| | |  Editorials | Issues | January 2009 
US is Not Dealing with Mexican Violence Against Americans
 Michael Webster - American Chronicle
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 |  | Many Americans believe that the crimes against Americans such as kidnappings and murders by invading forces like the cartels are being ignored by the American government. |  | | |
Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said this week if Mexico's vicious drug war ever spills into the United States they have several response plans, one of which calls for a military surge along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Secretary Chertoff there have already been many so called "spill over's" into the U.S. with little or no response from the Bush administration. Many believe it is do to the cozy relationship between the two governments.
From Brownsville Texas to San Diego California Mexican cities bordering American cities are where most Americans are being killed by assassinations and executions. But other Americans are being killed by the long arm of the Mexican drug cartels which reach deep into America. There are accounts of Mexican drug cartel surrogate terrorist's invading the U.S. by crossing the porous international border and killing Americans in Dallas Texas, Atlanta Geo, New York City, Phoenix Ariz, Las Vegas Nevada, and is believed to have reached Shelby County Alabama where five people were found murdered gangland style by Mexican nationals.
Many Americans were kidnapped in the U.S. and taken to Mexico where they were murdered. Still other Americans were abducted and slain in Mexico while visiting, others where shot gangland style in country. Dozens of U.S. citizens have been kidnapped, or held hostage, or killed by their captors in Mexico and many cases remain unsolved. Moreover, new cases of disappearances and kidnap-for-ransom and Americans being killed continue to be reported. On top of that there have been dozens of incursions by the Mexican military into the states. Also all along our borders with Mexico American authorities have been attacked by the Mexican military and by those believed to be well trained Mexican drug cartel surrogate terrorist using military style Humvee's, rocket lounges, assault rifles, grenades, 50 cal mounted weapons and other hard core military weaponry. To date there is no evidence that the U.S. Government has done anything to curtail these attacks.
Carey Marcella McClintock was threatening to testify against a prominent and well known El Paso criminal defense lawyer who has represented Mexican and American drug traffickers and that he himself was beholding to the drug cartels and their gang members.
Carey's father has been independently investigating his daughter's killing and now believes that Carey was taken from a Texas town near Dallas to Juarez Mexico across the border from El Paso Texas on a ruse, and was brutally murdered on August 31, 2008 in Juarez so she could not testify. She was found in an abandoned house in the desert minutes outside of the city. She had been beaten and stabbed multiple times. Carey's father believes that his daughter was about to testify against the attorney and others in a federal and on going investigation involving the Mexican drug cartel and there hired assailants the El Paso's Barrio Azteca Gang one Of The Most Dangerous In Nation. "I believe she was coerced into going to El Paso by the attorney and the attorney's girl friend where she was provided transportation and was put up in a hotel in Juarez and all paid for by the same attorney. Her family fears that what really happened to Carey has happened to others and that her murder and others like hers will never see the light of day and will never be solved by the corrupt Mexican authorities. He also says the American authorities refuse to investigate because they claim the crime was in Mexico. The El Paso Police Dept has been informed as to the details surrounding the case where the local attorney illegally transported and harbored a known fugitive, yet no investigation is underway. The father also thinks the same attorney had something to do with his daughter's murder.
In spite of all that, Chertoff claims he has instructed the 22 federal agencies that fall under his preview to develop border-violence response plans because the drug war in Mexico appears to be escalating, not ending. So far, more than 5,300 people have been killed across Mexico as the result of the on going civil war between the Mexican Government and the powerful Mexican drug cartels.
We completed a contingency plan for border violence, so if we did get a significant spillover, we have a surge if I may use that word -- capability to bring in not only our own assets but even to work with" the Defense Department, Chertoff told the New York Times.
He did not give details on how, when or where the military might be used.
According to the El Paso Times Jason Ciliberti, a spokesman for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which is one of the federal agencies under the Homeland Security department, confirmed the contingency plans. He said federal agencies have had border-violence response plans for several months now.
We need them so customs and Border Patrol can continue daily operations," Ciliberti said from his Washington, D.C., office. "The other reason the plans exist is because these agencies, which are all a part of Homeland Security, must provide U.S. citizens with a safe place to live. If the violence threatens the daily safety and daily routine of U.S. citizens, Homeland Security must be ready."
