Look The Other Way, To Our Peril

Bob Schieffer Says We've Been Ignoring A Growing Threat Facing Border Towns: Mexican Drug Cartels

(CBS)  Weekly commentary by CBS Evening News chief Washington correspondent and Face the Nation host Bob Schieffer.

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A friend of mine drove through El Paso, Texas not so long ago, and was stunned to learn that the weekend he was there, 28 people were killed - gunned down, actually - in Juarez, Mexico, just across the border.

More stunning was that most of the people took the news calmly - just another incident in a border town where such things now happen with increasing frequency.

With the United States so focused on the economic crisis, it has gone virtually unreported here, but Mexico is dealing with a crisis of its own - a war among drug cartels that has left nearly 7,000 people dead just last year.

The drug business in Mexico has become so big, it is turning a $25 billion annual profit.

The cartels have become so powerful that in some areas, they have all but replaced the Mexican government. Just last week, the State Department warned U.S. citizens to exercise caution when traveling in the border areas, and noted that the cartels sometimes engage each other and government forces in firefights that resemble military combat operations.

As the new administration plans strategies to deal with threats to America's national security, we hear the usual far-away names and places - Iran, North Korea, al Qaeda, the border area between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Well, now add a new worry - the drug cartels in Mexico. They've been getting worse for a while now. We've just been looking the other way.

[ozus]

I have two things to say to you enriquecaliente:

1. Remember the Alamo
2. The US is doing a better job in Texas than Mexico could do.

[enriquecaliente]

To those who say legalize marijuana and we can live happily ever after, they are missing the point.

I could go into the negatives of marijuana (exacerbation of mental problems such as bi-polar syndrome)increase in the risk of potentially fatal lung disease and impairment of judgment and depth perception (I don't want to be on the road with drivers who are high).

"Even more important is that the drug cartels are dealing with much more lethal drugs such as cocaine, heroin and designer drugs. Legalizing marijuana will make no difference to them. They will just push the more dangerous stuff.

Without violating Mexico's sovereignty, we have to make sure the cartels are not allowed to cross the border with their products."

I agree with what is stated here, but as long as alcohol is legal the argument will continue about legalizing drugs. As for Mexico's sovereignty, we could always use Manifest Destiny.

It worked before, when we stole TEXAS from them.

[ausus-2009]

Don't forget the two US border guards who were jailed for shooting at a drug runner.

[platteman]

well duha!! this story has been around for years, just now we are now paying attention to it. Come one CBS and the rest of the MSM. Get it together. Go see Sherrif Joe. He can tell you all about it. Talk to the rancher who held illegials, lost the lawsuit and there must be at least one more you could talk to. Get your head out of you know what.

[ausus-2009]

To those who say legalize marijuana and we can live happily ever after, they are missing the point.

I could go into the negatives of marijuana (exacerbation of mental problems such as bi-polar syndrome)increase in the risk of potentially fatal lung disease and impairment of judgment and depth perception (I don't want to be on the road with drivers who are high).

Even more important is that the drug cartels are dealing with much more lethal drugs such as cocaine, heroin and designer drugs. Legalizing marijuana will make no difference to them. They will just push the more dangerous stuff.

Without violating Mexico's sovereignty, we have to make sure the cartels are not allowed to cross the border with their products.

[babs1964-2009]

SOME WOMAN HAS 8 KIDS AND THE MEDIA HAS A FRENZY.

CIVIL WAR IN MEXICO OVER THE PAST FOUR YEARS...YAWN.

WELCOME TO HYPER-HUMAN INTEREST NEWS. FORGET WORLD AFFAIRS.

WOMEN RUNNING THE NEWS ROOMS.

[mav547166]

Until drug cartels start mass killings of US citizens not involved in the use or movment of narcotics I doubt you will see much change in our current policies. The cartels learned from Al Qaeda about attacking the US directly.

[inketolstoy]

lochlan - Amen, my brother.

[drputt45]

The IRS would like to have their cut of the $25B each year. If the cartel is not paying thier taxes, maybe they could apply for a cabinet position.

[lochlan-2009]

"Bob Schieffer Says We've Been Ignoring A Growing Threat Facing Border Towns: Mexican Drug Cartels"

Who's been ignoring this? He must be talking about mainstream media, they ignore all the major news and even make stuff up, slant, or keep numbers vague.

There is a civil war in Mexico, as anyone who checks the news blogs for news knows, and it appears that the drug cartel are winning. For some reason ($$$$$) our media for the sheeple have been ignoring this. Kind of like the 22 states who have passed resolutions on declairing sovereignty. But that's not news, a woman having 8 kids, that's news.

[timothyone-2009]

I forgot to add, Bob's brother Tom Schieffer was long-time partners with George W. Bush, Back when Bush was also in business with Osama Bin Laden! Partners with the Bush family. Schieffer and Bush only tells a fraction of the story. Watch as brother Bob does everything he can to defend Republicans while throwing dirt toward Obama, even when the dirt belongs to Bush, even dirt he ignored while Bush was responsible! They even goose-step with their minds! Links...Links...Links, Rechts, Links! Get in line there Sgt. Schieffer!

