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Saturday, June 19, 2021

Opinion: The US Should Own Up to Its Share of the Bloodshed in the Drug War

By Leon Krauze from The Washington Post

The vehicle of a mayoral candidate in Morelia, Michoacán, after being attacked by armed men on May 22. (Marco Ugarte/AP)

Christopher Landau, President Trump’s former ambassador to Mexico, published an opinion piece on Mexico’s “losing strategy” in the war on drugs. It is an expansive indictment. Landau explains how successive Mexican governments have failed to stop the flow of narcotics to the United States. While he acknowledges the importance of capturing the leaders of Mexico’s various criminal organizations, he worries the country’s “law enforcement and judicial institutions” are ill-suited to the task. He is also not sure the strategy is all that sensible. “Most of these organizations have lieutenants willing to take the leader’s place,” he writes.

Landau then ventures a few ideas to address the crisis: U.S. schools should develop new drug awareness programs, while law enforcement should focus on drug dealing inside the United States. In the last few lines of his piece, Landau briefly comes to the issue of guns. Given his experience as both a lawyer and (albeit fleetingly) a diplomat, one would expect him to push for sensible gun legislation. Unfortunately, he does not. Rather than step on fellow conservative toes, Landau advises the Justice Department to “redouble enforcement of its export-control laws to stanch the torrent of firearms and ammunition flowing across the border to the Mexican cartels.”

This is disingenuous. Landau knows the solution to gun trafficking lies elsewhere. The one variable that explains the tyrannical influence of Mexican criminal organizations is their constant access to weapons of war bought legally in the United States for sale as illicit contraband south of the border. Without the flow of guns like the terrifying Barrett .50 sniper rifle, cartels wouldn’t be capable of laying siege to Mexican cities in broad daylight, like the Sinaloa cartel did in 2019 to force the liberation of Ovidio Guzmán, son of the infamous “El Chapo," who had been captured by Mexican security forces. Landau knows this well. By choosing to ignore the elephant in the room, he does a disservice to both his argument and the crisis he seems determined to solve.

Sadly, Landau is not alone.

During her recent visit to Guatemala and Mexico, Vice President Harris had plenty of stern admonitions for future immigrants and demands for both governments. She spoke forcefully against corruption and reached agreements to combat human trafficking and foster regional development. She asked the Mexican government to increase its efforts against opioids, especially deadly fentanyl, a lucrative trade for local cartels that has led to a severe health crisis in the United States.

But there was a glaring omission in Harris’s remarks: what journalist Ioan Grillo calls “the iron river” of guns feeding Mexican criminal organizations. Gun control remained an afterthought.

Landau’s omission of the severity of the gun-trafficking problem and Harris’s apparent unwillingness to discuss it with the seriousness it deserves are not exceptions, but part of a pattern of U.S. indifference on the issue. Over the past few years, authorities in the United States have often shared their alarm over Mexico’s cycle of violence and the consequences of the country’s drug trade, but the calamity is far from one-sided.

While Mexico suffers through another record year of violence driven by U.S. weapons of war, Republicans in Congress have failed to close even the most basic loophole in the country’s gun legislation. Meanwhile, local governments have made a mockery of gun control by enacting laws that will allow those same weapons to be bought, kept and carried freely in the United States. Experience shows that many of those guns will make their way to Mexico, where they will arm the country’s brutal criminal organizations.

The United States has a habit of demanding plenty and offering meagerly. When it comes to the guns that cross its southern border, this dynamic amounts to an outrageous moral failing. Landau is right: The drug war has failed, but U.S. guns are a key part of that failure. If only the United States owned up to its share of the bloodshed.

Note to readers: León Krauze is an award-winning Mexican journalist, author and news anchor. He is currently the lead anchor at KMEX, Univision's station in Los Angeles.

Source: WP

79 comments:

  1. All this is falling on deaf ears!
    The U.S. government took at least 10 years to pull out of Vietnam because politicians were so sure it was the right war to be involved in even though thousands of lives were literally being lost there.
    Then it took another 20 years to pull put of the middle east like Afganistan for the same reasons and American lives werw being lost there also.
    Now that NO American lives are being lost except through consumption what makes some people believe the policies in the U.S. war on drugs are going to change overnight???
    There is not even a concideration to change them in Congress to begin with.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Weed is slowly being legalized in America 18 states and they just drafted a bill to decriminalize drug possession in America. It won’t pass yet but I expect something like that in the future

      Delete
    2. Dude you gotta understand that wars - including the WoD - are incredible money making machines.

