Mexico is a Failed Narco-state and the United States Should Intervene

Earlier this week, nine Americans were slaughtered by Mexican drug cartel gunmen in the mountains of Sonora, Mexico. Their families were caravanning to a wedding near the Chihuahua-Sonora border. The cartel ambushed three SUVs operated by the Americans, opening fire with rifles. Christina Johnson jumped out, waving her arms to show the cartels their families were not a threat, but was brutally gunned down. Six children were shot and/or burned in the smoldering remains of a shot-up SUV, including two eight-month old twins. Two other women were also killed in the ambush. One mother was found dead in her Suburban with her seven-month old found safe on the floor of the vehicle. A relative believes she did this to protect her infant from certain death. Eight children were found alive after hiding in nearby bushes, but several sustained gunshot wounds. When investigators cased the scene, over 200 spent bullet casings were found.

This grisly and horrible attack is only part of the deterioration Mexico has experienced in the last few decades. Federal law enforcement has completely failed to keep order in their nation. State and local law enforcement officers are largely corrupt. Cartels give mayors and police chiefs two options: “plata o ploma” – silver or lead. Officials can accept bribe money or the cartels will kill them and their families. Cartels are very territorial and keep a solid grip on their turf. Often these cartels will kill, dismember and scatter mutilated human remains with handwritten signs as warnings to citizens, government officials and rival cartels.

Last month, the Mexican military surrendered to the Sinaloa Cartel after being outgunned and surrounded. The military was attempting to capture Ovidio Guzman Lopez, son of the notorious cartel boss “El Chapo.” An hours-long gunfight ensued between the Mexican authorities and cartel gunmen – with the cartel blocking entrances to the city using smoldering vehicles. The cartel manned high power weaponry, including vehicle mounted .50 caliber machine guns and high-power sniper rifles. The military was forced to free Lopez, effectively surrendering to the Sinaloa Cartel.

Mexico is descending into a narco-state, where the government lacks any control. Since Mexico borders the United States, such unrest and chaos should be a priority of the U.S. government. President Donald Trump tweeted after Tuesday’s horrible attack on American citizens, “This is the time for Mexico, with the help of the United States, to wage war on the drug cartels and wipe them off the face of the earth. We merely await a call from your great new president!” The United States should put great pressure on the federal government of Mexico to accept help. The situation is out of hand and makes the nation of Mexico unlivable for it’s residents, and a danger to visiting Americans. The cartels also have members operating in the United States running point on drug and sex trafficking operations – raising the stakes even higher.

Two things need to happen to secure the safety of Americans and maintain a good relationship with Mexico:

(1) A physical barrier needs to be erected on the southern border of the United States. Ideally, this would be in the form of a wall, supplemented with sensors, drones and increased border patrol. This will help law enforcement plug the massive gaps in the southern border – blocking the flow of dangerous narcotics and sex trafficking. President Trump has been attempting to build this wall, but with resistance from Democrats, it has been a difficult task. Portions of a physical wall are being built as of this writing. This project should be priority of the Trump administration with 11 months before the 2020 election. If a Democratic candidate were to be elected, they will likely stop any progress of a wall on the southern border. Since they are pushing for open border policies, we need to solidify a physical barrier immediately to have a form of permanent protection if/when progressives take power.

(2) The United States should levy military force against the drug cartels. The criminals in these cartels are grievously evil. These monsters are accustomed to murdering people in the most brutal fashion, dismembering bodies in barrels of acid and the merciless rape of women. Similar to radical Islamic terrorists, they do not respect diplomacy – only power. The way to break up these cartels and regain control over Mexico is to bring overwhelming violence to the doorstep of the cartels. Kill the leadership, reduce their houses and vehicles to rubble and place the fear of God in their hearts. By reducing the power of the cartels, Mexico can begin to root out corruption and rebuild a stable government.

Some might push back on the use of U.S. military force being used in Mexico. They ask, “Why would we place American lives in danger for a foreign country?” This is a legitimate question to ask, but I believe military action is fully justified. Mexico borders our country. These acts of cartel violence often take place only a few miles from American cities. Americans routinely visit Mexico for vacation, travel and church missions trips. As the world superpower, we cannot have our neighbors place American lives in danger.

Mexico is in a state of failure. The cartels are out of control and threaten the lives of both Mexican and American citizens. The government of Mexico has a responsibility to its citizens to defeat these cartels. They should accept help from the United States immediately and begin a surgical removal of evil from their nation. The United States should continue to build large physical barriers on the southern border to protect American citizens from drug trafficking, sex trafficking and illegal immigration.

PC: The New Yorker.