Many Americans believe that the crimes against Americans such as kidnappings and murders by invading forces like the cartels are being ignored by the American government and many local law enforcement officials are turning a blind eye on the violence accruing on American soil or just are not properly informed.
An example of this attitude or lack of knowledge is found in a recent statement by the acting El Paso Police Chief Greg Allen where he said that he did not think a military buildup would ever be needed. He went on to say "It would have to be an end-of-the-world type situation before the military is brought in. "We all pretty much feel like the violence is going to be contained in Mexico. Our concern is minimal."
These statements are coming from our so called first line defense law enforcement officials along our border with Mexico. Luna County (N.M.) Sheriff Raymond Cobos, whose territory encompasses Deming and the Columbus port of entry a section known for drug and human smuggling, said the drug cartels are very much aware of the firepower U.S. law enforcement agencies and the military have.
I think they look across the border and see a lot of U.S. law enforcement ready to respond," Cobos said. "Since the violence started, we have treated every incident as a potential border violence incident. But so far, nothing has spilled over."Cobos told the media recently.
Ciliberti said the contingency plans vary, but for the most part, if the violence in Mexico spills into the U.S., the first Homeland Security plan calls for increasing the number of Border Patrol agents in the region. Chertoff said that nationally, an additional 19,000 agents will be deployed this year.
The Homeland Security plan also calls for the partnering of federal agents with local and state police officers to help patrol any areas where border violence is occurring.
As a last resort, it would include the military," Ciliberti said.
The EL Paso Times reports that Paul Boyce, a spokesman with U.S. Army public affairs office in the Pentagon, said all of the U.S. armed forces, including the Army are a part of U.S. emergency contingency plans. He said the military is ready to help any city, state or region in any type of emergency.
For security reasons, we do not get into the details or say what our role would be," Boyce said.
Cobos said that if the violence did reach across the border, local law enforcement agencies up and down the border would be able to respond appropriately.
But if for some reason that didn't work," he said, "then we would call on Chertoff's contingency plans."
In a recent article the times reported that U.S. Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-Texas, said the fact that the federal government has a contingency plan for border violence should be put in perspective. The federal government historically has had plans for any type of national emergency.
As the violence in Mexico escalated last year, the Department of Homeland Security updated these plans to ensure that our federal law enforcement agencies are adequately prepared to meet any type of emergency that could arise should the violence in Mexico threaten the security of the United States," Reyes said.
The use of military forces would be a last resort because our federal law enforcement agencies are fully prepared to respond to most emergency scenarios, that is the whole purpose behind these contingency plans."
Still, El Paso County Commissioner Dan Haggerty said the news that the U.S. has various levels of contingency plans to deal with the violence should be comforting to most El Pasoans.
I think it is going to get worse in Mexico, and we as U.S. citizens need to be assured that Homeland Security or someone is going to protect us," he said. "We must accept that we live in a city that has been labeled as a major drug-smuggling corridor and a place for illegal immigration.
With that type of illegal activity comes the possibility that our safety is at risk."
Estimates indicated in Iraq during the height of that bloody war there were never more than 10,000 hard core Al-Qaeda fighters in country. It is estimated that in the Americas there are already thousands of Al-Qaeda, and other Muslim extremist groups operating. In Mexico it is estimated that there could be tens of thousands of Mexican drug cartel members, enforcement gangs and other sympathizers. Iraq is a country of only 25 million people, Mexico is a country of well over 100 million people and it is in our back yard. It has taken over 350,000 American troops and thousands of troops of our allies and well over a trillion American dollars to combat and contain Iraq's civil war. More people were killed violently in Mexico last year than in Iraq and Afghanistan combined. It is time that America wakes up and faces the fact that a major civil war is taking place in Mexico and it is spilling over into the streets of America and will likely get much worse long before it gets better and is likely to kill even more Americans.
Michael Webster's Syndicated Investigative Reports are read worldwide, in 100 or more U.S. outlets and in at least 136 countries and territories. He has published articles for Maxims News, which is associated with MediaChannel.org and Globalvision News Network, global news and media information services with more than 350 news affiliates in 135 countries. |
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