There aren’t many times when running as the candidate looking for “bring down the death toll” can earn you international scorn. But Mexico seems to be facing that situation right now, as the US openly frets the frontrunner, former Governor Enrique Pena Nieto, for exactly that.
That’s because for the US, policy in Mexico is all about the drug war, and keeping it going no matter what the cost for the Mexican public. With an ugly level of drug war related violence nationwide, Pena Nieto’s promise to focus policy on “diminishing violence” is quite popular, and has him with a commanding lead in the polls.
Pena Nieto’s party, the Partido Revolucionario Institucional (PRI), dominated Mexico’s political scene for generations, but has been out of power since 2000, when Vicente Fox took office. Since the decade plus of rule by the National Action Party (PAN) of Fox and Calderon has also seen a dramatic increase in drug related violence, many expect the PRI to cash in on the idea of returning to the “good old days.”
Which suits everyone fine, except for the US, where officials and influential think-tank employees are railing against the reduction of violence in Mexico as a dangerous threat to the US. This has been going on for awhile, Sen. John McCain was railing against the possibility in February. As the vote nears and the lead widens, such “warnings” are likely to get all the more shrill.
I know, we've got to kill them over there so they won't kill us over here, right?
I think it's more about justifying the extraordinary expenditures supporting the "war on drugs" – imagine the number of FBI/DEA/Customs personnel (not to mention individual State law enforcement people) who would have to find other projects to keep themselves gainfully employed. These departments have up-staffed over the years specifically for this purpose – not to mention all the $$$ funneled into the effort towards materiel – weapons and tech-toys that would go bye-bye if the reason disappeared or was drastically reduced. It would be like the end of the Cold War all over again.
It's time for the sane people of the world to ignore the USA and make good public policy
"…officials and influential think-tank employees are railing against the reduction of violence in Mexico as a dangerous threat to the US." My God! What kind of monsters could make such statements?
Mexico, indeed the world, should totally legalize drugs and let Americans worry about their social habits and fight their stupid war inside their own borders. I seem to remember that it was the affluent in America who could afford to feed and grow the cocaine business until it spread into crack and lower prices and be availability in any corner of the country. The war punishes only the poor, there are no rich guys going to Prison Inc (except for the likes of Bernie Madoff who dare to rip of the affluent of America, and who receive life sentences).
Steal all my money — You have a burden to keep me entertained
Having grown up in the slums of Milwaukee, Minneapolis and LA, may I say, what with unemployment in the slums being over 35%, the main purpose of drugs is the need to keep the fighting age laboring-men drugged, drunk and addicted to junk food.
The same oligarchy that screams for continuing the "war on drugs" is also the oligarchy that profits from controlling and money laundering the "profits" from drugs – especially our banking/financial Pharisees.
When the US decided to sell Mexico Diebold machines to steal the election from Obrador-Lopez it opened the door to the drug war in a country that has legalized marijuana, cocaine and heroine for personal consumption. What amazes me is how many Americans do not know Mexico legalized all drugs. The US decided to punish the Mexican government and hoped the chaos they had sown with Operation Fast and Furious providing assault rifles to drug cartels would lead to a request for US intervention. The plan has backfired and now we see a politican who is going to end US intervention in Mexico. BRAVO MEXICO!
The only way that Mexico can end the drug violence there is to legalize drugs there. Let the crap flow unimpeded over their border with the USA and let the Americans deal with their own drug war. This would make sense for Mexico. Back when Al Capone, et al were gunning each other down in the streets of Chicago and New York City, Canada had the sense to stay out America's lunacy. Even the Canadian distilleries went about their business peacefully.
This is the advice I give to a friend of mine living in Mexico. She agrees but she also adds – Alas, the average person down here is just as brainwashed as the average American up there.
"Undermine the drug war"? The drug war is a colossal flop. Hundreds of billions spent, countless lives lost, and NO effect on supply and demand. An absolute farce.