Mexicans should understand just how "deadly dangerous" some sections of their country have become.
I understand that it's easy to blame the media or to take Bill O'Reilly's words out of context.
However, no one should underestimate just how "deadly dangerous" things are getting south of the border.
Don't overlook the sheer brutality going on!
Also, these cartels are determined to break the back of the Mexican government.
They are not interested in taking over Mexico. They just want to cut a deal with Mexico so that they can operate along the US border without interference.
In other words, they want to be "near" their customers! Unfortunately, that's us!
Michael Braun spent 34 years in law enforcement and as a U.S. Marine.
This is what he told a US Congress sub-committee:
"The level of brutality exhibited by the Mexican cartels and their assassination teams exceeds anything we have witnessed in Iraq and Afghanistan in the past.
The number of beheadings last year alone numbered about 200, and some of those were police officers.
The head of one police officer was actually impaled on a spike on top of a wall in front of a police station with a note stuffed in the mouth warning the police to show more ‘respect’ for the traffickers.
Traffickers have actually broken into the communications network of law enforcement in the Tijuana area to broadcast the identity of the next round of law enforcement officers to be targeted for assassination, only to find the bullet riddled bodies of those officers on the streets of Tijuana a few hours later." (Money, Guns, & Drugs: What's Fueling the Violence in Mexico)
How dangerous is Mexico? Very!
Why all of this violence now?
First, Pres Calderon decided to go after the cartels. We support him and the brave Mexican soldiers carrying out the mission.
Second, the money is very big, as Mr. Braun told Congress:
"The money generated by the cartels’ global drug trafficking is staggering.
The United Nations estimates that the drug trade between Mexico, the U.S. and Canada generates about $147 billion dollars annually, and the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) estimates that our fellow citizens here in the U.S. spend about $65 billion dollars annually to satisfy their insatiable appetite for drugs.
The United Nations estimates that the entire global drug trade generates about $322 billion dollars annually.
No other illicit global market comes close to those numbers.
The National Drug Intelligence Center estimates that somewhere between $8 - $24 billion dollars in ‘bulk currency’ alone transits our Country each year destined for the cartels’ coffers in Mexico—ultimately smuggled across our Southwest Border."
$8 to $24 billion in cash going to Mexico? How many other businesses in Mexico bring in that kind of money?
Do you understand now why this war will go on for a while?
"The level of brutality exhibited by the Mexican cartels and their assassination teams exceeds anything we have witnessed in Iraq and Afghanistan in the past.
The number of beheadings last year alone numbered about 200, and some of those were police officers.
The head of one police officer was actually impaled on a spike on top of a wall in front of a police station with a note stuffed in the mouth warning the police to show more ‘respect’ for the traffickers.
Traffickers have actually broken into the communications network of law enforcement in the Tijuana area to broadcast the identity of the next round of law enforcement officers to be targeted for assassination, only to find the bullet riddled bodies of those officers on the streets of Tijuana a few hours later." (Money, Guns, & Drugs: What's Fueling the Violence in Mexico)
How dangerous is Mexico? Very!
Why all of this violence now?
First, Pres Calderon decided to go after the cartels. We support him and the brave Mexican soldiers carrying out the mission.
Second, the money is very big, as Mr. Braun told Congress:
"The money generated by the cartels’ global drug trafficking is staggering.
The United Nations estimates that the drug trade between Mexico, the U.S. and Canada generates about $147 billion dollars annually, and the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) estimates that our fellow citizens here in the U.S. spend about $65 billion dollars annually to satisfy their insatiable appetite for drugs.
The United Nations estimates that the entire global drug trade generates about $322 billion dollars annually.
No other illicit global market comes close to those numbers.
The National Drug Intelligence Center estimates that somewhere between $8 - $24 billion dollars in ‘bulk currency’ alone transits our Country each year destined for the cartels’ coffers in Mexico—ultimately smuggled across our Southwest Border."
$8 to $24 billion in cash going to Mexico? How many other businesses in Mexico bring in that kind of money?
Do you understand now why this war will go on for a while?
Do you understand now why we we want money to go to Mexico rather than Hamas? (Why $900 million for Hamas? Give it to Mexico!)
Here is the problem for Mexico.
According to Mr. Braun, we consume $65 billion in drugs.
This is a lot of money but a drop of a water to a country with a US$ 15 trillion GDP.
On the other hand, US$8 to $24 billion is a lot of money for a country like Mexico. All of the "cash" floods the northern states and creates serious consequences, such as corruption!
P.S. By the way, Bill O'Reilly did not call for a "boycott" of Mexico. I think that O'Reilly's comments were misunderstood by many Mexicans!
O'Reilly just said that he would not send his daughter to Mexico at this time. Frankly, I discouraged # 2 son from driving down to Mazatlan, too. I did not want him & other Aggie friends to drive through violent areas on their way to the Mazatlan beaches:
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