The crossfire of the Mexican war on drugs

The Mexican war on drugs has effected all citizens in Mexico, and has a significant effect on United State's policies. The loss of about 50,000 due to the drug war has an enormous effect on all Mexican citizens. The majority of the Mexican population is discouraged due to all the violence throughout Mexico, and many fear for their own lives. The United States is fearful that the violence in Mexico will spill over to the United States.


http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9504EFDB1631F936A25752C0A9649D8B63&ref=drugtrafficking

U.S. agents aid mexican drug infiltration article

Although relations between the United States and Mexican government have been tense over issues involving drug, money, and gun trafficking, recently the two governments worked together to take down a Mexican drug criminal ring. This operation is significant because it shows that the United States and Mexico have the possibility of working together successfully.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/09/world/americas/us-agents-aided-mexican-drug-trafficker-to-infiltrate-ring.html?_r=1&ref=drugtrafficking

Americans implicated in gun trafficking to Mexican cartels

Americans in and around Houston, Texas have been implicated in trafficking guns from U.S. gun stores to Mexican drug cartels. Several guns from the United States have shown up in various violent crimes in Mexico. This is significant because it increases tensions between the Mexican and American governments. Mexico wants the United States to restrict gun sale near the border, but the United States is hesitant because of the second amendment.


http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/15/us/15guns.html?pagewanted=2

Mexico seizes 15 tons of drugs article

The seizure of 15 tons of methamphetamine that is worth about $4 billion dollars. Although this seizure shows that Mexico's war on drugs is making head way, it also shows how wealthy and organized the cartels in Mexico are. The fact that Mexican cartels have the wealth and the organization to posses this vast quantity of drugs worries the the United Nations and the United States. The United Nations is now involved because although the trafficking to the United States has fallen, the UN fears that the drugs are now going to Europe.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/10/world/americas/mexico-seizes-15-tons-of-methamphetamine.html?_r=1&ref=drugtrafficking

Research Column 2

This column speaks of the implications that this failed operation may have on the Obama administration. This failed operation will prove to be a Republican focal point for the up comings elections, in an attempt to show the administrations incompetence. This columnist believes that the operation was ridiculously risky and not well organized. For example, he believes that it was horrible planning to not tell the Mexican government that this operation was going on.

Research Column 1

The attempted operation Fast and Furious involved an attempt to track illegal weapon sales through the United States and Mexico. But the United States failed to warn the Mexican government of this operation, and as a result these guns ended up involved with several violent crimes in Mexico. This failed operation increases tensions with the Mexican government and the Unites States government. It also has caused the Obama administration some media problems. This columnist believes that it is important that the Obama administration stop dodging this problem and come out with the truth.

Monday Matters

Columnist Steve Chapman shows his view on the growth if China, and its potential conflict with the United States. He explains that as a country gains power it may bump heads with the country that has current power. He sees this as a inevitable event, but believes that because China doesn't display the radical ideologies that many rising powers have in the last century, that they will not pose a threat to the Unites States power. He supports this idea through the use of stats. He compares the military abilities between the two counties, the US with 11 aircraft carriers and 3,700 advanced aircraft, compared to China's one used aircraft carrier and 307 modern airplanes.