Pakistan, Mexico and U.S. nightmares
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– Bernd Debusmann is a Reuters columnist. The opinions expressed are his own. –
What do Pakistan and Mexico have in common? They figure in the nightmares of U.S. military planners trying to peer into the future and identify the next big threats.
The two countries are mentioned in the same breath in a just-published study by the United States Joint Forces Command, whose jobs include providing an annual look into the future to prevent the U.S. military from being caught off guard by unexpected developments.
“In terms of worst-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,” says the study – Joint Operating Environment 2008 – in a chapter on “weak and failing states.” Such states, it says, usually pose chronic, long-term problems that can be managed over time.
But the little-studied phenomenon of “rapid collapse,” according to the study, “usually comes as a surprise, has a rapid onset, and poses acute problems.” Think Yugoslavia and its 1990 disintegration into a chaotic tangle of warring nationalities and bloodshed on a horrific scale.
Nuclear-armed Pakistan, where al-Qaeda has established safe havens in the rugged regions bordering on Afghanistan, is a regular feature in dire warnings. Thomas Fingar, who retired as the U.S.’s chief intelligence analyst in December, termed Pakistan “one of the single most challenging places on the planet.”
This is fairly routine language for Pakistan, but not for Mexico, which shares a 2,000-mile border with the 
United States.
Mexico’s mention beside Pakistan in a study by an organization as weighty as the Joint Forces Command (which controls almost all conventional forces based in the continental U.S.) speaks volumes about growing concern over what’s happening south of the U.S. border.
Vicious and widening violence pitting drug cartels against each other and against the Mexican state have left more than 8,000 Mexicans dead over the past two years. Kidnappings have become a routine part of Mexican daily life. Common crime is widespread. Pervasive corruption has hollowed out the state.
In November, in a case that shocked even those (on both sides of the border) who consider corruption endemic in Mexico, former drug czar Noe Ramirez was charged with accepting at least $450,000 a month in bribes from a drug cartel in exchange for information about police and anti-narcotics operations.
A month later, a Mexican army major, Arturo Gonzalez, was arrested on suspicion he sold information about President Felipe Calderon’s movements for $100,000 a month. Gonzalez belonged to a special unit responsible for protecting the president.
DESCENT INTO CHAOS?
Depending on one’s view, the arrests are successes in a publicly-declared anti-corruption drive or evidence of how deeply criminal mafias have penetrated the organs of the state.
According to the Joint Forces study, the possibility of a sudden collapse in Mexico is less likely than in Pakistan “but the government, its politicians, police, and judicial infrastructure are all under sustained assault and pressure 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.”
It added: “Any descent by Mexico into chaos would demand an American response based on the serious implications for homeland security alone.”
What form such a response might take is anyone’s guess and the study does not spell it out, nor does it address the economic implications of its worst-case scenario. Mexico is the third biggest trade partner of the United States (after Canada and China) and its third-biggest supplier of oil (after Canada and Saudi Arabia).
No such ties bind the United States and Pakistan but the study sees a collapse there not only as more likely but also as more catastrophic.
It would bring “the likelihood of a sustained violent and bloody civil and sectarian war, an even bigger haven for violent extremists, and the question of what would happen to its nuclear weapons. That ‘perfect storm’ of uncertainty alone might require the engagement of U.S. and coalition forces into a situation of immense complexity and danger … and with the real possibility that nuclear weapons might be used.”
It is not clear where on the long list of actual and potential crises around the world Mexico and Pakistan will rank once Barack Obama takes office as U.S. president on Jan. 20. During the election campaign, Obama repeatedly criticized Pakistan for not cracking down hard enough on terrorists inside its borders.
Since then a new Pakistani president came to power. Not long after, tensions between Pakistan and India, also a nuclear power, rose sharply after gunmen attacked two luxury hotels and other sites in Mumbai, India’s commercial capital, and killed 179 people. India described the attack as a conspiracy hatched in Pakistan and carried out by Pakistanis.
Closer to home, the U.S. economic crisis looks likely to slow down a $1.4 billion assistance program (military equipment, training, technology) to help the Mexican government gain the upper hand over the drug cartels and re-establish control over what some have called “failed cities” along the border, places where shootouts, beheadings and kidnappings have become routine.
It would take a very rosy outlook on the future to expect rapid progress.
For previous columns by Bernd Debusmann, click here. You can contact the author at Debusmann@reuters.com.
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Pakistan is paradise of talibanis and other terririst outfits. Th govement just exist there but the paralle goverment is run there by talibanis. Those are prroved facts.There are top officials in pak military who sometimes openly or sometimes indirectly supports Talibaan, Lashkar as well as other terroroist outfits.
In fact Pakistan wanted to be a capital of muslim terrorism and then further wanted to lead the muslim population countries. That is why they are not only supporting the the terrorism but also providing there youths to be trained and and those training camps will be assisted by pakistani military and ISI the intelligence.
Pakistan is a real threat.
Q: al-Qaeda – Who Are They ?
Ans: Terrors and None State Peoples
Q: Are They True Muslims ?
Ans: No. They Just Put Face Of Muslims and Truth Behind It They Even Not Know About Islam Word, They Are None Muslims.
Q: Osama-Bin-Ladin / Al-Zawahri, Who are They ?
Ans : None Muslims. Osama Who Was Putout From Saudi because of giving the extremist Studies to make peoples None Muslim And To Teach Them About Terror Study. Al-Zawahri who was Kick Out From Miser, And Was None Muslims For What He Kicked Out Because He Was Doing Same Thing As Of Osama-Bin-ladin.
Q: Who Create Him ? How They Come Power Full ?
