http://www.elpasotimes.com/newupdated/ci_11444354 Amero anyone? U.S. military report warns 'sudden collapse' of Mexico is possible <!--subtitle--><!--byline-->By Diana Washington Valdez / El Paso Times <!--date-->Posted: 01/13/2009 03:49:34 PM MST <!--secondary date--> <script language="JavaScript"> var requestedWidth = 0; </script><script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="http://extras.mnginteractive.com/live/js/article/viewerControls.js"></script>Click photo to enlarge Mexico's President Felipe Calderon announces a new economic stimulus package in Mexico... 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The command's "Joint Operating Environment (JOE 2008)" report, which contains projections of global threats and potential next wars, puts Pakistan on the same level as Mexico. "In terms of worse-case scenarios for the Joint Force and indeed the world, two large and important states bear consideration for a rapid and sudden collapse: Pakistan and Mexico. <!-- gearEnv.getGearInstanceParameter("pollId") = null --><!-- (String)request.getParameter("pollId") = 11451715 --><!-- polls.jsp reports: pollId = 11451715 --><!-- polls.jsp reports: css = null --><!-- mills = 1232000621156 --><!-- pollId = 11451715 --><!-- threshold = null --><!-- options = null --><!-- css = null --><!-- cookies are enabled --><!-- cookieKey = Poll:11451715 --><!-- has voted = false --><!-- display poll is not null --><form action="http://www.elpasotimes.com/newupdated/ci_11444354?_DARGS=/portlet/polls/html/display_poll.jsp" name="polls_11451715_1232000621156" method="post"><input value="UTF-8" name="_dyncharset" type="hidden"><input style="display: none;" name="/mngi/polls/PollsVoteDetailFormHandler.vote" id="voteButton_11451715_1232000621156" type="submit"><input value=" " name="_D:/mngi/polls/PollsVoteDetailFormHandler.vote" type="hidden"><input value="http://www.elpasotimes.com/newupdated/ci_11444354" name="/mngi/polls/PollsVoteDetailFormHandler.voteErrorURL" id="voteErrorURL_11451715_1232000621156" type="hidden"><input value=" " name="_D:/mngi/polls/PollsVoteDetailFormHandler.voteErrorURL" type="hidden"><input value="http://www.elpasotimes.com/newupdated/ci_11444354" name="/mngi/polls/PollsVoteDetailFormHandler.voteSuccessURL" id="voteSuccessURL_11451715_1232000621156" type="hidden"><input value=" " name="_D:/mngi/polls/PollsVoteDetailFormHandler.voteSuccessURL" type="hidden"><input value="" name="/mngi/polls/PollsVoteDetailFormHandler.repositoryId" id="answerRepositoryId_11451715_1232000621156" type="hidden"><input value=" " name="_D:/mngi/polls/PollsVoteDetailFormHandler.repositoryId" type="hidden"><table class="pollsBox" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td class="pollsHead">Could Mexico collapse?</td></tr><tr><td class="pollsQuestion">Do you think it is possible that the Mexican government could collapse in 2009?</td></tr><tr><td><table width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><script type="text/javascript" language="JavaScript"> var buttonHtml = '<input type="button" value="Vote!" onclick="vote_11451715_1232000621156();">'; </script><tbody><tr><td class="pollsAnswer"><input name="answer_11451715_1232000621156" id="answer_11451715_1232000621156_0" value="688065" type="radio"> Yes, the drug lords are taking over.</td></tr><tr><td class="pollsAnswer"><input name="answer_11451715_1232000621156" id="answer_11451715_1232000621156_1" value="688066" type="radio"> No, the government is still strong and will control the violence.</td></tr><tr><td class="pollsAnswer"><input name="answer_11451715_1232000621156" id="answer_11451715_1232000621156_2" value="688067" type="radio"> I'm not sure, it could still go either way.</td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr><td class="pollsSubmit"><script type="text/javascript" language="JavaScript">document.write(buttonHtml);</script><input value="Vote!" onclick="vote_11451715_1232000621156();" type="button"><noscript>Voting Requires Javascript</noscript></td></tr></tbody></table><script type="text/javascript" language="JavaScript"> function vote_disabled() { alert('Voting has been disabled on preview...'); } function vote_11451715_1232000621156() { var answerId = 0; var somethingChecked = false; var prefix = 'answer_11451715_1232000621156_'; var numOfAnswers = 3; for (var x=0; x < numOfAnswers; x++) { var aTemp = prefix + x; if (document.getElementById(aTemp).checked == true) { answerId = document.getElementById(aTemp).value; somethingChecked = true; } } if (somethingChecked) { document.getElementById("answerRepositoryId_11451715_1232000621156").value = answerId; document.getElementById("voteButton_11451715_1232000621156").click(); } else { alert("You must choose an answer to vote on a poll!"); } var mills = 1232000621156; } </script><input value="/portlet/polls/html/display_poll.jsp" name="_DARGS" type="hidden"></form> "The Mexican possibility may seem less likely, but the government, its politicians, police and judicial infrastructure are all under sustained assault and press by criminal gangs and drug cartels. How that internal conflict turns out over the next several years will have a major impact on the stability of the Mexican state. Any descent by Mexico into chaos would demand an American response based on the serious implications for homeland security alone." The U.S. Joint Forces Command, based in Norfolk, Va., is one of the Defense Departments combat commands that includes members of the different military service branches, active and reserves, as well as civilian and contract employees. One of its key roles is to help transform the U.S. military's capabilities. In the foreword, Marine Gen. J.N. Mattis, the USJFC commander, said "Predictions about the future are always risky ... Regardless, if we do not try to forecast the future, there is no doubt that we will be caught off guard as we strive to protect this experiment in democracy that we call America." The report is one in a series focusing on Mexico's internal security problems, mostly stemming from drug violence and drug corruption. In recent weeks, the Department of Homeland Security and former U.S. drug czar Barry McCaffrey issued similar alerts about Mexico. Despite such reports, El Pasoan Veronica Callaghan, a border business leader, said she keeps running into people in the region who "are in denial about what is happening in Mexico." Last week, Mexican President Felipe Calderon instructed his embassy and consular officials to promote a positive image of Mexico. The U.S. military report, which also analyzed economic situations in other countries, also noted that China has increased its influence in places where oil fields are present. More stories on the violence in Mexico Diana Washington Valdez may be reached at dvaldez@elpasotimes.com; 546-6140.
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Mexico collapsed a long, long time ago. Now it is merely a tick sucking off the ass of the United States. One day we will wise up and pull that tick off, hopefully before it drains us.
