Small Wars Journal

South Of The Border (Down Mexico Way)

Fri, 01/16/2009 - 3:26am
Mexico's Instability Is a Real Problem - Joel Kurtzman, Wall Street Journal opinion

Mexico is now in the midst of a vicious drug war. Police officers are being bribed and, especially near the United States border, gunned down. Kidnappings and extortion are common place. And, most alarming of all, a new Pentagon study concludes that Mexico is at risk of becoming a failed state. Defense planners liken the situation to that of Pakistan, where wholesale collapse of civil government is possible.

One center of the violence is Tijuana, where last year more than 600 people were killed in drug violence. Many were shot with assault rifles in the streets and left there to die. Some were killed in dance clubs in front of witnesses too scared to talk.

It may only be a matter of time before the drug war spills across the border and into the US. To meet that threat, Michael Chertoff, the outgoing secretary for Homeland Security, recently announced that the US has a plan to "surge" civilian and possibly military law-enforcement personnel to the border should that be necessary.

More at The Wall Street Journal.