Ans : Americans Create Them To Kick out Russians From Afghanistan’s By The Help Of Pakistani Army Chief Ziya-Ul-Haq In 1980+ to 1990-. Ziya-Ul-Haq Was Terrorist Person and a person of America Actually, Peoples Of Pakistan Even Don’t Want To See Him As President Of Pakistan, But He Killed Too Much Peoples In Pakistan Who Was Against Him, And He Killed a Big World Lieder And Father Of Banazir Bhutto , Zufiqar Ali Bhutto. He Create Those Talibans and Al-Quida Peoples and Put the in the Border Of Afghan and pakistan By The Help Of Americans. Now The Same Talibans And Al-Quida Is Attacking On Americans as Well In Pakistani Peoples.
Q: Is Pakistan Safe Place?
Ans: Yes, Pakistan is a safe place peoples know better who come in pakistan from other countries. Just few place of Border Attached With Afghan are some Terror Hide There.And Pakistan Forces are Doing Operation Against Them In Border Areas To Finish Them Up To Make World Clean And Peace Full.
Q: Who Is Supporting Taliban, Al-Quida In Border Area Of Pak Afghan And In Balochistan – And From Where They Are Getting Huge Weapons and Money ?
Ans: Indians Army , Peoples , And Gov is Supporting Them To Make Pakistan Unstablished Country. There are many Indian Agents Hiding in Pakistan and helping those terrors who are attacking in Pakistani Peoples as well support Those Talibans and Al-Quida Peoples. Just Like Recent Attack In Mumbai, Where Directly There Gov and Army and Few Hindu Extremist Peoples did that.
Q: Who Is Ajmal Kasab ?
Ans: An Agent Of Indian , Who was leaving in Pakistan From Long Time as Muslims, Truth is he is an Hindu, he involve in many attacks within Pakistan, Then Indian Find Way To Ask Him To Attack In Mumbai Taj Hotel so Indians can Put World Prasher In Pakistan And To Make Pakistan Unstablished. Here is The Point, All 10 Terror Of Mumbai Attack Where Killed Then Why Not Ajmal Kasab ? Because Army Peoples Give him Full Authority To Kill As Many Peoples In Hotel As He Can, Like 64 Muslims Die In Mumbai Attack and Other where Hindu. And Later On Gov, And Army Of Indians Give Him Safe Way , And Arrest Him. Now Using Same Person they are trying to show he is an Pakistan and pakistan is involve in Mumbai Attacks, Well He Was Leaving In Pakistan From Long Time As Agent Of Indians to attack in Pakistan Place.
Q: How to Come Peace In World ?
Ans:
1. Indian Stop Helping Talibans and Al-Quida In Border areas of Pak Afghan.
2. Indian Stop Killing Innocent Peoples In Kashmir Like Israeli Doing In Gaza.
3.Israeli Stop Attacking In Gaza Innocent Small Small Child’s and leave place that they grabbed of Palestinians.
Americans Stop Attack In Iraq.
4.World Fully Help Pakistan To Fight Against Talibans and Al-Quida Who are Power full With The Help Of Indians.
Pakistan: Now and Always. And will be Peace full Country Soon When Indians Stop Doing Support of Talibans.
Since the movie Traffic we know what is really going on.
What’s happening in Mexico is a teddy bear’s picnic compared to Pakistan.
To those in a state of denial about Pakistan, one only needs to look at Pakistan’s tattered economy and the march of the Islamists. Peshawar has fallen. Islamabad is next.
It’s time the world community acted against this failed State.
Mr Tariq Shah – you seem to be totally out of your mind blaming India and US for whats happening to Pakistan! Pakistan got what it deserves and is heading towards a total collapse. Do they still know who killed Benazir Bhutto and was there any action taken?
Pakistan or for that matter any country needs a revolution or a revolutionist to bring change in general way of perception, thinking and giving direction to the nation and its people.
Pakistan for that matter needs a man who has vision and heart of ata turk.
close the mosques, kill the mullas, punish the guilty, change the education system and wait, everything will fall in place.
But pakistan is a haven of all the silt in the world worried about apathy of muslims, fed by petro/ narcotic fund. this fund reaches to the president too who himself is a big rougue and cheat and might be behind his wifes murder. U NEVER KNOW…
With all due respect, please go to Mexico for a month or 2 outside the gringo resort and then write editorial. This report is a total nonsense as far as Mexico is concerned.I know Mexico over the last 30 years and there are a lot of positive changes there over the last 10+ years (i.e. growing middle class etc). one more thing stop watching CNN and stop reading failing newspapers like LA Times. GO AND SEE YOURSELF!
Just returned from Mexico….
Marek
Pakistan is on brink of economic collapse. The administration and the people live in a state of denial. They do not have any industries. A vast majority of the population is illliterate, there is no scientific mind set among the people. The reason for this their past governments , who had no vision for future of Pakistani people and country as a whole. Each administration was better than the previous administration in only one thing- corruption.
The money comes in to Pakistan only as aid and loan and from hardworking Pakistanis overseas. There are no internal accruals.
The world as a whole and Pakistanis should take a careful look at themselves and realize that Nuclear arms(the technology and parts for which was smuggled) is not going to take them anywhere. There was time when China was equal or worst in development and standard of living than Pakistan. Look where China is now and where is Pakistan. However, the world can just sit and watch and protect itself from Pakistan.
Only god can help Pakistan.
But god has clearly stated that he is willing to help only those who are willing to help themselves.
Pakistan, a 160 million strong muslim nation armed with nuclear weapons. Pakistanis are honest and hard working. No doubt, Pkaistan has faced many crises, today its facing many challenges and problems like any other countries in the world. But no, this is certainly not a banana republis. NO Pakistan will never descent into chaos. Pakistnis will always pull themselves together and make come backs after every setback. Let it be assured, Paksitan will stay united. Yes, there is a need fo rintrospection, and also lot of hardwork to sort our house, but I am fully confident Pakistan will emerge stronger and sustain all the pressures.
