Mexico's drug war

Sorry Zerge you logic does not make sense, the chances are not the
same as in the as the US. Does the US have over 45,000, people that
were killed by the mafia in the last 5 years? NO! Did 45,000 people
die from H1N1? I dont think so. And for that reason I do not go around
horseplaying on the roofs of tall buildings, Zerge.

Being a young male does increase you chances of being affected by the
violence. Most people fighiting on either side whether the Narcos side
or the Army are YOUNG MALES.

The violence is not soley from the Cartels, the Army has misidentified
people too. Young males in the areas affected by the violence DO have
to worry about being mis identified as Cartel members by either the
Narcos or the Army.

Zerge, Narcos dont wear badges to identify themselves, they look like
ordinary people, they try to blend in, therfore being a young male in
the areas afflicted does indeed put you at higher risk than the rest
of the population.

Zerge, please answer this question, are a Mexican or American citizen?

I agree with you to some extent, Walker. However, I would like to make a couple of comments. First of all, I’m not Mexican and do not know Mexico political and economic history well enough as to say that:

«Tossing Calderon out of office and replacing him with someone else would be the best things for the Mexicans to do if they want to end their so-called “War on Drugs”. »

even if that “someone else” is the PRI.

Secondly, you say that legalising drugs, as Vicente Fox has suggested repeatedly,

«…ignores the political realities of the USA where the broken government there cannot even agree on a budget.»

which suggests, although is not clear to me why, that it is just a case of political bickering. By the way, Fox has also said that, and I quote, «it is the U.S.A. that has to stop the flow of drugs, not Mexico.», which takes me to the third and final point.

Your assertion that:

«The best way for the Mexicans to deal with the violence is to simply stand down the army and allow drugs to pass freely through their country»

is a gross oversimplification, for it ignores the nature and modus operandi of organised crime.

Since your recommendation is rather similar to the one made by John Ackerman, a Mexican analyst, I would like to attach the comment I made to an article he wrote in Spanish last December. A similar, early version in English appeared in The Guardian here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2011/feb/18/drugs-tra...

Here is the comment:

I've just read your article ‘No Más Guerra’

http://www.diario.com.mx/notas.php?f=2011/02/12&id=fa187053219b7d2cdb237...

and I'm rather puzzled by your recommendation, that is, to pay little attention to the shipment of drugs to the US. I agree with your characterisation of the US anti drug policies and how hypocritical, complacent and self serving the US (and for that matter all major drug consuming countries in the world) have been when it comes to the consumption vis à vis the production of drugs.

It reminds me of what Gary Becker, the 1992 Nobel Laureate in Economics, says in its article “The American War on Drugs is Not Only an American Disaster”:

«No one has estimated the social cost of American drug policy on Mexico, Colombia, and other countries, but it has to be immense. Perhaps THESE COUNTRIES SHOULD JUST ALLOW DRUGS TO BE SHIPPED TO THE US, AND PUT THE FULL BURDEN OF STOPPING THESE SHIPMENTS ON AMERICAN ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES. The American government would protest, but such a result would provide a clearer picture to the American people of the full cost of current policy, including the major costs imposed on other countries. One can hope that then we will get a serious rethinking of the American war on drugs, and some real political movement toward decriminalization and legalization of various drugs.» (my emphasis)

Leaving aside for a moment the expected and unavoidable retaliation of the "international community", that is the US, should Mexico take alone such measure, it seems to me that your recommendation, please do not take it the wrong way, is a gross simplification. Despite what you say, it is equivalent to making a pact with the “narcos”. If past experiences are anything to go by, think of Colombia and the Medellín and Cali cartels, as long as the narcos continue having access (in this case almost free access) to the extraordinary revenues drug trafficking generates, such an agreement will only strengthen the narcos capacity to wreck havoc on the Mexican society via corruption, blackmail and violence.

Assuming that your recommendation is viable, and I am not sure it is, a better strategy would be to legalise the distribution, and for that matter the production too, and regulate them and tax them.

Gart Valenc
twitter: @gartvalenc
http://www.stopthewarondrugs.org

Here is what the Mexicans should do to stop the war on drugs: http://www.gringolandiasantiago.com/2012/01/17/how-to-end-the-war-on-drugs/

@ zerge, I agree, after 4 years and 50,000 dead people, hearing about the violence in Mexico does get old. Doesnt mean that we should tolerate it and not continue reading and writing about it

Saddly, I am from Mexico and I have not returned since 2008 when I started college because of the violence. Instead my parents and brothers moved to here. I just graduated from university in Texas, instead of thinking about a future in Mexico, I will pursue a law degree in USA.

There no direct flights to my hometown, and the highways in the "frontera" are too unsafe to attempt via car or bus. (entire bus's disapear, and 300+ unclaimed bagage) I could take a flight to Mexico City, and then a bus, but thats still a litle dangerous. No matter how litle the chances are, I will not put myself in a situation where any chances of held up and decapitaded, only for being a young male.

Luckily, most of the younger generation in my family has dual citizenship, although they all still live in Mexico. It is only now because of the violence that they are comming to USA to study. I suspect once they are all here they will like it a lot more and not go back to Mexico.

Too bad for Mexico, its loosing many people from its middle and upper classes who are the best educated, have money, but who also have the means to leave!

Saddly, I am from Mexico and I have not returned since 2008 because of the violence. I just graduated from university in Texas, instead of thinking about a future in Mexico, I will pursue a law degree in USA.

There no direct flights to my hometown, and the highways in the "frontera" are too unsafe to attempt via car or bus. (entire bus's disapear, and 300+ unclaimed bagage) I could take a flight to Mexico City, and then a bus, but thats still a litle dangerous. No matter how litle the chances are, I will not put myself in a situation where any chances of held up and decapitaded, only for being a young male.

Luckily, most of the younger generation in my family has dual citizenship, although they all still live in Mexico. It is only now because of the violence that they are comming to USA to study. I suspect once they are all here they will like it a lot more and not go back to Mexico.

Too bad for Mexico, its loosing many people from its middle and upper classes who are the best educated, have money, but who also have the means to leave!

For the USA? well TX and the south west were once part of mexico...

Another article on Mexico's drug war, TE? Do you have nothing interesting to say about Mexico's economy? Would you like some tips? Have you noticed that this article has been up for a couple of days and nobody has commented anything?