      As long as the money - as opposed to us people - control the politics of this country we will continue to be in a state of perpetual wars.

      Corporations are not designed to care about American lives.

      Delete
    3. 3:06 and then the U.S. wonders why armed forces recruitment in this country is so very low???
      So much so that some extremist people are asking for mandatory military service for everyone over 18 like in the country of Israel.

      Delete
    4. @4:27 Damn right its falling on deaf ears. Logical thinkers are tired of the mindless, leftist dribble of both you and The Washington Post.

      Delete
    5. @1:59 logical thinkers ain't thinking shit much less acting on it. They keep blaming everyone else for their shortcomings. Bunch of cry babies.

      Delete
    6. 1:59 extreme right fanatistas do not think logically, but they can parrot their puppet masters talking points like the RCA dog listens to hos masters voice.
      Logical thinkers were absent from WACO tx and from Jonestown massacre, from Hitlers' parades, from mussolini's speeches, from the Unpresidented Disgrace's Clown Show...add your own, but leave "liberals alone" and avoid getting debunked and a pants down wedgie because of your anti-liberal BS...

      Delete
  2. Great to see you call out both Republicans and Democrats. They are both responsible and careless about the obvious overflow of US-purchased weapons finding their way to Mexico. I guess they don’t give a damn as long as its not Americans dying daily, even then they’d likely not do anything.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Americans overdose fatalities where at an all time high this past year. Rather from March of last year to March of this year. A record that continues to climb withoutany signs of decreasing.
      The war on drugs is unwinnable.

      Saludos BB
      E42

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    2. 5:22 America fault lol, I can't stop laughing. Dems and Rep do not buy the guns that go to Mexico, what are you on.

      Delete
    3. 8:06 traditionally, NRA and EXTREME RIGHT WING fans of weapons for the world work for weapons manufacturers and merchants, now they work for russian spies, recruiters, white supremacists and american
      traitors.
      The Lincoln Project has an ad where they exhibit ANTIFA, no actual antifa member is being prosecuted or investigated for weapons offenses or treason or insurrection as of this minute.
      But Creepublican Queens of Denial want to try BLM members somewhere in their KuKluxKlan courts ASAP.

      Delete
  3. More leftist dribble. Want to stop drug violence? Give everyone who wants to defend themselves, their loved ones, and their property the right to defend themselves with proper weaponry. "Sensible" gun legislation will only restrict weapons from law abiding citizens, the very people who need them. Criminals could care less about laws because they are outlaws and don't live by such. Mexican leaders don't want the common folk to possess firepower of equal magnitude because they fear destabilization of the status quo and the ability to bleed dry the resources and money of the the country.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. @5:31 thank you for your common sense viewpoint. I agree with you wholeheartedly.

      Delete
    2. The NRA and associated criminals and weapons dealers do not want a "properly regulated militia" on the US itself, as the 2nd ammendment reads, they just want to sell billions and billions worth of weapons to a bunch of crack ass pendejos without liability or responsibility.
      same bs flying around for mexico sponsored by dumb ass commenters blaming "leftistas" for the sins of extreme right wingers crimes.

      Delete
    3. ah the good old "criminals will get weapons anyway" argument ... i wonder how other countries like germany or sweden don't have constantly shootings with criminals on the streets who have "easy" access to weapons, because they don't care about laws, it's a miracle to me....

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    4. "Proper weponary" No citizen needs 50 cal weapons or such for self defence!. if can't defend with shotgun or pistol obviously a bad shot.

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    5. 5:31
      This type of ignorance is what got us to this point. More guns = more violence. Pour more gas on the fire the violence only spreads. Ay estan los gavachos de ejemplo

      Delete
    6. 5:31 highly Agee, Obrador, his government and the Cartels envy what you say. Yes equal firepower for the citizens to defend themselves, there was an article, that a politician put papers for citizens to have on 38 revolver in there home for protection, that never went through, but if it did, that's not enough firepower vs a Ar-15. And yes once the citizens arm themselves, Cartels would be afraid to bother them, in the meantime homicides continue everyday as it's easy to kill an in armed person.