LONG LIVE PAKISATN!
Well I would suggest also looking at the friend to the north. In just one province alone the illegal drug business is an 8 billion dollar a year industry. Larger than both lumber and fishing combined. Organized crime from a round the world launder the proceeds of their criminal activities though real estate and all that heroin from Afghanistan can you tell me what West Coast Ports is it mostly transshipped through? Don’t think that it’s the ones south of the boarder.
People,
Legalizing drugs – all drugs – would do more to end crime, corruption, agony and pain than billions of dollars, troops, planes, and a thousand new prisons. After all, the most powerful drug of all is legal – and that’s alcohol. People drive cars on it, fight, scream, abuse, kill, participate in the full range of negative behavior – People on heroine sit there and stare – don’t drive, can’t fight, and slowly fade away.
Legalize drubs and organized crime will collapse
—————
Dude pot maybe not the others, think about it because the one won we’ll soon have nationalized healthcare….we’ed spend half the damn budget on health care. People are weak whem it comes to pleasure and self disapline the current and every generation in america sence the 60′s has been brought up for instant gratification and do what feels good and is easy mentality(and no im 24 not 60 i just see the world around me).
Ive worked jobs with mexican immigrants factory, farm, warhouse etc. etc. nice ppl mostly. To me it seems the drug lordsrun your country i believe eduardo you are right in its a large part our fault. But it wont stop the incoming administration is built on making you feel good not the truth or “change”. Add congress(yes i know the mexican jokes about lazy ppl but atleast there jokes for the congress who spends 4/5 days of the year gone there not. well i havent realy ever heard of a mexican working overtime but
)accepting buy offs (and dont say it doesnt happen Blogovich anyone?)and you get a corrupt and lazy government. But we can kill some drug king pins i say do it.
well exceppt for pot growers i mean seriously who canre about pot
Pff, If Pakistan is going to nuke anyone, it would be India. And if you really want to solve the world’s problems…I say we spend 10 years building a linked…underground safe house, that millions can live in, and will be completely self sufficient, with geothermal power, and the use of deep underground water sources, then when we are confident in the ability to sustain the population in these shelters, Nuke the entire Earth into a bloody, radiation filled wasteland, like what happened to the dinosaurs (on a smaller scale) then after about 90-150 years, emerge once again to bring democracy and the free market to the entire world, unprovoked…besides the obvious horde of zombie-mutants and ultra-intelligent sea-otters that evolved to live on land. And the world will be peaceful once again.
This of course is an over exaggeration, and the simple solution is to not give Mexico’s Gov’t more money…but to let it collapse for the most part, and clean it up afterwords…It’s heartless, but if most the Gov’t is in bed with the Cartels…how do we know if the money is going to the right cause? And how do we know if the troops we train for them won’t just turncoat and go with the Cartels? We Don’t and in this case, we could end up making things worse. Besides, Obama won’t do much to clean up this mess, because he doesn’t have the power to do so, we have to wait no the eternity that is the legislative process…then, god-willing, Obama doesn’t veto for some reason, or some liability that he owes to another party or group. And the only way we can get Pakistan to even consider tightening up FATA and other areas…we need a lot of pressure from the UN or NATO…because they won’t listen to just us…ughh…it’s all a big headache, and will be a problem to drag on for a LOOOONG time.
In response to the statement “not give Mexico’s Gov’t more money…but to let it collapse for the most part, and clean it up afterwards” is obviously speaking from a deep well of ignorance and is drowning in stupidity.
The present political party (PAN) in control of the presidency and the previous administration in Mexico has been in power for less time than the previous political party (PRI) (eight years vs. 70 yrs).
They have made significant improvements one of which is to have a transparent budget and legislative system that can be accessed via the web and is updated daily. They have also strengthened laws for more Federal control of key areas of government to help eliminate corruption.
The majority of the government leaders have resisted the pressure from the cartels and unfortunately suffered with their lives. It’s only a handful of PRI party officials are resisting these dramatic changes but it takes time to dismantle and re-build a government.
The U.S. has had over 200 years and we are still learning and improving.
Given the proper and measured support for PAN and this administration in Mexico it will succeed. Do not support Mexico and its march towards a more perfect union and we will suffer the consequences of civil war in Mexico and we will have 40 to 50 million Mexicans crossing the border as refugees.
Invest in Mexico’s and you will be investing in security for the U.S. for decades and a partnership. Don’t invest and we will be guilty of hypocrisy at best by turning our backs to a fledgling democracy, or allowing the destruction of a proud and valuable people as well as a culture history that goes back before the time of Christ.
the big problem today is weapons which is being used to maim and kill so many people in the world today nobody wants to talk about it in fear of the rich and powerful countries like the US,UK and EU counties israel included
these countries create brutal regimes and organisations and provide them with weapons and training to spread their policies and propaganda in the name of democracy
from the brutal dictatorships in south america to the shah(savak),Saddam to fight Khomeini,s iran to the taliban to fight the USSR .the US Intelligence is the biggest drug dealer in the world .
dealing in heroin to finance the vietnam war. in nicaragua US soldiers loading Cocaine into US military planes (Iran -Contra) using panama and noreiga as transit points and recently using the taliban Hekmatayar and his henchmen flying them into US on Us military planes no passport no visas but full load of heroin and selling it to US citizens
Also setting up distribution networks via the colombians in The US through Pablo Escobar and other colombian mafiosi families .
Now the US is spraying dangerous chemicals in colombia ,Bolivia and destroying the livelyhoods of millions of poor people and also supplying them with weapons to kill each other
The taliban believed in the Americans and sacrificed 1 million of their children in the rusian minefields and there is another million of crippled afghans and look what you are doing to them.
