Thread: Violence in Mexico Could Threaten Oil Imports

Ok so now we have less of a reason to take care of Mexico Citizens.


MEXICO
Violence in Mexico could threaten U.S. oil imports
Recent bombings of Mexico's energy infrastructure could be the sign of more attacks to come -- which would directly impact the U.S. economy
By KEVIN G. HALL AND PABLO BACHELET
khall@mcclatchydc.com

ARTURO LOPEZ/AP
Smoke and flames billow from an explosion at a gas pipeline in Mexico as an army truck drives by.
WASHINGTON -- When saboteurs blew up several natural-gas pipelines in central Mexico this month, temporarily shutting down production for U.S. automakers and other important manufacturers, a small and shadowy Marxist guerrilla group called the Popular Revolutionary Army reportedly claimed responsibility.

Four explosions in the Bajio, a central region that's both the stronghold of the ruling conservative National Action Party and a big manufacturing zone, disrupted the flow of natural gas between Mexico City and Guadalajara, the country's two biggest cities, and paralyzed pipelines in Veracruz and Guanajuato states.

General Motors and Nissan are said to have lost millions of dollars in production at their plants in the region.

Ordinary Americans should have an interest in learning who is behind the attacks and why. Mexico is the second-largest exporter of crude oil to the United States -- more than 1.4 million barrels per day as of April -- and if unknown assailants can blow up a natural-gas pipeline, they could strike as easily at oil. World oil prices are now above $73 a barrel, and further strikes against Mexican energy infrastructure would add to the price jitters.

Mexico is a dangerously soft target since it has more than 17,000 miles of oil pipelines and 8,235 miles of natural-gas pipelines to protect. A McClatchy Newspapers investigation in March demonstrated that Mexico's oil installations can be accessed without authorization.

But as the investigation into the July 5 and July 10 bombings drags on, the mystery only grows.

Among the theories: that the bombings were actually the work of drug cartels striking back at a federal government crackdown, or that the attacks were financed by Venezuela's revolution-minded leftist president, Hugo Chávez, or that they were the work of the radical wing of the leftist Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD), which narrowly lost last year's presidential election.

Mexico's guerrilla movements historically have been small in scale and generally amount to a political nuisance, so attacks on pipelines are highly unusual.

''This could be an isolated event or it could be the start of a campaign. We just don't know,'' said Raul Benitez, a professor at Mexico's National Autonomous University who has studied the nation's armed guerrilla movements.

The Mexican government hasn't officially blamed the Popular Revolutionary Army, which is known by its Spanish-language acronym EPR, although major Mexican newspapers reported that the group has claimed responsibility and has demanded the return of two colleagues imprisoned or missing in the southern state of Oaxaca.

The EPR's historical base of operations is hundreds of miles away in the impoverished state of Guerrero, far from the attacks and in a bustling industrial region. Authorities say the bombers used sophisticated European-style plastic explosives, which the EPR has never been known to use.

Marxist rebel groups in Colombia routinely sabotage pipelines, but Mexico has no such similar history. The EPR has been around since the 1960s and isn't known for orchestrated attacks that disrupt industry.

''It's a first time for them,'' said Pamela Starr, a political risk analyst with Eurasia Group and a longtime follower of the murky world of Mexican politics.

In fact, the only time EPR's members were seen in public was in 1996, when they allowed themselves to be photographed with AK-47 rifles while protesting the murder by police of peasants in the town of Aguas Blancas.

Has there been any known Al-Queda activity in Mexico. Maybe its a test to see how well it would work. I wouldn't be surprised how many Al-Queda is in Mexico. Odd no attacks there despite the vacationing sites like Bali.

I just hope their war doesn't spill over into the US.

Originally Posted by nntrixie

I just hope their war doesn't spill over into the US.

It will...there are 10,000 illegals crossing the border every day. The Border Control is lucky to intercept 20-30% of them. Of course, many intercepted still find their way back or get in anyway.

Originally Posted by zeezil

Originally Posted by nntrixie

I just hope their war doesn't spill over into the US.

It will...there are 10,000 illegals crossing the border every day. The Border Control is lucky to intercept 20-30% of them. Of course, many intercepted still find their way back or get in anyway.

This is something that has actually been concerning me since the 'unrest' began some time ago.

If this is some sort of civil war, there will be those who are on opposite sides here in the US. With every major city in Texas, probably most places, filled with illegals, and even every small town has some, we could be in for some scary times.

I was waiting for this article to blame us for the bombings because we didn't pass amnesty.

Did anyone from Southern Cal listen to John & Ken today? They had rep. Ed Royce on. He talked about the ABC (mainstream news mind you) report confirming jihadists in Mexico. Not just from Muslim countries but Mexicans who possibly have turned into radical Islamiscists. This could be BIG trouble, but certainly not surprising. Anyone with a brain knows you can walk into our country. Enemies like Chavez in Venezuela probably helping the cause. Mighty scary.

And Bush wants to merge the US and open the borders with Mexico???

I think we've merged, unfortunately!

Our President's open borders policy is going to blow up in our faces some day . . . literally.