Mexican troops
Are Mexican Soldiers Aiding Drug Smugglers On The Border?
By Allan Wall
October 29, 2007
Among the many problems on the U.S.- Mexican border is that of reported Mexican military incursions onto the U.S. side of the border. These incidents raise disturbing questions about U.S.- Mexican relations and the two nations' wars on the drug cartels.
The evidence indicates that elements of the Mexican military are aiding drug smugglers on the border.
Such incursions have been reported for years by U.S. law enforcement offices and by Mexican illegal aliens.
Both governments would prefer not to aknowledge the problem. When pressured, the U.S. downplays it, while Mexican officials deny the incidents, or attribute them to accidental crossings or drug smugglers dressed as Mexican soldiers.
Much of the U.S.- Mexican border is unguarded, trackless desert. So it's not surprising that from time to time a Mexican army vehicle or patrol might take a wrong turn and wind up north of the border.
Doubtless there have been some accidental crossings. But they wouldn't account for the bulk of the incidents, especially considering the reported behavior of these soldiers, which is sometimes aggressive.
As for the "smugglers disguised as soldiers" argument, there may be some cases of that too . But if that were the principal explanation, it could imply that (a) the Mexican Army can't secure its material stores, or (b) it can't control the border area, which is hardly reassuring .
A U.S. Department of Homeland Security document in 2006 reported 216 such incursions from 1996-2006. There may be many more.
To begin with, why are there so many Mexican soldiers on the border, anyway? Is the border being militarized?
If the U.S. put a Boy Scout with a water gun on the border, Mexican politicians would decry the "militarization of the border".
Nevertheless, the Mexican side of the border is already militarized.
There are 11 Mexican military garrisons on the Mexican side of the U.S.- Mexican border. Moving from west to east, these garrisons are located at Tecate, San Luis Rio Colorado, Sonoyta, Agua Prieta, Ciudad Juarez, Ojinaga, Palomas, Ciudad Acuna, Piedras Negras, Nuevo Laredo and Matamoros.
By the canons of international law, there's nothing wrong with it either. According to the treaties of Guadalupe-Hidalgo (1848) and the Gadsden Purchase Treaty (1853), which established the current U.S. -- Mexico border, each country reserves the right to fortify any part of its side of the border.
Nature abhors a vacuum. Both governments have allowed their common border to become a rather lawless place. I was almost attacked on the border (in an urban area) and literally made a run for the border to escape. Robbery, rape and murder are standard fare on the border, along with the drug smuggling, illegal immigration, and the hundreds of illegal aliens who perish each year on the border.
Add to the mix corrupt Mexican soldiers aiding drug smugglers and you have a real prescription for disaster.
>> Continued -- Page 1 2
By Allan Wall
October 29, 2007
Among the many problems on the U.S.- Mexican border is that of reported Mexican military incursions onto the U.S. side of the border. These incidents raise disturbing questions about U.S.- Mexican relations and the two nations' wars on the drug cartels.
The evidence indicates that elements of the Mexican military are aiding drug smugglers on the border.
Such incursions have been reported for years by U.S. law enforcement offices and by Mexican illegal aliens.
Both governments would prefer not to aknowledge the problem. When pressured, the U.S. downplays it, while Mexican officials deny the incidents, or attribute them to accidental crossings or drug smugglers dressed as Mexican soldiers.
Much of the U.S.- Mexican border is unguarded, trackless desert. So it's not surprising that from time to time a Mexican army vehicle or patrol might take a wrong turn and wind up north of the border.
Doubtless there have been some accidental crossings. But they wouldn't account for the bulk of the incidents, especially considering the reported behavior of these soldiers, which is sometimes aggressive.
As for the "smugglers disguised as soldiers" argument, there may be some cases of that too . But if that were the principal explanation, it could imply that (a) the Mexican Army can't secure its material stores, or (b) it can't control the border area, which is hardly reassuring .
A U.S. Department of Homeland Security document in 2006 reported 216 such incursions from 1996-2006. There may be many more.
To begin with, why are there so many Mexican soldiers on the border, anyway? Is the border being militarized?
If the U.S. put a Boy Scout with a water gun on the border, Mexican politicians would decry the "militarization of the border".
Nevertheless, the Mexican side of the border is already militarized.
There are 11 Mexican military garrisons on the Mexican side of the U.S.- Mexican border. Moving from west to east, these garrisons are located at Tecate, San Luis Rio Colorado, Sonoyta, Agua Prieta, Ciudad Juarez, Ojinaga, Palomas, Ciudad Acuna, Piedras Negras, Nuevo Laredo and Matamoros.
By the canons of international law, there's nothing wrong with it either. According to the treaties of Guadalupe-Hidalgo (1848) and the Gadsden Purchase Treaty (1853), which established the current U.S. -- Mexico border, each country reserves the right to fortify any part of its side of the border.
Nature abhors a vacuum. Both governments have allowed their common border to become a rather lawless place. I was almost attacked on the border (in an urban area) and literally made a run for the border to escape. Robbery, rape and murder are standard fare on the border, along with the drug smuggling, illegal immigration, and the hundreds of illegal aliens who perish each year on the border.
Add to the mix corrupt Mexican soldiers aiding drug smugglers and you have a real prescription for disaster.
>> Continued -- Page 1 2
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