The US used them to fight the USSR and divided it into so many countries to sell their weapons to the military these countries have created .
Weapons is big business .The Blackmarket created by them to supply arms to rouge governments and illegal organisations at 10 times the price is also set up and controlled by the ig weapon manufacturing countries.
Now with the resurgence of socialist governments in south america they are trying to create a buffer by using mexico.
Now the people are much smarter they do not believe in the propaganda spewed out by these war mongering ,gun running hypocrites and they do not listen only to CNN,BBC ,Reuters reports and other mainstream media controlled by the rich powerful states.
Classic example is the media buildup on saddam and his biological and chemical weapons and the chosen media embedded with the invading armies and the killing of reporters who oppsed it
The world has to come together to stop these criminal governments selling weapons to poor people in the developing countries .
Create a new and fair organisation with a back bone unlike the UN and create a legal system where all orld leaders and their military could be prosecuted
then we will have a better world
WHo do you think is REALLY intrested to stop this. The entire military industry would collapse…and this industry is rulling the world. Is all about energy and power. Absolute power.
The simple, logical, and common sense solution is legalizing drugs in the USA. Tax them. Raise revenue. Develop a new industry like the alcohol industry. Remove the cause of drug related crime here, Mexico, South America.
The brutal truth is that the international banking industry, and the international military industry profit so greatly from drugs current illegality, they would be fools to ever allow them to become legal.
Unless voters force the issue to the polls in the USA.
Our system of government allows for this possibility.
Our citizens low level of intelligence and reasoning ability currently preclude this from happening.
Now they try to scare us with Mexico’s collapse. Global warming has proved not scary enough. Who buys this BS?
James said ” People are weak when it comes to – - – - disapline”. How about people are weak when it comes to correct spelling and typing out words in their entirety, hmmmmmmmm? Smiley faces? The feminization of men.
Its hard for me to read Mexico, my homeland has been compared to Pakistan, not attempting to be rude to that Asian country, is hard to read of both cuntries in the same line. But in the neverending position of sema proclaimed global judge, US goberment seems to see a treath in 2 contries himself has helped get to the point there at now. I agree with the comment posted in this same site, the people of the united states have feed the monster now they fear, the US is the number 1 drug consumer around the world, making drug cartels stronger and more anxious to get the money northamericans are so desperate to spend. So what should be done, Mexico goberment actions are just as important as US goberment, no t only in fighting the drug cartels, but educating and preventing on drugs use and abuse. The strugle in mexico is far from being over, but it would help if the cartels run out of clients.
Mexico and Pakistan, to different problems, both once feed bu the US, now both feared by it
The solution to this problem is almost absurdly simple. Legalize drugs under the aegis of a harm-prevention approach, tax them and put all the worst addicts in contact with medical professionals. Save billions on the “War on Drugs” and rob every drug cartel and gang on the planet of their profits. Then, they’ll have to get real jobs. We’ll have peaceful streets, a healthier population and a lot more money. The only people opposed to this are religious/conservative fanatics who believe you can somehow convince everyone to stop using drugs, it’ll NEVER HAPPEN, and, of course, weapons manufacturers and intelligence agencies that profit from the War on Drugs. The solution is obvious, we just have to push the issue and force our democracy to function in the common interest for once.
To James,
Dude, get your facts straight, the U.S. has the world’s most expensive healthcare system, it costs people roughly 3 times the amount it does for people in Canada, but it ranks 37th in the world. Socialized medicine is more effective, totally inclusive, and a hell of a lot cheaper. Get a clue.
*note to censor – I’ve taken out swear words. I think my points are valid. I’m a real person (see my site)…I’d appreciate not being censored again*
Peter writes, “The simple, logical, and common sense solution is legalizing drugs in the USA.”
100% right. The answer is so idiotically obvious on its face, it’s just incredible the American public has bought into this line of bull**** that, for the “sake of the children,” oh Christ, the best way to deal with our drug habit is to criminalize it, fill our (privatized) prisons with non-violent offenders and then prosecute endless and pointless wars in Latin America that only result in making the narcos more and more clever, powerful and adapted to withstand our tactics.
Millions more people die every year in the US from sucking down big macs and pepsi and that dog meat they serve at taco bell and the rats they microwave for you at KFC, than do from drug abuse or overdose. How does the American public, the fattest population in world history now, feel about these poisons? Or the poisons that spew from the tailpipes of their SUV’s, or the plastic they put in the microwave or the vinyl gasses that vent off their new K-Mart furniture and carpets? Or getting high off 12 Smirnoff Ices, which aren’t just harmful as alcohol but contain all kinds of chemical flavoring for good measure? Just ****in’ great. They can’t get enough of that ****.
But God forbid somebody does some blow or smokes a joint, they just go all out of whack. When you look at the situation in Mexico, just like the situation in Pakistan, it becomes patently obvious the length, breadth and depth of the pit America has dug for itself.
Unfortunately, the extremely obese tend to have problems crawling out of this kind of abyss. The only question now is how long can America live off its own fat before it starts looking like the banana republic it’s alaready become?
The real problem with Mexico is the market for drugs in the United States! Your country has got to fix your problem before you start on the dangerous path of blaming others for your faults. Your war on drugs is a completely untenable with more people in jail per capita than any other country on the planet, that includes Iran, China and Russia. Your appetite for these drugs is beyond the pale. Until you comes to terms with your collective addiction your ranting will fall on deaf ears in the rest of the world. How you fix your addiction is your problem and your problem alone. The way you have been approaching it in the past has been a complete disaster. The prove is in the pudding when it comes to Mexico, it is your drug habit that is causing these problems in Mexico. So get your own house in order before you blame others.
