The Drug Wars in Mexico

So I was watching the news and heard about the drug wars going on in Mexico. I got on CNN and Washington Times and read a little more on the subject. Apparently drug cartels (which have always been quite powerful in Mexico) have been growing in power. So much so that killings related to drug wars in Mexico have doubled to around 6,290 deaths last year! Over 1000 have died this year so far. The Mexican government has made a stand against the cartels using the army to fight them, however the cartels have weapons of their own. Weapons that have been shown to be coming into Mexico through the Mexican-American border. America certainly has weapons to spare and the cartels are taking advantage. Over 700 suspects have been arrested inside the US for working with the cartels. Obama has pledged to work on securing the border and putting a stop to the trafficking of weapons. Mexican police are confiscating enough gernades, ak-47s, etc. at such high rates, that is equals that of a battfield seizures. The problem is serious and many believe that Mexico could become a narcotic state within the next decade. Mexico has been deemed unsafe for tourism by Canada and the US, even though many say that Americans may be the safest because the Mexican government is making a point to protect the more touristy cities. If one tourist dies, their tourism will drop dramatically.

Another interesting note, Forbes magazine named Joaquin Guzman, a Mexican drug lord, one of the richest people in the world with over $1 billion US dollars in assets. So it is a lucrative business. One that needs to be taken down of course. As Americans we have labeled ourselves the world police with our going into the Middle East and South America to protect our own interest. I wonder how our response will be in helping our neighbors fight a serious problem that no doubt affects our own country. Drugs, including meth, marijuana, cocaine, and amphetamines, from Mexico go north and weapons and money go south into Mexico. Obama has pledged to begin stricter regulations on the border, but I am interested to see how effective this will be on cracking down on the cartels. I also wonder if it will be enough or should we do more.