      Delete
    7. @5:38 It happens there too.
      https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nordic_Biker_War

      Delete
    8. Weapons merchants' fans are sooo stupid they think they are silent and a majority because of all the BS they consume...
      Fackiualls

      Delete
  4. Yes of course the US is the major source of weapons. Ok so this Mexican journalist should propose detailed solutions instead of complaining.

    I hear it all the time in my meetings. Bitching on and on instead of proposing solutions and how they may solve the problem.

    Shit article of saying what we already know.

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  5. I agree but unfortunately the Washington post is alt left propaganda so its hard to take anything they put out serious.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Come on Trumpy. Take your ignorance back over to foxnews

      Delete
    2. 9:43 its owned by Bezos he is WaPos puppet master like Elon said hes right. Go watch biden drool while trying to read the teleprompt libtard.

      Delete
    3. 8:41 see the Unpresidented Disgrace drool because he and his administration got infested with COVID 19 propagated through unwholesome ass kissing...
      --Biden and Co. has vaccinated close to 2 hundred million americans "while asleep"...
      you can't compare that with the golden toilet that won't flush its piece of caca after 15 pr more tries...by the way the oringe POS and his family also got covid vaccines but in secret, behind the backs of his betrayed brethren.

      Delete
  6. Mexico is a mess because of America, if America didn’t get involved then they’d be peace in Mexico. Do people honestly think the white man cares about the death rate in Mexico? Republicans/Trump supporters are not about the raza. Raza who support them just wish they were white.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. For some reason people think because I’m a military veteran that I support Trump but I don’t. I due consider myself conservative but not a Trump supporter. Trump is a POS and death to Biden and liberals that’s for sure!
      Your right about majority of raza that support trump they want to be white and whites talk shit behind their back.

      Delete
    2. Mexico is a mess because Mexicans allow it. FFS, they can't even put trash in the trash can.

      Delete
    3. 1248 gotta point. Trash all over but I put my takis wrappers en the basura.

      Delete
    4. There are more white American citizens who are homeless and out of work percentagewise tham mexicans in spite of all the opportunities and privileges their own country offers them.

      Delete
  7. Americans are the largeat drug consumers ant the government is aware of the problems and will never take 1% blame of mexicos problems.

    ReplyDelete
  8. The days of when the constitution was written are long gone! We go to the grocery store, meat markets to get our food/meat. we have police agencies to serve and protect us. Even then we still allow citizens to walk into stores and buy guns. Guns that are used in mass shooting that kill kids in schools or hard working citizens in work places or random shootings. Or sent to Mexico or South America and being used to slaughter people. Where's the common sense!? It's time to move forward evolve with the time. lives should be more important then the billions of dollars made by this industry. or the Money donated to these Republican politicians.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The common sense lies in the fact that if you or anyone else breaks into my house to steal or harm my family, you will be shot.

      Delete
    2. 6;08

      Go back to your rock you slithered from
      Give mexican citizens GUNS

      Delete
    3. Or you go shoot up your coworkers. That gun works both ways

      Delete
    4. @9:16 And u dont need military weapons for that a shotgun or pistol is enough.

      Delete
    5. 9:16
      Or get shot. You and your family, due to the fact that guns are sold everywhere up there. Common sense!

      Delete
  9. Hopefully the Mexican government didn't agree to nothing, and let them know that nothing was happening untill they did something about the gun issue. The U.S. not even touching the subject disgusts me. They try to act all goody 2 shoes and they don't move not 1 finger to do anything about that knowing all the problems and suffering it's causing and all the people getting killed. They're straight garbage

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Pity that Landau chose to serve the Unpresidented Disgrace and choses to keep silent aboutbthe NRA corruption and its being infiltrated by russian agents and bought by Bladdermir Putin with millions of dollars...
      Putin does not want his own russian countrymen owning weapons, but will finance NRA weapons propaganda for Mexico russia and the US.

      Delete
    2. Yes because hugs not billets will ever fix the problem. I guess the countless laws that don’t allow gun trafficking don’t work for either. Doesn’t help when democrats are in office they make programs that allow guns to flow with programs such as Fast and Furious.

      Delete
    3. Edgar Alvarado welcome back, I thought for a moment you got kidnapped, glad you're doing well.

      Delete
    4. 3:00 i am sure you know Fast and Furious was a republican era program that got steroids when Obama came in as President, but nobody eas eatchingsech a lousyboperstion, ATF had been left without directors for a long while, ON PURPOSE, by the W bushites.