Imagine curing addiction with reason!? Our problem is drug addiction which we know that we cannot cure with Harry Potter’s stick.How bad will it have to get for us to realize that drug interdiction is not working?As long as people are addicted to drugs they will do whatever it takes to obtain them Afghanistan,Pakistan,Columbia and Mexico all have in common one thing American dollars in persuit of illegal drugs.Make believe all those countries disappeared,four more would take their place in persuit of American dollars!
I agree with the selected “Best comment”, but the writer could have gone a step further. First, stop calling pot an “illegal drug” and lumping it together with the so-called “hard drugs”, and simply legalize it. Second, legalize the hard drugs such that they can be got, cheaply and after seeking professional help, by addicts. Provide help and interrim detox drugs rather than throwing them in prison.
You cannot simply legislate a population into curing its drug problems. You cannot cure the problem by imprisoning people (been tried, and doesn’t work). You might, however, at least make a dent in the problem by decriminalizing it and providing help. Are memories all so short that we don’t remember the true impacts of prohibition: huge profits from illicit alcohol fueled the rise of the American mafia. Thousands were arrested. Not a dent was made in alcohol consumption. It shouldn’t take a genius to see that what we are doing a present is doomed to failure. Of course, if you still really think all drugs should be banned, then you must be ok with our spending more on prisons in this country, at present, than on education. You must be ok with our having an unprecedented, absurd prison population of order 1% of the country’s population! So get real, yes, try to reduce drug dependence, but do it in a rational, tested fashion rather than just the opposite.
The question is which corrupt policies benefit from edifying poverty, crime and unemployment? The so called War on Drugs is a “war on people.” It redirects billions of dollars of American dollars into the hands of agencies that only “treat the symptoms” and fund a military corporations.
It’s the same faulty, broken old model we have in our current medical system. It’s not really a health care system at all, it’s a disease management business.
Why would those getting all this money want to “address the root cause” when there is more power and profit in “managing the disease symptoms?”
Do you see the correlation between the disease management agenda and the current war management policy? It’s the same wrong-thinking, the same modus operandi.
We need to get behind the human cause of war, poverty and sickness so it can be cured . . . not just managed.
Example: It is a well published fact that plant-protein based diets, cost much less and vastly improve health. By legalizing Cannabis sativa (hemp)we will create jobs,feed people and reduce disease. The Hemp fiber is a proven superior source of building materials compared to to wood, yields a cloth superior to cotton and as a food source is rich in Omega-3s, protein and nutrients.
America needs more “producers.” We can create real income, new money, by allowing scientists and statesmen to write policy, instead of politicians.
Privatizing prisons, hiring more police and recruiting more young people for war is not a viable way to nurture peace, freedom and prosperity, for us or our neighbors.
Poor government management is promoting poverty, sickness and suffering of every kind . . . alcohol ruins more lives than illicit drugs, but it is a part of American business.
Properly prescribed pharmaceuticals are killing more than 100,000 people in the US annually.Fast food is another one causing diabetes, heart disease and cancers.
Now children are being forced to take amphetamines to dull their brains in a broken educational system-supported by lottery and cigarette taxation . . . the list of hypocrazy is long.
We do need to clean our house first.
We have the intelligence, the resources and the people to expand a healthier global culture of common wealth. We simply need to accept our differences and build on our strengths- Let’s do it for all the children.
Thank you, Tod
Prohibition is a mistake. While no one condones drug abuse, let’s face it. American’s do consume marijuana and cocaine. Many employers have ceased testing their employees because much to their chagrin, they have found some of their best employees do partake in the privacy of their own home, and remain productive, highly motivated employees. Consider this… When is the last time you heard of a university student dying from a marijuana overdose at a fraternity or sorority function? Never! When was the last time you walked the streets of any major metropolitan downtown area, and saw a marijuana or cocaine user lying in the gutter stinking and incoherent? Never! Ask ANY law enforcement official. When was the last time you were called to domestic disturbance scene where the family members were using marijuana versus alcohol. Ask any law enforcement official. Would you rather try to manage a crowd that is drinking or one that has been smoking marijuana? There is a reason organizations of law enforcement personnel have formed to petition the government to legalize or decriminalize marijuana. It’s because they deal with these people and know which drugs are the most dangerous, and because they know trying to enforce a law that a huge percentage of the population disagrees with, is a huge waste of time and energy that could be better used to fight crimes like theft, and assault.
Here’s what we need to do. Legalize and TAX. We need the money. Do you think the government could not go bankrupt? This drug war is costing us, when it could be paying us. Let’s quit being stupid about this.
I read the story “Pakistan, Mexico and U.S. nightmares” well I want to talk about Pakistan.This country has been doing enough since the USSR(Russia)falls in 1979 in Afganisatn occuption an USA had trained,given military equipments and financial support to Pakistan to prepare Taliban forces to fight agains Russian.
Once Russia was defeated,US forgot the Pakistan and left it with those Talibans to govern in Afganisatan for decades.
In fact,now situation is Israiel,India and US wants to destroy Pakistan as this is the only nuclear power in Muslims countries and that’s what Israiel and US fears of that this can be used against them which is wrong.
Every country uses the policy of “use and throw” and US had used Pakistan for its own purposes against Russia and India,as India was allied to Russia before,and now it has discarded the Pakistan.
What is happening in Pakistan,its not Pakistanis but Afganisatani and other foreigners who came there to fight against US and other troops in the region,and all blame goes to Pakistan.
Pakistan is a peaceful country.
More than 90% of guns seized at the border or after raids and shootings in Mexico have been traced to the United States.
Hello from Chihuahua (the mexican state with most murders in 2007).
While Im writing this I’m listening to gunfire some blocks from here. Im not kidding, its usual now. Fear is in the air. Everybody talks about some relative or friend of a friend being killed, kidnapped, or affected by drug related crime, and I’m talking about people that has nothing to do with it. Almost every night we can hear gunfire shootings. And the next day we are seeking the newspaper to see who has been killed.
