"An American fight with the cartels would invite chaos into our country. Leave us the hell out of it."
Too late. They didn't give us that option. No offense, but as you've noted above, the Cartels are already here. They've already started the fight, we need to remember that we're in a fight. That cancer needs to be carved out posthaste. If two deployments to Afghanistan taught me nothing else, it's that you can't win the fight on your side of the border if you give your enemy safe harbor on the other side of it.
I was also in Afghanistan. I was in infantryman in Kunar and Nangarhar province and I saw the folly of letting your enemy have shelter across a border. By engaging directly with cartel’s we’re inviting their violence here though. With all of the bloodshed and the tumult in Mexico over the years the cartels have generally been careful to avoid open violence in the U.S. After 9/11 the CIA supposedly cooperated w them to screen for Islamists. I don’t see an American war against the cartels like attacking the Haqqani network in FATA. I see it like going into A-Stan in the first place: opening up a new conflict and battle space where one didn’t previously exist (for America). I see the possible gains as a complete decapitation of the cartels (which wouldn’t necessarily be good-splintering these organizations only creates MORE violence in some cases). Even the best case scenario would barely make Americans safer. The cartels’ biggest threats to us (by far) are fentanyl and meth, and those aren’t problems which can be solved militarily. The possible risks are the enduring enmity of the Mexican government (which China would love) and the cartel bringing its violence here, in retribution. I don’t want to every use the lessons I learned overseas in my own country. Trump is flying high right now. Beginning a hot war against the cartels is a huge risk.
It's going to get hot at some point regardless unless we're willing to just yield to becoming as compromised as Mexico. I'd rather not wait until they have de facto control of any cities, politicians, and police forces on this side before we clean them out.
This piece seems quite well grounded in reality. It’s a tragic situation because Mexico is actually a rich country (rich in natural resources, geographical variation , and also in human resources) that has become so corrupt that it will never be able to dig its way out. The costs to its people have been, and will continue to be, immeasurable.
"An American fight with the cartels would invite chaos into our country. Leave us the hell out of it."
Too late. They didn't give us that option. No offense, but as you've noted above, the Cartels are already here. They've already started the fight, we need to remember that we're in a fight. That cancer needs to be carved out posthaste. If two deployments to Afghanistan taught me nothing else, it's that you can't win the fight on your side of the border if you give your enemy safe harbor on the other side of it.
I was also in Afghanistan. I was in infantryman in Kunar and Nangarhar province and I saw the folly of letting your enemy have shelter across a border. By engaging directly with cartel’s we’re inviting their violence here though. With all of the bloodshed and the tumult in Mexico over the years the cartels have generally been careful to avoid open violence in the U.S. After 9/11 the CIA supposedly cooperated w them to screen for Islamists. I don’t see an American war against the cartels like attacking the Haqqani network in FATA. I see it like going into A-Stan in the first place: opening up a new conflict and battle space where one didn’t previously exist (for America). I see the possible gains as a complete decapitation of the cartels (which wouldn’t necessarily be good-splintering these organizations only creates MORE violence in some cases). Even the best case scenario would barely make Americans safer. The cartels’ biggest threats to us (by far) are fentanyl and meth, and those aren’t problems which can be solved militarily. The possible risks are the enduring enmity of the Mexican government (which China would love) and the cartel bringing its violence here, in retribution. I don’t want to every use the lessons I learned overseas in my own country. Trump is flying high right now. Beginning a hot war against the cartels is a huge risk.
It's going to get hot at some point regardless unless we're willing to just yield to becoming as compromised as Mexico. I'd rather not wait until they have de facto control of any cities, politicians, and police forces on this side before we clean them out.
I'm even more sure than I was before that the Mexican government will get involved on the side of the cartels once we get involved...
This piece seems quite well grounded in reality. It’s a tragic situation because Mexico is actually a rich country (rich in natural resources, geographical variation , and also in human resources) that has become so corrupt that it will never be able to dig its way out. The costs to its people have been, and will continue to be, immeasurable.