us. All of those points I grant make it seem appealing to just let them rot. The problem is that they are strategically important to our security and if they can't lean on us they're going to lean on somebody else- and that somebody could be China or a friend of China's. That would be bad.
For America to remain secure, the Mexican immigration problem must be checked and regulated, but an all out shutting of the border and cessation of relations with Mexico just won't do. We need to help them put that country in order, because 1. We helped them get that way. 2. We suffer if we leave them that way.

America needs to withdraw from NAFTA and get its businesses out of Mexico. Mexican-owned companies have to dominate their economy so that there can be entrepenuership and growth FOR MEXICANS IN MEXICO. When an American company goes to Mexico to make something it creates working class jobs in Mexico but it brings the profits right back here to America which means that there will be no high-middle or upper class jobs for Mexicans in Mexico. Only working class jobs, which are being exported to Mexico explicity because the working class in Mexico is allowed to live in poverty and be underpaid.
We also need to provide incentives for American companies to trade with Mexican companies instead of Chinese ones where practical. When we stiff Mexico to trade with China we build the threat of hostile influences in South America while weakening our buffer zone.
We need to enforce our existing immigration laws and stop illegal immigration for our own sake, but we also must help Mexico provide an alternative by pressuring their government to institute reforms and by offering aid where appropriate.

As for Mexicans being "too relaxed". That's sort of thin ice. There is this vicious "lazy mexican" stereotype which that statement could be confused with, even if that wasn't your intent. The Mexican people did manage to do something for themselves by getting the PRI out of power after all those years. They are being deprived of the opportunity to build their economy because NAFTA opened the door for American entrepenuers to make all the money while Mexican laborers slaved for pennies on the dollar. They're economically oppressed.

Last but not least, to bring this thread somewhat back on topic- if we think Mexico is doing bad now, just wait and see what happens if the country falls into partial anarchy or becomes a "kleptocracy" under druglords. They wont even have a working class anymore if that happens.