There is not only one root for this problem. It’s like a tree, has many roots that joins together and form all this violent environment. Drug addiction is here as in the US, but cheaper. Maybe our president is doing his work, but is failling. Politics here only care about winning elections to get more power, and to gain better than first world salaries. Hipocresy its the name of the game. Until USA don’t legalize drugs, nothing is going to change.
One of the questions is: Why is so easy in the US to buy an AK-47 ? Thousands, if not millons had came to Mexico from the US. Narcs here some times warns people to stay at home for some hours while they go and kill an enemy. They have sometimes the time to do that, while police officers are at the police stations watching soup operas, or soccer, just letting narcs to do what they want.
This is one true fact: 90 % of police in Mexico is corrupt, and has had received money from organized crime, at least one time. They take the money or are killed. And politicians just gaining super salaries, sending their families to El Paso, San Diego or Miami to live, and hiring bodywards at the expense of our taxes.
I think too that drug addiction in the US, has something to do with the financial crisis. Especially cocaine addiction. Cocaine makes people too much self confident, and out of control. That leads to a liyng habit. Think about that.
Please legalize drugs. People that consume drugs in a self destructive way has a psychological problem. Many people know that. Those who are killing each other are just fighting for the money.
Here in Mexico, an intense rehabilitation program costs about $400 dollars a month, food included. That’s cheaper than the war on drugs.
We share with you the same problem. We don’t hate you, we don’t want to conquer the southwestern. Mexican people are just people, not religious extremists as in Pakistan. Politicians in both side of the border are the problem and the solution. The key is drug money. And the real challenge is to be really honest. And in this case no one has the determination to legalize drugs.
Drug criminalization is absurd, because if I want to get high, i dont need cocaine or marihuana, or other illegal substance. I can just go to a hardware store, and buy some chemicals like thinner, or go to a pharmacy and buy a bottle of cough syrup and drink it in one gulp. What will be the diference?.
The obstacle to achieve drug legalization are the censors, that live from pointing that “unmoral” behaviors an making laws from it.
Very interesting study but
Watch your back Knight!!!
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB12305110 0709638419.html
This is a most shameful and disrespect article for the people of Pakistan, who lost there life/wealth/time for the Americans, and still continue to do so. Pakistan is a friend and allie in the war against terrorism, and still they bear the blame for terrorism………..Every day bloody hell Teleban kill innocent Pakistani and Pakistani army solder for supporting the war against terrorim………..but still the article writer is not convinced………very very shameful.
And let´s not forget about the armament supply. Drug cartels´ armament comes mostly from US and it´s more powerfull than Mexico´s law enfforcement
Zubair: To learn in greater detail why the Americans are worried, read this:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/11/magazi ne/11pakistan-t.html?_r=1&ref=magazine
Just curious – how many commenting here have ever actually had to live in a neighborhood or with a family member addicted to narcotics? Believe me, if you have, the last thing you would want is the legalization of drugs. What people must realize is that legalizing drugs will not make drug addiction go way, and will only benefit current drug dealers who will have an advantage selling black market drugs over those who will have to sell the more expensive legal drugs, due to taxes and overhead.
Legalizing drugs only makes sense if you’ve never had to live with or near those who are actually addicted to them. (Substance Abuse therapists don’t count, because they send the addict home, away from them and their neighborhood, when the session is over.)
is this Mother Jones ? Sorry I came to the wrong site . The comment deemed best is a blame America whiner . Forget about blaming mexicans with no morals or backbone . Or blaming our open borders policy that allows drugs and illegals to flow freely . Grow some balls and take responsibility for your own country mexico . Seems once here in America your gangs control neighborhoods . Imagine if you returned home and took back your country or were you part of the problem there as well?
And Pakistanis are constantly sacrificing their soldiers more than any other nation on earth, for the the cause of Americans.
I think Pakistani should learn that what happens when they standby the wrong side. I think Pakistan should remain neutral as the current policies are not benifitiing them all. Yes it is shamefull but Pakistani should start look the bigger picture insted of selective pereptions from others. What time Pakistan will learn the lesson ? The realities will change as changes are eminents and so that perceptions.
Curious,
Really? You think there are a lot of people who have never had to suffer a drunk! Stop blaming the inanimate for biological and character flaws. Legal or not you will have people who are going to be addicts. You think having drugs illegal will some how keep an potential addict from becoming an addict. A dependent personality is just that. Have you ever been to an AA meeting? At least there they have to admit THEY are an alcoholic and THEY need to change. They do not try to lay blame on the inanimate drug.
Maybe you should read up on your history. Google alcohol prohibition and see what did to this country. See the parallels. Lives and families are being destroyed not just because of someone’s untreated addiction but because of the laws that tear families apart and they create a black market that funnels money out of this country to gangs who deal outside the law. You can’t stop addition but you can stop so much injustice and pain. Read up on Prohibition and what it caused. Then ask yourself why they thought they needed to change the Constitution to make Alcohol illegal yet there are many illegal substances today. It is called Fear Mongering and Demonization. We the People allowed certain interests to convince us to give up our rights so our Nanny Government could pretend to protect us. Unfortunately most people bought it. From William Hurst and Marijuana to our government manipulating the science research and funding, the American people have been duped. The ruse cannot continue. Terrorist all over the world are getting into the drug business and the only way to stop it is to take that business away from them. As long as there is a Drug Black Market there will be those that profit greatly from it. And these profits will fund the lawless. As long as you have prohibition you will have this black market. The more you crack down the higher the value of the drug the more profit they make. Read Scientific America and find out how bias research funding really is. 80% of all illegal drug use in this country is marijuana. The next highest is cocaine. Legalize these two in this country and you cut the funding to these gangs south of the boarder. Legalize opium here and in the EU and you destroy the majority of that market and cut of f that stream of funding to terrorists. And with that we as a nation stop destroying lives and start treating addicts, not be sending them to prison but, to treatment. We stop demonizing them and instead of a pariah they can become productive citizens again.
