US military chief to offer help to Mexico in violent drug war

[babylonsister]

US military chief to offer help to Mexico in violent drug war

3 hours ago

WASHINGTON (AFP) — America's top military officer heads to Mexico this week to offer help to a government battling powerful drug cartels, amid alarm in Washington over escalating violence across the border.

With the death toll at 5,300 last year and Mexican cartels armed with automatic weapons and billions in cash, the crisis has become a full-blown national security concern for the United States.

Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was due in Mexico later this week as the United States signalled it was ready to step up military and other assistance to tackle the heavily armed drug rings ravaging the country's north.

"The cartels are retaliating," Defense Secretary Robert Gates told NBC on Sunday. "It clearly is a serious problem."

But he said Mexico has dropped its traditional reluctance to cultivate ties with the US military.

"I think we are beginning to be in a position to help the Mexicans more than we have in the past," Gates said. "Some of the old biases against cooperation between our militaries and so on, I think, are being satisfied."

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http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gsq0-q1_FdK08AyHJ2-PyGyusk7w

[seemslikeadream]

1. Why does that sound so familiar?

oh yea Vietnam

[malaise]

2. What a joke

Most of the weapons being used by gangs in Mexico are American made. Some great help!!

[daninthemoon]

3. want a better, more permanent fix? decriminalize. the cartels will

dry up and blow away.

[leftstreet]

4. Calderon: Tough shit - it's your money and your guns!

(snip)
Mexican President Felipe Calderon took offense at a State Department report last week that said pervasive corruption was hampering the drug war. He said it was time Washington stopped the flow of guns and drug money into Mexico.

"I think that weapons and cash cross from there to here, and that both countries should strive to make their border safe and open to trade and workers, but closed to illegal drugs, weapons and money trafficking," he said.

Mexican and US authorities have traced over 90 percent of the guns used by the cartels to American gun shops and shows, even though US laws forbid foreign nationals from buying fire arms.

[anonymous171]

5. "open to trade and workers"

Sounds like he wants it both ways.

[benEzra]

7. Ummm, the cartels are NOT getting grenades, RPG's, and automatic weapons in the USA. (n/t)

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. I hope Gates realizes he's about to chew more than he can swallow

these are guerrilla fighters, and this war is over 20 years old

Just has peaked

The solution... what Fox wanted to do, legalize the crap

Prohibition comes to mind

[Bandit]

8. Another hole to pour billions into instead of Health Care or American aid.

Legalize drugs and stop this irrational killing spree and the imprisonment of so many good people.