June 21, 2009
Mexico: The War Next Door
60 Minutes: Homeland Security Secretary Says Every American Has A Stake In Mexico's War Against Murderous Gangs
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Play CBS Video Video The War Next Door Drug-cartel fueled violence has turned into a war in Mexico, with thousands of deaths and the government battling gangs whose weapons come mostly from U.S. dealers. Anderson Cooper reports.
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(CBS)
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Fast Facts Mexico Learn about the people, economy and history.
We take you to a place where kidnappings, torture, and even brutal beheadings have become common. We're talking about Mexico.
Two years ago, Mexico's President Felipe Calderon declared war on the country's powerful drug cartels - the main suppliers of cocaine, marijuana, and methamphetamine to the United States. In response to the government's assault, the drug cartels have been fighting back hard.
It's gotten so bad, a U.S. military report warned that Mexico could face "rapid and sudden collapse." How worried is the U.S. government about the war next door? 60 Minutes and CNN's Anderson Cooper interviewed the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano, for this report, which first aired this past March.
"The stakes are high for the safety of many, many citizens of Mexico and the stakes are high for the United States no doubt," Secretary Napolitano told Cooper.
The stakes are high, not just because Mexico is a key American ally and trading partner, but because the drug cartels are fighting to control areas right along the U.S. border, just miles from cities like San Diego and El Paso.
Asked if the violence in Mexico is a threat to U.S. national security, Napolitano told Cooper, "It is certainly something that is of major concern. It's our neighbor to the south. It's a major partner in many areas. So it's something, for example, that I, as secretary of Homeland Security, pay a lot of attention to."
There's a lot to pay attention to in Mexico: 60,000 Mexican military and police are fighting against the five major drug cartels which control lucrative smuggling routes into the U.S.
They've managed to arrest some top traffickers, but new and more ruthless leaders have filled the vacuum, battling both the government and each other. They're terrorizing the country with very public acts of violence.
In December, a group of Mexican soldiers was found with their heads cut off, and a note from traffickers warning "for every one of mine you kill, we will kill 10."
A decapitated man was left hanging from a bridge; his head was found in the town square. Last year alone, nearly 6,300 people were killed in Mexico's drug war - more than double the number the year before.
Cartels are also increasingly expanding into human smuggling, extortion and kidnapping. Smaller criminal gangs have also gotten into the game, turning Mexico into one of the kidnapping capitals of the world.
"We are afraid of getting in a car, getting in a taxi, walking in the street alone. Going by the hand with your child," Claudia Wallace told Cooper.
Wallace's 35 year old brother Hugo was kidnapped while on a date in Mexico City. A month after he disappeared, his mother, Maria Isabel got a ransom note with a picture of him wearing a blindfold.
Months later, police told her Hugo had been killed by his kidnappers. And they told her what happened next.
"They took my brother to the bathroom, went to Wal-Mart, bought a saw, an electric saw, and returned to the apartment and cut my brother. And put it in a black bag," Wallace said.
They've never been able to find Hugo’s remains.
Kidnappers don't just target the rich - the poor are victimized as well. A 5-year-old boy whose parents had a stall in a market was kidnapped in October. When the kidnappers thought the police were on to them, they killed the boy by injecting him with acid.
Last summer, 150,000 people marched to voice their frustration over the rising violence. Hugo's mother, Maria Isabel, has become a vocal advocate for victims. But in Mexico today, that can get you killed.
Gunmen riddled her car with bullets last year. "I think that we're at a point in which if the government doesn't put all of its effort into this, the drug traffickers, the kidnappers, and organized crime will ultimately take control of the country," she told Cooper.
In some towns, they have already taken control. Back in February in the city of Juarez, cartels threatened to kill a police officer every 48 hours until the police chief resigned. After two murders he did. Juarez's mayor moved his own family to Texas.
Produced by Kyra Darnton and Anya Bourg
© MMIX, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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Jimhenry
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www.cashforclunkersfacts.info
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I'm not stating the corruption officials are heros. The problems in Mexico are corruption officials incontrast to the honest officials who are heroes, doing a good job in a bad situation.
Perhaps 90% of the firearms do come from the U.S. Now I want to know what % were originally sold to the Mexican army, Mexican LE, or other governments officials legally, then illegally aquired by the drug cartels. How would more laws hindering the purchase of firearms by U.S. citizens change how many firearms are in Mexico.