While it is usual for the phrases ‘perfect storm’/'imminent collapse’/'epicenter of terrorism’ etc to be attached with Pakistan it is really disturbing that Mexico has descended into such a dire straits to be compared to Pakistan. The fact that the world’s richest nation is sending Billion upon Billions of dollars across the Pacific to employ cheap labor while spending Billions yet again to keep out cheap labor from their southern neighbor is kind of ludicrous. The problem is really self evident yet seems to be a completely alien concept to most American companies or Politicians.
The fact that it would be cheaper, safer and more productive in the long run to invest in Mexico than in China is something that people and politicians need to consider more seriously. Not only will it solve the problems of illegal immigration but also help American national security in the long run.
As for Pakistan, I think it is high time, we realize that the state of Pakistan, an Islamic fundamentalist state, cannot be part of any viable future solution in the region as Islamist fundamentalism goes against pretty much everything America and democratic values stand for. The only option being either balkanizing the region or ridding that regions fixation with medieval ideologies and barbaric philosophies and putting them on a path towards progressive enlightenment.
Two points in the drug debate that are absolutely true:
1) Drug users will always find a way to get high, regardless of what is criminalized.
2) Terrorists will always find a way to fund their operations, regardless of which consumer habits are mitigated.
Very unfortunate article title and the idea which are insulting to the Mexicans..
Pakistan is a rogue country, full of raging religious fanatics, nuclear weapons and terrorists. Pakistan is a threat to the whole world.
Problems with Mexico are trivial compared to Pakistan
Americans are peddled silly myths by the so called security experts that the tribal areas bordering Pakistan and Afghanistan are the source of threat for USA. This is a grave under estimation of the Pakistan problem.
What about the rest of “Pakistan”? Daniel Pearl was beheaded not in the tribal areas, but in Karachi.
Large sections of Pakistan army and ISI estblishment support jihadi terrorism, and terrorism against unarmed civilians is widely supported by Pakistani population if the victims are non-muslims.
Karachi has been the coordinating city, nerve center for all Pakistani terrorist operations. The terrorist “charity” recently banned by the UN is based out of Punjab province, not in tribal areas. Major terrorist training camps are run throughout Punjab province and in Kashmir.
Pakistanis tell the drone attacks by US army are very unpopular in “Pakistan”. But let’s look at what type of activities are very popular in “Pakistan”.
India has just released phone conversations of pakistani terrorists in Mumbai talking to the Pak army handlers in Karachi directing them who to kill, when to kill, etc.
” I have a Singaporean, Chinese and Belgian”. Pak army handler at the other end in Karachi says kill them but spare the two muslims.
Think about this. This type of activity is very popular in “Pakistan” unlike the drone attacks. Why should the civilized world put up with this type of nonsense?
Soon afer the Mumbai terrorist attacks, jihadi terrorist outfits met with the Pak army at its headquarters and publicly declared their support for Pak army.
US should stop giving military aid to “Pakistan”. Thinking Pak army will fight Taliban is fantasy. It ain’t going to happen. It is for the American ppl to decide how much money and lives they want to spend on this drama.
To measure pakistan and mexico in the same breath is highly ridiculous. And to say that mexico poses same amount of threat as pakistan is also very asinine. Pakistan is slowly and gradually becoming a rogue state: the desertions within army are increasing; economy is falteringl; and religious fanaticism is gaining popular support. So what to do…… i think the best thing for the Americans and for the rest of the world would be to stop supporting the military and start supporting the secular political parties….as long as they support and lionize pakistani military incidents such as mumbai terror attacks would continue… and the world will remain an unstable place
Want to see how dangerous Mexico is becoming? Come to my neighborhood in Phoenix!!
Heavily armed gangs now roam and breach the US border. They fire on US Border Patrol members. They reach up here into Phoenix and kill people, peddle their deadly merchandise and give us the finger.
Yes this country has a drug problem and d–n it we need to control it but at the same time will the Cartels stop existing with reduced demand? Nope, they will simply come out with new ways for addiction, new drugs, harder to detect… and many many other things.
Also remember Mexico is the murder and kidnapping capital of the America’s. The regularly pick up Americans in Mexico for ransom. The dug and crime gangs regularly engage the federales and military in shoot outs and military style engagements. Many mercenaries are coming up from South and Cenral America to “play”, the gangs are only too happy to pay them with the ill gotten gains.
Mexico is slowly becoming a National Security Risk and has been that way for years. Why such the influx of illegals lately? Hmmm… maybe they don’t want to stay in Mexico. Sure they send money home but now whole families are coming and starting new lives. Buying houses, cars, going to school, having a better life but they remember the violence and instability of Mexico.
The Fed’s in Mexico need to stabalize the country and get it growing again, safely. If not there will eventually be more of a rush and much more of a risk to the United States as even more violence spills over the Border into Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas. Then with the ease of transportation in this county now they’ll spread and the risk will spread too.
Not the big fear of Mexicans here. My friends are from Mexico and this is just a cleaner form of what they say.
They legally came for a reason and don’t want to see this country become the same as Mexico in any way.
In America, we don’t like or want our own politicians. It is no mystery to us that they care nothing for their constituents. It is not mystery that they only line their own pockets at the expense not only of us, the people, but our children and grandchildren. It is no mystery to us that they have NO IDEA what they are doing when they make our laws and rule over us.
