Heath Haussamen
Unlike many wars, there’s nothing ideological about the drug war that has consumed Mexico and threatens the United States. The motive behind the fighting is money.
Rival cartels are fighting with each other for control of supply routes into the United States, and they’re battling the Mexican government for control of the nation.
With Ciudad Juárez recording its 3,000th murder of the year Tuesday – making 2010 the deadliest on record in the border city – it’s important to remember that the cause of the drug war is simple economics.
We – the United States – create the demand for the product. The cartels simply slide into the role of supplying it.
“Our insatiable demand for illegal drugs fuels the drug trade,” Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in 2009 in Mexico City.
America has a ravenous appetite for drugs, legal and illegal. There’s a drug store on nearly every corner. When we have a problem, we generally don’t think about exercise, or eating better. We want to pop a pill and get on with things.
We’re stretched thin. We’re stressed. We pump ourselves full of caffeine and sugar to keep functioning. We relax with alcohol. And many supplement both with other, illegal drugs.
Even former Gov. Gary Johnson, a likely 2012 presidential candidate, admitted recently to illegally using marijuana for medicinal purposes from 2005-2008.
Accepting others’ suffering to get what we want
So, in the name of capitalism, Mexico has descended into war, and, in some regions, into anarchy. It’s all about who can get rich off the United States’ addiction to drugs.
To get what we want, we as Americans accept so much suffering by others. Because of our society’s thirst for oil, we tolerate atrocious human rights abuses all over the world. With our hunger for diamonds, we help fund conflict and death in Africa.
Similarly, Those who use illegal drugs should remember that there’s a reasonable chance someone died so they could smoke their weed.
The drug war is getting worse. In addition to this being the bloodiest year in the history of Juárez, there are reports that Mexican cartels are opening bases in Guatemala to evade Mexican authorities, and in Costa Rica because they ship drugs from there to the United States. And, as I’ve already written, cartels operate all across the United States.
With candidates for office in this year’s Mexican elections being killed, threatened and intimidated, you have to assume that cartels are increasingly asserting influence in the Mexican government. Mexico is becoming a narco-state.
Economics dictate action
A narco-state. On the southern border of the United States.
How long before the cartels start asserting more influence in the United States to ensure supply routes stay open? Is it already happening?
Enforcement and border security are important topics to discuss, but they alone won’t solve the problem for the same reason that building a 10-foot wall won’t stop illegal border crossing. It will simply motivate people to build 11-foot ladders. Economics dictate action.
We must somehow deal with the issues of supply and demand.