Gun politics in Mexico have resulted in some of the strictest gun laws in the world. They can only legally own pistol calibers like .380 ACP, .38 Spl, shotguns, and hunting rifles. The firearms shown on the news are already illegal in Mexico, if it does not stop possession of auto-fire firearms in Mexico, how are more U.S. firearms bands going to prevent cartels from aquiring these firearms? There are already laws in the U.S. and Mexico to prevent this, yet it is still happening. Did you see the firearms the cartels have. I can't even purchase most of those firearms legally, I'm a life long resident of MI, U.S. citizen, who's greatest legal wrong doings have been a few traffic tickets.
If you want to do a real story, investigate how the weapons find their way from Mexican government warehouses into the hands of the cartels. In addition, it is near impossible for gun-owners to aquire ammunition or the components to make ammunition in the last six or so months. How are the cartels?
The southern border is wide open for anyone who wants to come in. We have anywhere from 13 to 30 million illegal aliens here most of whom come from Mexico.
They broke the law entering our country, they are not guests they are criminals from day 1. They are allowed to get away with that so why should they obey any of our laws?
Our way of life is on a steep downhill slide. Can anyone see a connection here?
Besides cheap labor you have drug runners & gang members making their way across the border while we are told that there's nothing that can be done.
Join NumbersUSA.com or another similar group & make your voice heard. Demand that immigration laws be enforced & the border be closed.
Like they say 'It ain't rocket science'.
Last, legalize marijuana & you get rid of a big part of the failed drug war.
If the 20 million illegals are able to get amnesty?they will then bring in millions more of their family members through chain migration.
Then, obama, Piglosi, etc. will make sure that they are registered to vote.
Once they are registered to vote, they will then take over our politics/election.
Once they take over our politics/elections?-do you "really" think that they are going to be concerned about protecting your rights/opportunities??-------- Do you think that they are going to be concerned about protecting the rights/opportunities of your children/grandchildren??
What is going to be left for you??
What is going to be left for your children and grandchildren??
Join millions of US citizens throughout the country by joining this FREE site now???
http://www.numbersusa.com
NO ONE with sense is going to protect his MULTI BILLION DRUG DISTRUBUTION with essentially is a deer rifle by ANY MILITARY STANDARD!!
What if those guns were coming from China, South America, or worse yet, corrupt Mexican government, police and military officials??? Now wouldn't that be real stry that might be closer to the ever elusive truth in mainstream media?????
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/elections/2009/04/02/myth-percent-guns-mexico-fraction-number-claimed/
You should know the 90% of guns from US is a "Mistake". The mistake is that 90% of the guns that they Check on with the ATF are from the US. Well, you don't call the ATF if the gun is stamped made in china or doesn't have a US serial number. DUH.
Years ago, I couldn't wait for 60 minutes. Then I saw a "mistake" in their reporting. It wasn't a big deal. Then another and another.
I thought I would give them another chance with this important story so I watched Sunday night, great first story, then they stated the 90% figure. This is either another "mistake" or it was intentional. I wonder which? Do you?
THE ONLY WAY TO STOP IT IS TO LEGALIZE DRUGS. AS SHOCKING AS THIS MAY SOUND--THINK ABOUT IT!!
THERE IS NO WAY TO FIGHT OR STOP DRUG TRAFFIC BECAUSE IT IS EVERYWHERE. IT SIMPLY CANNOT BE ISOLATED AND CONTAINED BECAUSE OF THE MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF MONEY INVOLVED AT ALL LEVELS.
IF DRUGS ARE LEGALIZED THE FOLLOWING WILL HAPPEN
1--DRUG TRAFFIC AND VIOLENCE WILL STOP DEAD IN ITS TRACKS!!
2--THERE WILL BE MINIMAL VIOLENCE AND LESS DEATHS
3--ADDICTION WOULD LESSEN DUE TO READILY AVAILABE IDENTIFICATION AND HEALTH CARE
4--THE REVENUE FROM TAXES ALONE WOULD PROBABLY BALANCE MANY STATE OR FEDERAL BUDGETS
5--BILLIONS WOULD BE SAVED BECAUSE THE COST OF THE WAR ON DRUGS WOULD BE SAVED AND, AS A RESULT, BE DIVERTED BACK INTO THE ECONOMY.
6--OUR CHILDREN LIVES WOULD BE SAVED BECAUSE, BEING REGULATED, THERE WOULD NO LONGER BE "TAMPERED WITH" OR "POISENED " NARCOTICS.
THERE ARE 2 WAYS TO DEAL WITH PROBLEMS.
1--LOGIC=THINK BEFORE YOU ACT.
2--EMOTION=ACT BEFORE YOU THINK
LOGIC MAKES MORE SENSE!!
GOOD LUCK TELLING THE GOP ALL THIS!!!
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