Why is the United States backing Mexican drug gangs?

[piercehawkeye45]

http://experts.foreignpolicy.com/node/15096

Drug-related violence is spreading throughout Mexico. In 2008, drug-war-related deaths topped 5,600 -- more than the five-year total of U.S. casualties in Iraq. Drug cartels are undermining the state: They infiltrate local and regional governments, corrupt police officers and judicial officials, and threaten and kill independent journalists. Those in public positions often face the ultimate Faustian bargain -- "la plata o el plomo" -- money or death.

The United States has been slow to recognize its responsibility as the main consumer of these illegal drugs. But the U.S. Congress did pass the Merida Initiative last May, increasing security aid to the country's embattled neighbor from a paltry $40 million to $400 million a year.

Sounds like real help, right?

Unfortunately, these numbers pale in comparison with the funds the United States supplies to Mexico's bad guys. U.S. drug consumers send at least $12 billion a year back to Mexico's cartels, and the U.S. government does little to stop it. Dealers gather individual sales of $20, $50, $100, or more from the streets of New York, Chicago, Charlotte, or Fresno. Through bank transfers, money wiring, and even Greyhound bus, the cash is amassed at the southern border, then put into cars and trucks, and shipped south -- without a glance from U.S. customs officials. This money keeps the cartels in business, funding corruption and violence.

As Cloud personally experienced and commented on last year, the drug problem is becoming a real issue in the southern United States and Mexico. The drug wars are clearly failing and a new solution is needed. We cannot stop the demand of drugs without an impossible cultural change, something we have tried and failed at for the past twenty years, and by trying to restrict the supply will only push the trade deeper in the black market. The only solution I see is legalization of these drugs. On a individual level, it will probably worsen the drug problem but it will immensely help on a social level. At this point in time, it is the only rational solution I see.

[TheMercenary]

Good post. And on a related note:

http://www.elpasotimes.com/newupdated/ci_11444354

U.S. military report warns 'sudden collapse' of Mexico is possible

I think legalization of some drugs is a good idea, but not all drugs. I think we just need to have better control of the border, which we still do not have, and not worry so much about what they are doing in their own country.

[piercehawkeye45]

I agree, drug laws should be based on a rational basis for each individual drug. Cocaine and Heroin are too big to control and should be legalized or decriminalized for that reason but other drugs such as PCP should not because of the lower usage. Spend the money that we put into the "drug war" and what we would gain from legalization and put that into rehab and urban restoration or even other sources and it would be a great trade in my opinion.


For your article, if Mexico did collapse, it would be a nightmare for border control.

[TheMercenary]

I don't think I could ever support the legalization of Cocaine and Heroin.

[Cloud]

Our city council tried to introduce a resolution to ask the government to legalize marijuana. But our mayor vetoed it.

There were 1600 murders in Juarez last year. That's more than 5 a day. Many Juarez residents who can, are moving here, which is giving us an economic boost.

[TheMercenary]

How is that an economic boost? How is it measured? And how is it measured against the costs of education and health care?

[footfootfoot]

Why is the United States backing Mexican drug gangs?

Ummm, because backing the Afghani drug gangs didn't work out the way we had hoped?

[classicman]

Interesting Cloud - Where are they all working? Where and what type of jobs are being created?

[TheMercenary]

So do you think if we deployed 2000 troops to the streets of El Paso that anyone would notice?

2,000 fresh troops sent to Juárez as violence continues

By Daniel Borunda / El Paso Times
Posted: 01/13/2009 11:17:46 PM MST

The Mexican army has sent an estimated 2,000 troops to Juárez as part of a rotation even as the death toll surpassed 35 so far this year.

http://www.elpasotimes.com/juarez/ci_11448257

[piercehawkeye45]

Originally Posted by TheMercenary

I don't think I could ever support the legalization of Cocaine and Heroin.

What are your reasons?

[TheMercenary]

Because I don't think that you can control the addiction. Alcohol is bad enough. I believe it ruins lives, families, and it would further burden the healthcare system.

[wolf]

For the folks who are willing to support the legalization of drugs like cocaine and heroin ... are you also willing to support the tax increase that would be necessary to pay for rehab for all the idiots who figured out that just maybe drugs 'r bad, mkay?

[piercehawkeye45]

Originally Posted by TheMercenary

Because I don't think that you can control the addiction. Alcohol is bad enough. I believe it ruins lives, families, and it would further burden the healthcare system.

There is no doubt that alcohol is bad enough and these hard drugs do ruin lives, families, and will play a burden on the health care but the individual aspect isn't the only determinant. I see two parts when it comes to drug laws, how drugs and laws affect individuals and how drugs and laws affect society.

The individual part is the least important out of the two in my opinion because we don't have control over it. We cannot tell people to take or not take drugs whether they are legal or illegal. Alcohol use went up during the prohibition and I would expect marijuana use to decline in growth in British Columbia, where it has recently be legalized. If cocaine and heroin were legalized and we adopted an efficient drug education program, the usage will not change dramatically.

The society part is the more important of the two because we do have control over it. The black market drug trade is enormous and unlike all legalized sectors, this area is not regulated and is a true free market capitalist sector where profit reigns supreme over all others disregarding morals, laws, and all other forms of decency. If certain drugs are legalized, then the black market will crash the drug trade will become under government regulation and profit will not reign supreme and morals and moderation will become the focus.


If legalization does increase usage to the point where it overtakes the benefits of a lowered drug trade I will change my stance but until then, the drug war has failed and other options should be explored, mainly legalization.

Originally Posted by wolf

For the folks who are willing to support the legalization of drugs like cocaine and heroin ... are you also willing to support the tax increase that would be necessary to pay for rehab for all the idiots who figured out that just maybe drugs 'r bad, mkay?

Do you support the tax money that is spent on the failed "war on drugs"? In the article I posted it said that we are going to spend up to 400 million battling drugs in Mexico alone, not to mention the millions we throw elsewhere and in the States itself. Cutting that cost would be more than enough to pay for rehab and an decent drug education program. No raise in taxes would be necessary.

[TheMercenary]

Sorry Pierce, I just don't agree with some of your assumptions about how things may be if cocaine and heroin were legalized. I see the ruined lives all the time and making them easier to get is not going make the situation better.

[Cloud]

Merc--I'm not an economist, so I don't have any numbers to respond to you with. Perhaps I should say "perceived benefit" as we get more consumers in the stores and more home buyers in town.

And I don't know where they are working, really. A lot of this is upper class families moving here, who already have a source of income. Most of these people send their kids to private or parochial schools.