In March Janet Napolitano assured us that the US-Mexican border was safer than ever. This in spite of Barack Obama and Eric Holder willingly sending 2000 automatic weapons into the hands of the drug cartels south of the border.
Well, it turns out that the border is not so safe. The Mexican state of Chihuahua, which borders Texas and New Mexico, is in anarchy. The US-Mexican border is less safe than Afghanistan.
Organized crime-related deaths in one Mexican border state during the first nine months of 2011 exceed the number of Afghan civilians killed in roughly the same period in all of war-torn Afghanistan.
According to the Mexican government, from January through September 2011 2,276 deaths were recorded in the Mexican state of Chihuahua, which borders Texas and New Mexico.
A Nov. 2011 Congressional Research Service (CRS) report states that over nearly the same period – January through October 2011 – 2,177 civilians were killed in Afghanistan, where a U.S.-led war against the Taliban is underway. It did not provide a breakdown of responsibility for that period, but said that in 2010, 75 percent of civilian deaths were attributed to the Taliban and other “anti-government elements.”
Per capita, a person was at least nine times more likely to be murdered in Chihuahua last year than in Afghanistan. (Chihuahua has 3,406,465 inhabitants, according to Mexico’s 2010 census; the CIA World Factbook reports that in July 2011 the estimated population of Afghanistan was 29,835,392.)
According to the reported numbers, the drug-related murder rate was about 67 for every 100,000 inhabitants in Chihuahua last year, while in Afghanistan the civilian killing rate was an estimated seven for every 100,000 people living there.There were more drug-related killings in Chihuahua than in any other Mexican state, according to the government figures. Chihuahua, the largest state in Mexico, includes Ciudad Juarez, a border city located across from El Paso, Texas. It is the deadliest city in Mexico and is considered one of the most dangerous places in the world.
According to the government tally, Juarez accounted for 1,206 (about 53 percent) of the 2,276 drug cartel-related murders in Chihuahua during the fist nine months of 2011.
The state capital, the city of Chihuahua, was also among the five deadliest cities in Mexico over that period, with 402 homicides reported.
The organized crime-related deaths in Mexico – officially referred to as homicides due to rivalry between delinquent organizations – include executions, deaths from encounters with authorities, direct aggression attacks, and killings stemming from violence between organized trafficking groups, according to the country’s government.
Its figures show that a total of 12,903 drug-related homicides took place across the country during the first nine months of 2011, taking Mexico’s drug-war death toll to 47,515 since President Felipe Calderon began a militarized crackdown on organized crime in December 2006.
Again comparing the Mexican and Afghanistan figures, the CRS report shows that 11,007 Afghan civilians were killed from 2007 through October 2011. That is about 80 percent fewer deaths than the 47,515 drug-related murders in Mexico over roughly the same period (December 2006 through September 2011).
Bungling by Obama and Holder has gotten two American agents killed so far.
Why aren’t we using drones to kill drug cartel members? The violence in Mexico is literally on our doorstep. It is spilling over into the United States, and it’s not new:
TUCSON — Sgt. David Azuelo stepped gingerly over the specks of blood on the floor, took note of the bullet hole through the bedroom skylight, raised an eyebrow at the lack of furniture in the ranch-style house and turned to his squad of detectives investigating one of the latest home invasions in this southern Arizona city.
A 21-year-old man had been pistol-whipped throughout the house, the gun discharging at one point, as the attackers demanded money, the victim reported. His wife had been bathing their 3-month-old son when the intruders arrived.
“At least they didn’t put the gun in the baby’s mouth like we’ve seen before,” Sergeant Azuelo said. That same afternoon this month, his squad was called to the scene of another home invasion, one involving the abduction of a 14-year-old boy.
This city, an hour’s drive north of the Mexican border, is coping with a wave of drug crime the police suspect is tied to the bloody battles between Mexico’s drug cartels and the efforts to stamp them out.
The violence continues
MCALLEN, Texas (AP) — A shooting that injured a sheriff’s deputy was the first indisputable case of spillover violence from the Mexican drug wars in Hidalgo County, the local sheriff said Monday.
Sheriff Lupe Trevino, who previously said there was no direct spillover violence in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, said the Sunday shootout erupted while one of his deputies investigated a reported kidnapping and drug deal.
“I have to say that with this particular incident, the way the witnesses and the information that we have gotten particularly in the federal system, this is the first recorded spillover violence event that we have experienced — and unfortunately got one of our deputies shot,” Trevino said.
One suspect was killed and two were wounded. In all, six people were taken into custody, including the alleged kidnapping victim, and are awaiting charges, the sheriff said.
The sheriff said a protective vest probably saved the life of Deputy Hugo Rodriguez, who was shot in the chest, abdomen and leg. He is recovering at a hospital.
Trevino said the reported kidnapping was a bid to recover marijuana stolen when the Gulf cartel’s reputed second-in-command, Samuel Flores Borrego, was killed in September.
“It started in Mexico, it had a violent confrontation in Mexico, that violent confrontation was spilled over here. This is the very first one that we can actually say, ‘Yes, here it is. It has happened,'” Trevino said.
The moron who occupies the post of Attorney General of the United States claims the violence in Mexico stems from the flow of illegal weapons into Mexico. His solution was to send 2000 more.
Which cartel controls which areas of Mexico appears to be known.
If we can find obscure terrorists in Pakistan and Afghanistan and blow them to kingdom come, why can’t we do the same to the very real danger right at our own door? Mexico is losing the battle. It’s time to do what they cannot. We have the technology and the ability. Obama is big on knocking off leaders of sovereign nations in the Middle East and Africa but is impotent when it comes to the threat next door. He’d rather disarm US citizens.
DrJohn has been a health care professional for more than 30 years. In addition to clinical practice he has done extensive research and has published widely with over 70 original articles and abstracts in the peer-reviewed literature. DrJohn is well known in his field and has lectured on every continent except for Antarctica. He has been married to the same wonderful lady for over 30 years and has three kids- two sons, both of whom are attorneys and one daughter on her way into the field of education.
DrJohn was brought up with the concept that one can do well if one is prepared to work hard but nothing in life is guaranteed.
Except for liberals being foolish.
Steve
yes on both your comments
bye
These idiots are bad news… They pose a much bigger threat than anyone 1000 miles away. I am telling you, this is like the Germanic tribes at the doorstep of the Roman Empire. The things I have seen these, “people” do is just unfathomable. Extermination is the only solution to this problem, you must understand, they have ZERO regard for human life. Predator drone strikes would be great, however, if this ever comes to be, we would have to station a good number of troops there, because retaliation would come and swiftly… Watch the movie “End of Watch”, it is pretty much like that. I for one believe that they are fighting American organized crime for territory, and regardless of what you think, believe me, they are operating on our soil. We are the ones who supply them with unlimited wealth, and said wealth buys them all the weapons you can imagine. They roll around with full body armor, military grade Assault Rifles and NVG’s. Most of their trucks are equipped with FLIR, it is crazy. Wake up people, action must be taken! Full scale military deployment is the only solution, and this time, you WILL be fighting for our HOMELAND, our freedom.
-silent patriot