Drug War and the War on Firearms

[DWordinger]

General McCaffrey was CINC SOUTH and then became Clinton's "Drug Czar." He recently wrote this report about the drug war in Mexico.

Mexico has a strong victim disarmament program, similar to New York, California, or Chicago. As a result drug dealers don't worry about taking hostages, killing informants, or intimidating law abiding citizens who don't want any involvement with the drug trade.

In his report McCaffrey writes:

Mexican law enforcement authorities and soldiers face heavily armed drug gangs with high-powered military automatic weapons. Perhaps 90% of these weapons are smuggled across the US border. They are frequently purchased from licensed US gun dealers in Texas, Arizona, and California. AK-47 assault rifles are literally bought a hundred at a time and illegally brought into Mexico. Mexican authorities routinely seize BOXES of unopened automatic military weapons. The confiscation rates by Mexican law enforcement of hand grenades, RPG’s, and AK-47’s are at the level of wartime battlefield seizures. It is hard to understand the seeming indifference and incompetence of US authorities at state and Federal level to such callous disregard for a national security threat to a neighboring democratic state. We would consider it an act of warfare from a sanctuary state if we were the victim.

Licensed US gun dealers don't sell AK-47 assault rifles in lots of 100. Very few licensed US gun dealers sell any automatic weapons. Nor do they sell hand grenades or RPG’s. That doesn't matter to McCaffrey. He later writes:

Significant cross-border law enforcement and justice system cooperation remains inadequate.

Much is at stake for future US economic and national security policy from 2009 through 2017. A stable, economically healthy, and law-based Mexican neighbor is fundamental to US expectations of prosperity and peace within North America. The drug menace and drug addiction is central to much of the US criminal and social malignancy that has put more than 2 million Americans behind bars, clogged our courts, and placed enormous burdens on our health system.

Now is the time during the opening months of a new US Administration to jointly commit to a fully resourced major partnership as political equals of the Mexican government. We must jointly and respectfully cooperate to address the broad challenges our two nations face. Specifically, we must support the Government of Mexico’s efforts to confront the ultra violent drug cartels. We must do so in ways that are acceptable to the Mexican polity and that take into account Mexican sensitivities to sovereignty. The United States Government cannot impose a solution. The political will is present in Mexico to make the tough decisions that are required to confront a severe menace to the rule of law and the authority of the Mexican state. Where our assistance can be helpful, we must provide it. The challenge is so complex that it will require sustained commitment and attention at the highest levels of our two governments.

Watch for the Obama administration to use this as another excuse in his movement to disarm victims in the US and weaken our national sovereignty.