Mexico Rises to Near the Top of the Foreign Agenda
By Douglas Farah
For those of us who have been watching Mexico's death struggle with the drug cartels, the sudden surge in official interest is both welcome and overdue.
It is particularly welcome because it both acknowledges the depth of the problem and the danger it poses to the United States directly (as well as the Mexican state), while also at least nodding to the fact that the United States itself bears a significant burden of responsibility for what is happening.
What is no longer in debate is that Mexico is at war, and the war is having severe spillover effects across the border. (For a graphic look at how and where the killings occur, as well as links to important stories, see interactive map and other resources at the Los Angeles Times.)
As DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano stressed in her recent Congressional testimony, Aiding the Mexican government's fight against drug cartels is a top priority that demands the "utmost attention" of U.S. security officials, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said yesterday, announcing new steps aimed at preventing the spillover of violence into the United States.
My full blog is here.