      Delete
    5. Obama hates mexicans and figured out a way to kill em off by leaving a few assault weapons laying around . And of course the Mexicans perpetuating the stereo type found some guns and did what Mexicans do and a few people went down and are now with Jesus and the angels . So really the US should be thanked for these people now with the lord . Ungreatful Mexicans always gotta be the victim stop your whining put on your bigboy pants and overthrow your pos government before you all get raped ! Most of you prbly cant fart right from the constant raping by any authorities even the mall cops got yall running scared any ways so yeah man up putos !

      Delete
  10. Got to love it when liberals watch narcos Mexico then become professionals. Guns are most definitely not the problem in Mexico. It’s corruption and the failure of the government to allow them to fight against the cartels. Most of these guys get killed and are tweaked up on drugs. They are not professionals by any means. They make their own guns or by south and steal from the governments. They can buy German guns, Chinese guns, it doesn’t fucking matter. If the government in Mexico has a strategy that says hugs not bullets then you will never fix the problem. But yet again, corporate media has no interest in doing meaningful journalism and instead would rather shit on Mexicans and use there own platform to push there agenda. Pathetic media.

    ReplyDelete
  11. The real bulk guns come from south america and all the war torn central americas theres no way people could make that many straw purchases . The guns are there regardless of where they came from you think if the government bans guns all the criminals are going to hand them over because they are illegal . It wont happen . If there ever was a ban it would affect only the legal gun owners who would then be criminals and prbly who the government would go after . The only reason America isnt like Mexico now is because we will shoot back if a truckload of dickheads came pulling into Dallas shouting 4 letters and shooting guns at people they wouldnt last very long . The guns are already out there theres nothing that will change that .

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Fuck Texas! You fools over their don’t even know what you are all confused and shit act like white cowboys but talk black and wave the Mexican flag. Real vaqueros are Mexican NOT cowboys from Texas

      The difference between the cartels and Texas is that sicarios see combat on a daily basis while you all play dress up and flash your guns at the bar because of open carry

      When the Walmart shooting happened you fools didn’t do anything

      Delete
    2. Wrong again! 70% of all weapons seized in Mexico are traced back to the United States of America

      Delete
    3. 11:39 You sound very intelligent and you are absolutely correct fuck Texas . Im in California . You are great cheerleader and once again you sound very intelligent . Congratulations.

      Delete
    4. @bloodbath357
      Where or who did I cheer for in my comment?

      Delete
    5. The difference between the cartels and Texas is that sicarios see combat on a daily basis while you all play dress up and flash your guns at the bar because of open carry . You sound like a cheerleader to me and to call those fucks down there sicarios is quite a stretch most are Tweekers and just shitty people in general no matter what they would be doing to even bring up the walmart incident is Fn comical at best what does that have to do with anything I said . Either way you sound like a shit talking little bitch .

      Delete
    6. @bloodbath357
      You mad punk?
      Are all cartels hit men tweekers or on drugs? maybe but there’s also ex military

      Delete
    7. Yeah Im mad . Getting called a punk by a little bitch gets me very mad especially when I can barely understand what your saying with all that Sicario dick in your mouth . You will get a set of golden pompoms as well so you and Sukario 006 can go bump pussies and cheerlead all the way to what ever gay parade you came from . Eat a bag of dicks ! If your not already tossing one back . Tough guy !

      Delete
    8. That fucking lame bloodbath357 is white thinking he’s badass

      Delete
  12. I agree with everything he proposes. Funny we have open borders the flow of drugs are coming across by the tons while Border Patrol are babysitting children that mothers from central American leave at the Rio Bravo. The flow of guns come from all over the world, Cartels have more money to buy tha DEA. USA custom will sometime inspect cargo going into Mexico.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Give guns to the innocent Mexican and let him protect himself

    ReplyDelete
  14. Yes American Users are responsible for the bloodshed, but us Americans love to party on your drugs. I never have blame the Mexicans there is a market for drugs in the US.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Want to take down Cartels, take out the Lieutenants or lower management.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Amlo is a Cartel President, he is no help.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Name 5 good things AMLO has accomplished during his time in office. I bet you can't.

      Delete
  17. Is open borders working?

    ReplyDelete
  18. Do any of you know how long before it was ever labeled a war on drugs it was already going on?

