Thread: Border security: Mexico's disregard

http://pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-rev ... 70260.html

Border security: Mexico's disregard


Tuesday, September 6, 2005

Some 119 people have been murdered this year in the Mexican city of Nuevo Laredo across the Texas border in an ongoing drug war. Washington is duly concerned.

Mexico's response to the U.S.: Buzz off.

The grim situation is reason enough for Washington to take off the diplomatic gloves.

We're not talking about low-level thugs. Gunmen from drug gangs use bazookas and machine guns at will in Nuevo Laredo. Fifteen police officers have been killed.

And still the mayhem accelerates despite Mexico's deployment of hundreds of federal police and soldiers. Things reached the point where U.S. officials briefly closed the U.S. consulate.

U.S. Ambassador Tony Garza detailed his concerns to President Vicente Fox. The response to U.S. officials is to keep out of it. Mexico's foreign ministry undersecretary called the matter "frankly unfortunate."

Such is Mexico's regard for its U.S. neighbor. And if Mexico cannot maintain its own laws, or protect its citizens, what possible concern could it have for U.S. law, especially with regard to illegal immigration?

Indeed, what could be better for Mexico than to see its unrelenting troublemakers migrate north.

If Mexico can't be a responsible neighbor and leash its drug dogs -- which routinely cross the border to defecate on the U.S. -- then Uncle Sam has no alternative to, and should make no excuses for, building a better fence

If Mexico can't be a responsible neighbor and leash its drug dogs -- which routinely cross the border to defecate on the U.S. -- then Uncle Sam has no alternative to, and should make no excuses for, building a better fence