[timothyone-2009]

Mr. Shieffer and the mainstream media are only now doing their job reporting on what is going wrong with us and around us because THEIR boy is no longer responsible, and they are all too quick to use their positions to point out any and all situations where the democratic Obama might be lacking, or where he may appear to be lacking. Bob Shieffer is a partisan hack who needs to stand behind THIS president blindly the way he did the monster who killed half of Iraq on a lie while destroying much of America's wealth and reputation. Go snap at someone else' ankle, you annoying little neo-con!

[treckymom]

My thanks to you for your commentary the end of "Face the Nation" on Sunday.
Main-stream media has sorely neglected the story of what is occurring in Mexico.
I caught a quick question about this thrown to the new Homeland Security secretary, Janet Napolitano recently where she was asked about the Mexican crisis. Her answer was brief and frankly blew off the question and the issue. I am very concerned that the current administration is not "multi-tasking" and has taken their eye off our southern border. Candidate Obama promised to secure it, but incumbent Obama seems to have broken yet another campaign promise. It is sad
that popular media coverage no longer holds our government accountable. In order to really know what is happening in the world, it is necessary to turn to cable news.

[rstokes731]

Why can't we get it that we have to stop the buyers not the sellers of drugs. Instead of a war on drug dealers we have a war on drug users. Supply and demand this country just does not get business.

[chfnut]

An uncaring and unjust legal system has converted law to which is damaging the general public. Unethical lawyers and other "fiduciaries" appointed by the courts to protect, nothing more than predators. Nevada State agencies allow the abuse. Court officers feeding $$ to state officials with a few select others thrown in. Try and file criminal charges against a court officer, executor or trustee and see where it gets you. The greatest commonality we share is ethical misconduct of the middle/core bureaucracy. Ethical misconduct is costing this country more than 9/11. It%u2019s likely this unethical behavior is reason the "Taliban" & "Al-Qaida" denounce western society.
1.Pressure authorities to prosecute ethical misconduct as the felony it is. 2.Extend `grand jury' rights to civil justice sector & be given the same rights as the criminal `grand jury'. Allow the public to present testimony & evidence to credible groups (Ex.Community & watchdog groups,etc.) These groups of laypeople would be able to allow indictments of criminals from -us denied justice.

[spinproof]

Posted by jimmyc1955 at 08:19 PM : Feb 22, 2009

I agree with you too, but education and abstinence from Drugs will work the same way it does with teen s e x, only for a little while and during those moments when people make mistakes there needs to be a safer legal alternative, with teen s e x its access to condoms and with drugs it can be legal access to them knowing they will be safer, purer and less risky up to a point. Even Bristol Palin who just gave birth admits education and abstinence alone doesn't work! People talk the talk but sneak off and do illegal drugs anyway, many can't even stop smoking cigarettes so expecting people to stop doing drugs is not realistic so there should be safe access to them. Many Americans risk their lives going over the border to Mexico because drugs are cheaper and more readily available there. The main idea is to do what works.

[tincup356]

People who still believe marijuana is an evil drug that makes people go crazy,and commit violent crimes,,,,those are all myth stories created by those who would sell you whatever just to have their way,,,,,Alcohol is a much more dangerous drug,,,that actually kills people.....it just seems as though people should have a choice,,,,,,and right now with 80 million Americans that have smoked pot,,,,, it would be an instant INDUSTRY, that would create jobs and revenues that we desperately need right now.

[jimmyc1955]

tincup356 - I both agree and disagree. Frankly I would like to see all drugs legalized and regulated - why shouldn't the US get that money.

What I disagree about is the conviction that drugs are inevitable and so we might as well just give in.

It is the demand in the US for drugs that creates the trade. We have never actually attacked demand - not with law and order but a full on public relations and education effort.

We used to run anti-drug ads on TV but they stopped years ago. We need them full time and all the time. *** - I see Viagra and other perscription drugs getting air time - but no anti-drug ads at all.

If you decrease demand, business dries up.

[tincup356]

Looking at this in the context of the "lesser evil" you may be on to something! This was probably the same reasoning that legalized Beer, Alcohol and Tobacco. The Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Agency will need to be renamed to Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Drugs! (ATFD) The government eventually may not have any choice, in the war on Drugs, the Drugs won!

Posted by spinproof at 07:42 PM : Feb 22, 2009...........the spinoof products are what America could really benefit from,,,hemp fibers are much stronger than wood or cotton fibers, and the oil could be used to make diesel fuel.....and farmers across the nation could grow it.....the laws on the books are archaic and the time is now to change them and make this work FOR America.

[spinproof]

The war on drugs....like all the other wars our government is waging on everything,,,are failures,,,wastes of money....The only answer is to repeal the prohibition of Marijuana in the United States....doing this would eliminate the cartels, and their violence,,,,,,,it would create millions of jobs here in the US and BILLIONS in revenues,,,,,,,,Prison over crowding would be eased as would court dockets ,,freeing up that manpower to go after real criminals with real victims,,,like corporate and investment fraud.,,,,At a time when America needs JOBS, INDUSTRY, AND REVENUES,,,,,it would be a good thing for the economy....A NEW GREEN INDUSTRY,,,that could be grown in ALL 50 states.

Posted by tincup356 at 06:34 PM : Feb 22, 2009

Looking at this in the context of the "lesser evil" you may be on to something! This was probably the same reasoning that legalized Beer, Alcohol and Tobacco. The Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Agency will need to be renamed to Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Drugs! (ATFD) The government eventually may not have any choice, in the war on Drugs, the Drugs won!