    ReplyDelete
  19. @9:40 and on and on...it’s the gringos fault bla bla bla...Everyone knows Mexico has no rule of law, only crooked judges, crooked cops, the entire legal system is corrupt, crooked military, crooked Supreme Court. The crooks run the whole country and the cops steal like they have a license. And you cry like a baby ‘cause the gringos won’t help...go back to bed.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No gringos are %100 helping. They can't get enough drugs to Satisfy them. Or sell enough guns to destroy not just their own Country but ours also!

      Delete
    2. The gringos are the ones that help establish the banana republics and puppet rulers

      Quit playing dumb!

      Delete
    3. Gringos love for drugs Fuel the violence! Wake the f#@k up. Not go back to bed

      Delete
  20. I am sure Biden is putting together a commission to study how is tax paying Americans can send more money and fight the “root cause”

    ReplyDelete
  21. Note to readers: León Krauze is an award-winning Mexican journalist, author and news anchor. He is currently the lead anchor at KMEX, Univision's station in Los Angeles.

    anti -AMLO

    ReplyDelete
  22. As long as they have war in this world , they will always have a black market for weapons. The gun control used in Mexico, only allows law abiding citizens to suffer from crime.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. WTF! No black market needed. It's hard for most developed modern nations to grasp the fact that in North America you can walk into a store and walk out with a gun. Then they can't figure out why they and their neighbors have such a gun violence problem!

      Delete
    2. Mijo 11:03
      Not that easy as you say Sonny.
      You have to be a US citizen.
      You go through a background check with DOJ and FBI, while the gun is on hold period. Should one have a clean record, sale goes through.

      Delete
  23. It has put it's share with millions yearly to fun the war on drugs, what you talking about Willis.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Perhaps if the US instituted more robust programs for youths at risk, stop giving aid to other countries and spend the money on its people, revamp the school system to inspire young adults, and lastly show them that there is hope for a better life. If the demand wasn’t there, what exactly would the cartels sell? What would happen to all those arms dealers? This is probably a monster for both countries to control at this point. Scary stuff.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Chena welcome newbie/rookie. I can see it a mile away. No demand for drugs, cartels would go away...nope Chena have you not read what other crimes they do to bring in blood money... kidnapping, extortion, land theft, train robberies, etc.
      Wake up and smell the coffee.

      Delete
  25. The 2nd isn’t for hunting or just self defense, it is to keep the narcissistic hypocrites who pretend to serve the public honest and afraid. It is for the ability to overthrow your government and resist tyranny. So fuck off with the use a pistol or shotgun unless you want the US to end up like Mexico. Stop being afraid with all the bs on the news, mass shootinga are rare and per capita extremely rare given the amount of guns in the US. We need less government leaches, legalize all drugs, and guns save millions of lives a year, and stop crime often, it nearly always just takes brandishing a weapon to stop being victimized. If they weren’t effective, we wouldn’t see the same lying assholes protected by men carrying them, paid for with tax dollars, while they tell you that guns aren’t needed. Bottom line, no government should have an absolute monopoly on violence using the most effective tools. They just want you scared, same as the stupid corona death counter, guess what, random shit happens and if you are genetically suspect or have made life choices, whether health related or lifestyle and risk related which put you at higher risk of dying from the rona or violent crime, so be it. Get rid of the first and second amd the US will be just like every third world mess around the globe. Stop being afraid all the time, it is the safest period in recorded human history. Get off of social media and stop watching any network news, go to the range or the park, or pray for your elected officials to die and not be replaced, just chill and stop being illogical and afraid all the time, unless you live in Michoacán, then move or pray. -Finesse

    ReplyDelete
  26. Washington post as the source is laughable. fuckin propaganda. the truth of the matter is that guns will be acquired by any means by criminals and through any country. Mexicans are sitting ducks because they are not armed. these crackhead cartels couldn't take a county in any state because the US is so heavily armed. disgusting liberals who hate America don't deserve any credibility

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  27. I’m just gonna say this like el chapo said “ mientras los Estados Unidos sigan siendo el mayor consumidor de drogas me maten o me atrapen nada cambia” second this country started the war on drugs by experimenting with all those damn drugs! The government used to bring in heroin and cocaine by the tons in the 70’s and 80’s and now they can’t stop a war they started. They see a problem and wanna act like they didn’t have anything to do with it. This country is my home but I’m not an idiot. This country Is the biggest drug dealer in the world!

    ReplyDelete

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