As we posted yesterday, we are happy that Pres Calderon, and Mexico's media, are finally calling them "terrorists".
Again, what else do you call people who kill innocents?
We are not happy however that Pres Calderon continues to blame our drug consumption for the daily shootings and massacres.
Yes, we consume but that's not why 30,000 Mexicans are dead.
First, let's put this consumption in some perspective.
We are a nation of 300 million people with a US$ 14 trillion GDP. In other words, it's not strange that we'd consume US$ 50 billion in Mexican illegal drugs.
Our so-called "insatiable" appetite for drugs is way less than 1% of our GDP, or an economically insignificant number! Yes, a small number of Americans consume drugs but the US does not have an "insatiable appetite" for Mexican drugs. Again, some Americans do! However, the overwhelming majority of Americans do not!
We are a nation of 300 million people with a US$ 14 trillion GDP. In other words, it's not strange that we'd consume US$ 50 billion in Mexican illegal drugs.
Our so-called "insatiable" appetite for drugs is way less than 1% of our GDP, or an economically insignificant number! Yes, a small number of Americans consume drugs but the US does not have an "insatiable appetite" for Mexican drugs. Again, some Americans do! However, the overwhelming majority of Americans do not!
Second, the Mexican government has never closed the northern door to its country.
They continue to keep the border open and have never called on the US to help them close it to stop cash and guns going south.
How can Mexico complain about "guns" and "narco-dollars" going south and not close its border?
They continue to keep the border open and have never called on the US to help them close it to stop cash and guns going south.
How can Mexico complain about "guns" and "narco-dollars" going south and not close its border?
Third, the killing started with the campaign against the cartels.
In other words, we consumed before 2006 and nobody was blowing up casinos in Mexico or shooting each other in Cd Juarez.
In other words, we consumed before 2006 and nobody was blowing up casinos in Mexico or shooting each other in Cd Juarez.
We repeat: The killing in Mexico started when Pres Calderon decided to confront the cartels directly and drive them out of the country.
Don't get me wrong. Pres Calderon was correct in attacking the cartels.
At the same time, he should have known that cartels would fight back with the best weapons on the planet.
At the same time, he should have known that cartels would fight back with the best weapons on the planet.
Fourth, Pres Calderon is wrong about the guns in Mexico.
In reality, guns are going into Mexico for three reasons: The cartels have cash, the black market is very efficient and corruption is rampant south of the border.
In reality, guns are going into Mexico for three reasons: The cartels have cash, the black market is very efficient and corruption is rampant south of the border.
Fifth, bad guys do not respect gun control laws. Changing our gun laws or closing gun shops will have zero impact on criminal elements who get their guns in the black market.
We have supported Pres Calderon's war against the cartels. We understand that it is a tough fight.
At the same time, it would be easier to support Pres Calderon if he would tell Mexicans the truth about "the guns in Mexico" and the structural corruption south of the border.
Let me make a couple of suggestions to Pres Calderon:
1) Call on Pres BO to close the border and stop everything "illegal" going north and south. In their words, treat the US-Mexico border as a threat to Mexico's sovereignty.
2) Call on Pres BO to "double down" on The Merida Plan. We need to help Mexico a lot more than we are doing now. Mexico needs more high tech weapons, aircraft and the kind of missiles that have taken out terrorists in Afghanistan and Iraq.
We repeat that this is a mutual problem. Yet, Pres Calderon has never publicly called on Pres BO to do more on the border!
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