Thursday, February 24, 2011

What could possibly go wrong?

OK, we have a situation where Mexico is all but fighting a civil war with drug lords in border states and others--and high on the list of sources for arms and personnel for the drug lords are the Mexican police and army.  In addition, the demand to get into the United States has led to (armed) "coyotes" shepherding those who desire to come to our fair country raising a fair amount of mayhem as well.  Even law-abiding Mexican citizens are known to greatly resent the fact that the United States desires to limit immigration from Latin America.

So what do we do?  We send unarmed ICE agents, in uniform, into Mexico, and then we act surprised when they get attacked, killing one and wounding another, under the "logic" that drug cartels would not attack U.S. agents.  Apparently, ICE has never heard of drug-related ambushes of U.S. police officers, and how drug cartels aren't terribly bashful about shooting at, and killing, those with a badge.

And so members of Congress are discussing ways to make sure ICE officers are armed when they go into Mexico.  That's a good start, I guess, but I'd thought that diplomacy--and the responsibility to keep ICE officers safe--really rests with 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.  Why hasn't the guy living there told Felipe Calderon that if he wants help with his war on the drug gangs, helpers from the United States are going to be armed?

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