Imagine the arrogance of our people then to assume that we or our government should have a say in ANYTHING that happens overseas or in a neighbor country. It is truly the great demise of the American people that we maintain this attitude. How exactly would you feel if the Taliban declared themselves the ‘liberators of the American working class’ when they bombed WTC? You would think that they were crazy! Why is this different from the interference we propose to inflict on systems and governments that are not our own?
The US government can not take care of its own people. It doesn’t supply us with jobs and it doesn’t provide us with health care or retirement and yet we think for some unimaginable reason that the rest of the world would want to appreciate all the ‘blessings’ bestowed upon them by our government? Lets take a good hard look at the bang up job we did in Afghanistan before (check the CIA’s page to see what a lovely jewel we produced there, if I was a people looking at ‘US intervention’ in my country I would join the Taliban just to keep us out!) we go traipsing into another country to ‘remedy’ the situation!
Interfering in other countries is crazy, and quite the opposite of the actions that would benefit the American people.
I don’t think so that this article really represents the correct geo-political scenario of the world. As usual I found this article one-sided with all blames on a country which is going through one of the historic moment after its 60 years of independence. I am also unable to understand why everyone puts all blames on Pakistan for all the incidents happening in the world. Why we are blamed for the 9/11 drama orchestrated by God knows who? The people captured after that were either Saudis or Egyptians and US ended up invading Iraq and Afghanistan. It is true that Osama was hiding in Afghanistan but didn’t Taliban ask for proofs? US never gave anything to Taliban instead invaded Afghanistan and destroyed the country they used to say heroes of the cold war. Lets be fair with Taliban, they were used during cold war between US and USSR, they were supported, equipped with stingers missiles etc etc to destroy USSR to become the sole super power. Pakistan was used for this purpose and I accept that it was a blunder done by Gen Zia just to legitimise his own stay as a dictator, same thing which gen musharaf did after becoming an ally to US and sending his own troops to the tribal belt.
If somebody is day dreaming that Pakistan is going to collapse then let me assure everyone here that this country is not going to collapse. There is enough potential in this country even after whatsoever that this country will sustain like it did in the last 60 years. And let me remind everyone geo-strategically if Pakistan falls, it will effect the entire world badly and the results will be devastating.
There is no doubt that we have some radicals elements but this country has 170 million people and just hundreds of these crooks can not take over this country where all the major political parties are very moderate and the people as well. Also the rubbish propaganda from west that radicals may take over nuclear arsenals is not true. Its not a cake or pastry that someone will come and take out the nukes from a rack and put them in their bag and walk away. These nukes under the command and control system are placed at dispersed locations and even you collect all of them from different location you need something unbelievable skills to make them practically working. So I strongly condemn this false propaganda.
All what is happening in Pakistan is a written script by someone who has written the fate of zimbabwe,somalia,cambodia,vietnam,afghan istan, Iraq and you name it. In military terms this is called exterior manoeuvre what is happening right now in Pakistan. It starts with collapsing the economy of the country, eliminate self confidence in the public, deploy corrupt politicains,isolate the country from their friendly nations, blame that country for everything and finally declare the country as failed state to takeover the institutions. This is not conspiracy, this is the truth.
I am not trying to blame anyone here but lets face the reality which no one likes to discuss. Why don’t US leave for heaven sake intervening Pakistan politics? Why don’t they stop operations in Afghanistan and let afghans decide for heaven sake? For the last 35 years these guys are suffering because of a bloodshed. What the hell they doing in Iraq now when Bush has admitted that it was a false intelligence and invasion is not justified? Why don’t they ask Israel to stop genocide in Palestine? Why Muslims are being crushed everywhere in between the super powers battle for Oil and resources?
As far as India is concerned I have a firm believe that India is no as such big danger to Pakistan. They can probably do small stuff with west on their back but they don’t have a potential and guts to destabilize Pakistan on their own.
The problem in pakistan and most of the middle east is the effect wot population preesure. This small country has 164,000,000 people. 17,000 extra in 5 years and 50-60% are under 25.
The 2 major religions Islam and Christianity push for population growth. If we had not had an extra billion in the last 10-15 years everyone could have more.
I think the USA needs to coem home from iraq and if that part of the world it rock bottom so be it, maybe it needs to find its own way and that may have a big price.
Technologies have existed for decades to get rid of oil. Solar, wind, heat pumps and transport via compressed air can do the lot and the energy storage for the above has been around for 20 years.
I think the West needs to dig deep make itslef self sustaining. I reckon a lot oe atern Europe today just wan to say goodbye to Russia who cannot even keep a gas supply up.
War on terror is one industry for Pakistan which brings multi billion dollars to Pakistan.
The reason for tensions in South Asia is because of Pakistan’s use of terrorism as an instrument of state policy.
Japan and China have disputes, but China does not send in terrorists to a Tokyo train station to shoot at unarmed civilians. Malaysia and Singapore have disputes but Malaysia does not send in terrorists to Singapore to bomb shopping malls. Yet this is exactly what Pakistan does.
Both India and Afghanistan are very frustrated with Pakistan’s use of terrorism.
So far the US has been trying to discourage Pakistan through backdoor diplomacy, but there are no signs Pakistan wants to change course.
Current huge media exposure of Pakistan as the sponsor of Mumbai terrorist attack has escalated the costs for Pakistan. But this is hardly sufficient.
Delay of IMF, World Bank payments to Pakistan citing other reasons is welcome step. Additional punitive measures in diplomatic, military, and economic spheres are needed to further coerce Pakistan. That’s where the policy change needs to come. Afghanistan hopes India will send ground troops to Afghanistan.
Besides above, civilian government in Pakistan should be strengthened. The military hold should be weakened which also requires further weakening of its conventional force capabilities. Diversion of money meant for civilian development to conventional forces is going to be even more restricted and scrutinized.