CIA Director: Al Qaeda is Job 1 of Top 10 Security Challenges in 2009

CIA Director: Al Qaeda is Job 1 of Top 10 Security Challenges in 2009

www.foxnews.com

"This is an informal list that I kind of jotted down, what are the things I would fret about over the next 12 months," he told FOX News in the second of two interviews about the nation's greatest security challenges.

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The list is interesting. I do find the order of threat surprising to be honest.

Having number 2 as "Violence in Mexico" threw me though. Over everything else in the world, our troops in the various mid-east countries.. what are we doing about Mexico?

If this is a threat to be taken as seriously as the director of the CIA is.. what large movements have been put into place to guard our borders?

If Mexico and the violence within it is truly a threat, haven't we already been inundated by that threat? That wall/border is a joke.


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(visit the link for the full news article)

reply to post by TwiTcHomatic

Having number 2 as "Violence in Mexico" threw me though.

Got me confused as well. Mexico is having a gang against gang warfare for the top spot and it is mostly centered around the northern part of Mexico. How can this outrank Pakistan, Iran, or nukes. Personally, I don't see gangs inviting terrorists in to blow up the United States. I mean common sense will tell you that they have a flourishing business and if terrorist did something in the US, it would effect their business greatly.

Erm there is a misinterpretation in this headline......

Swap CIA and Al Qaeda around and we will get near the truth

Organized crime is destabilizing Mexico's government, NEVER underestimate a man's ambition.

A destabilized Mexico creates a large hole on our Southern border; which is rather unprotected. Mexico would then have to continue alocating more funds, the U.S. would have to give them more funds, weakening their own borders as they will continue to lose more soldiers, police and possible recruits.

With more drugs being pumped into the U.S. from a weakened Mexico, that alone is enough worry to make it a high priority. Let's not put the hypothetical situation that Mexico's government gets a coup or other possible scenarios. The gangs have become bold, killing actual soldiers was the main move to say that they didn't care about the law. The consequences, they knew but it's never been this outright, at least not in a very long time.

[edit on 2-2-2009 by Riviera]

With more drugs being pumped into the U.S. from a weakened Mexico, that alone is enough worry to make it a high priority.

Would it not be wiser to tackle the drug dependency issue in the US rather than to get into the internal affairs of another country?

The current way to take care of drug dependency seems to be jail time. If you cut back the amount of drugs the US buys and consumes I would think that would force the drug gangs to take their business elsewhere.

I still don't think Mexico should be number 2 on the list. There is something fishy about that IMO.

Originally posted by jam321

With more drugs being pumped into the U.S. from a weakened Mexico, that alone is enough worry to make it a high priority.

Would it not be wiser to tackle the drug dependency issue in the US rather than to get into the internal affairs of another country?

The current way to take care of drug dependency seems to be jail time. If you cut back the amount of drugs the US buys and consumes I would think that would force the drug gangs to take their business elsewhere.

I still don't think Mexico should be number 2 on the list. There is something fishy about that IMO.

MORE jail time? The US prison system is already overflowing and overloaded with millions of prisoners, many of whom committed victimless crimes, and you want to flood this system with EVEN MORE PRISONERS?

Incarcerating people really doesn't achieve much when you are talking about GANGS anyway. The Mafia still continues its operations even when key members are in jail, and in fact those jailed members often still govern criminal organisations FROM jail.

If you want to lessen drug dependency in the United States, you need to look at the reasons why many people are consuming or selling those drugs in the first place.

When Mexicans attempt to enter the US, they are called illegal immigrants. Leon Panetta uses the phrase "effects could be just as dangerous, certainly to the well-being of the Mexican people." Is he expecting a mass migration of Mexican refuges due to escalating violence? As such, can the US refuse entry to 'refuges', like they can 'immigrants'? _________

On a side issue, I was disappointed not to see this critical threat at 3 or 4, or at least 10!...External Link

MORE jail time? The US prison system is already overflowing and overloaded with millions of prisoners, many of whom committed victimless crimes, and you want to flood this system with EVEN MORE PRISONERS?

My apologies for not being clearer.

