How the Drug War is Ruining Mexico

Brian Doherty | February 24, 2009

From the March/April issue of Foreign Policy, Sam Quinones lays out some of the dire and growing consequences in hideous violence and corruption in Mexico of the U.S. (and, alas, international) war on some drugs--and how those consequences are now crossing the border to Phoenix. Alas, unlike the Latin American leaders in the Wall Street Journal yesterday, Quinones doesn't even think to mention drug law reform as a possible solution.

Comments

Naga Sadow|2.24.09 @ 1:56PM|#

Criminal-capitalist insurgency? That fucktard!

|2.24.09 @ 2:04PM|#

You know, we make jokes about the stupid propaganda put out by ONDCP et al, but they seem to have done a pretty good job at laying down the idea that the drug war must be fought at all costs.

Naga Sadow|2.24.09 @ 2:09PM|#

Epi,

It pisses me off!!! Give the Mexican police better pay and the bribing problem will disappear!!! Just look at America for your solutions! I repeat, fucktard!

|2.24.09 @ 2:13PM|#

Give the Mexican police better pay and the bribing problem will disappear!!!

Don't you know that the problem is just not enough money being shoveled at it, Naga? That's always the problem.

|2.24.09 @ 2:16PM|#

Epi, I think you're missing the nuance of Naga's post.

Obviously, there's plenty of money being shoveled at the Mexican cops. Its just not being shoveled by the Right People.

Naga Sadow|2.24.09 @ 2:17PM|#

Epi,

Alright. You've cheered me up a little so I'll stop bitching. It's fucking Mardi Gras and the fucking boss put me on as a fucking on call. I hope he gets nut cancer.

|2.24.09 @ 2:20PM|#

Just get too drunk to go to work. Right now.

Naga Sadow|2.24.09 @ 2:22PM|#

Epi,

I can't. That is the point of being on call. They fire you for shit like that. I've gotta wait till 4 before I can even start my run over to Mobile. Bullshit.

Kolohe|2.24.09 @ 2:27PM|#

Naga-
A true capitalist would sell drinks today, and buy them tomorrow, rather than vice versa.

Naga Sadow|2.24.09 @ 2:33PM|#

Kolohe,

I'm always off Tuesday dammit!!! My days of working a 5 day workweek were over about 6 weeks ago. I like working 4 days. It rocks.

|2.24.09 @ 2:36PM|#

Naga, you seem to be failing to understand the whole "get drunk so you can't work" concept. Any boss who would fire you for that is clearly a dick who you don't want to work for anyway.

Naga Sadow|2.24.09 @ 2:47PM|#

Episiarch,

Are you trying to amuse yourself by getting me fired? I'm off the hook at 4 (central time, biotch!) when I make my stupid fucking phone call of "You need me to work? No? Sweet!". Also, women seem to like it when you have money so I'm gonna keep with the job thing for now.

|2.24.09 @ 2:52PM|#

I'm gonna keep with the job thing for now.

You unAmerican bastard!

Get fired, and take your place at the government's generous teat. Stop being some sort of individualist weirdo.

Naga Sadow|2.24.09 @ 3:04PM|#

Sorry my people. Job for now.

Atanarjuat|2.24.09 @ 3:30PM|#

The outgunned Mexican law enforcement authorities face armed criminal attacks from platoon-sized units employing night vision goggles, electronic intercept collection, encrypted communications, fairly sophisticated information operations, sea-going submersibles, helicopters and modern transport aviation, automatic weapons, RPG's, Anti-Tank 66 mm rockets, mines and booby traps, heavy machine guns, 50 [caliber] sniper rifles, massive use of military hand grenades, and the most modern models of 40mm grenade machine guns.

Wow.

|2.24.09 @ 3:57PM|#

Surprisingly enough, nobody'g gunning down cops or competitors over the tobacco, tequila and cerveza businesses.

We should fund a study to find out why that is.

Paul|2.24.09 @ 5:26PM|#

Surprisingly enough, nobody'g gunning down cops or competitors over the tobacco

Give it time... give it time...

Michael Ejercito|2.24.09 @ 7:36PM|#

Nobody is gunning down cops or competitors in Cheyenne, Wyoming over guns.

Chicago, Illinois is a different matter.

nonPaullogist|2.24.09 @ 8:39PM|#

I live in Ciudad Juarez. We have about 30 murders per week here, higher than any U.S. City. On average one of those 30 is a U.S. Citizen. Two days ago, the Governor of the State of Chihuahua escaped an assassination attempt that killed one of his guards.

Things have always been bad here, but now they are getting crazy. My dentist was kidnapped. Street vendor sell CD-ROMS containing lists of middle class people to shake down.

The equivalent of the municipal chief of police was murdered last week, along with several other officers. The cops can't even protect themselves and, because we are not allowed to have guns, we are defenseless against the drug cartels.

I'm getting my family out as soon as I can.

LarryA|2.25.09 @ 12:53PM|#

The outgunned Mexican law enforcement authorities face armed criminal attacks from platoon-sized units employing night vision goggles, electronic intercept collection, encrypted communications, fairly sophisticated information operations, sea-going submersibles, helicopters and modern transport aviation, automatic weapons, RPG's, Anti-Tank 66 mm rockets, mines and booby traps, heavy machine guns, 50 [caliber] sniper rifles, massive use of military hand grenades, and the most modern models of 40mm grenade machine guns.

I talked to a U.S. reporter recently who was working on a news story about how that weaponry was being purchased at "unregulated Texas gun shows." No, she's never been to an unregulated Texas gun show, and attending one isn't part of her research plan.

I'm getting my family out as soon as I can.

Vaya con dios.