The US currently uses incarceration for people hooked on drugs. I believe that instead of meddling in another country's internal affair, the US should use the money to treat the US drug dependency problem through treatment programs. I don't believe people should go to prison because they got hooked on drugs.

If the fear is that the violence will spread into the US, then they should fortify the border. The US getting involved in the Mexican drug war will not solve the problem.

They should also start giving the stiffer penalties to big fish instead of the small fish.

As long as Americans continue to get hooked and demand drugs, the problem in Mexico will never fade.

As long as Americans continue to get hooked and demand drugs, the problem in Mexico will never fade.

I get what you are saying, and agree. The part I am having trouble wrapping my brain around is.. why is this a #2 problem for the CIA? If this was the top 10 for the DEA, I could see it.

I think maybe this Director truly realizes that our southern border is open, and quite frankly easier to cross compared to most European countries. Throw old Cuba into the mix of making friendlies with our KGB buddies...

But, lets just call it "Violence in Mexico" to be non-specific and not so alarming.

reply to post by TwiTcHomatic

I think maybe this Director truly realizes that our southern border is open, and quite frankly easier to cross compared to most European countries.

Something doesn't drive. I agree with you about questioning the number 2 position and the DEA.

What i find strange is that most of the terrorist that they have investigated or are holding in the US did not come in illegally. Yet no one questions the problem with the US Visa program being compromised.

I also don't see the border as such a big issue because Obama has promised to do something about the illegals already in the country. Furthermore, our Northern border is even wider open and even less protected than our Southern border and lets not forget about the virtually unprotected waterways and ports.

Something strange is happening here.

I am going to flag and star this post. I may need it for future purpose.

Excellent thread.

Mexico's government is what they are worried about. This violence is getting pretty high, and if a group became inclined enough, it could attempt an overthrow. Mexico's country is unstable, therefore, their government is unstable. Mexico's our neighbor country if you don't remember. If their government were to collapse, it would mean serious issues for us.

It could turn into a new age Cuba crisis if the wrong government took power. Imagine the headlines "Mexico's Government Overrun By Drug Cartels" and "New Mexican Government Signs Pact With North Korea"

Anyone that close to our border is a security risk when their country, and thus their government, becomes unstable. There are so many unknowns when a country takes this route. Will their be a coup? Will the people simply overthrow the ineffective government? Will Full out civil war break out? (leading to mass immigration). Then some more unknowns. Who will take the old governments place in the event of a collapse? What policies would this new government have toward the US and our enemies?

There are so many more unknowns then what I just listed, there is no way it COULDN'T be a high security threat.

Originally posted by jam321

The US currently uses incarceration for people hooked on drugs. I believe that instead of meddling in another country's internal affair, the US should use the money to treat the US drug dependency problem through treatment programs. I don't believe people should go to prison because they got hooked on drugs.

If the fear is that the violence will spread into the US, then they should fortify the border. The US getting involved in the Mexican drug war will not solve the problem.

They should also start giving the stiffer penalties to big fish instead of the small fish.

As long as Americans continue to get hooked and demand drugs, the problem in Mexico will never fade.

I agree in principle with what you say. In the War on Drugs the drugs have won hands down. The US needs a radical shift in it's policies on illegal drug use. But the Catch 22 has been that billions are laundered in Afghani sourced opium and via Miami through Wall Street. Though lip service is given to stopping the illegal trug trade internationally, the money settles somewhere, and the CIA as much facilitates it as fights it.

Acknowledging the drug abuse problem is not going to go away, decriminalizing it is a good beginning. Marijuana usage should become a misdemeanor like drinking under age - not something people are thrown into jail for. We have to face it, marijuana will be consumed by tens of millions no matter how harsh laws are.

An irony is that when drugs stop being illegal many problems are relieved. The price goes down, less money is needed to buy them, and less crime involved by the addicted who need thousands a month for their habit. It also undermines the drug trade as prices go down.

Dealing with those whose lives are being ruined by addictions is an ongoing process. But we see on our streets that criminalizing the unfortunate has been working.

All this is too mind boggling for most Americans, but in fact legalized and controlled drug use is better on all fronts.



Mike F