The Mexican Problem

There was a report on CNN a couple of days ago by reporter, Ed Lavendera, on two Latino-American teenage assassins, hired by the Mexican drug cartels to kill on command. One of these young boys killed his first person at about age 13. His description of the killing included the fact that it was so much "fun."

These kids are not anomalies. They are apparently the common choices of these powerful and sadistic billionaire corporations that are exporting drugs to this country. Teenage kids can make 50K easily and often drive around in expensive cars waiting for the command to kill. I'm sure that the cartels find it very easy to recruit kids with promises of such large sums of money.

It has become apparent that assassinations are spreading further inland as the Mexican drug empire becomes more established in this country. Multiple killings related to this industry are happening more and more in cities like Atlanta or Dallas or New York. Millions flow back to Mexico along with more guns and ammo for the drug armies that are running amok in Mexico.

Just how long it will be before these armed bands venture across the border is unknown. It is time that the government ramps up its efforts to stem the flow of drugs northward and the money and guns back into Mexico. The President has already begun to increase the number of border patrol agents, along with better electronic surveillance, etc. However, it is my belief that it is going to take military presence along the border to begin to turn this incredible business into a losing proposition.

The military is stressed at the moment because of the Bush mess in Iraq, however, it is imperative that action begins quickly. Checkpoints for thorough searches should be established at every official crossing point, and steady patrols, aerial, foot and vehicle should become the norm. Although it is practically impossible because of the NRA and its Republican shills, assault weapons should again be banned. Any gun shop that is caught selling guns and ammo across the border should be immediately closed and its operators imprisoned. This issue is that serious.

The drug cartels must be destroyed, and we should assist Mexico in accomplishing that task. If the Mexican government would approve, and if intelligence could pinpoint locations, I don't think air strikes should be off the table. The cartels have established their own armies, so they should be treated as such. This is truly a war on drugs that must be won, and won quickly.

Great Read on Sarah Palin and Greta Van Susteran

Check out the scientologists "Palin' " around with the Palin's:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/geoffrey-dunn/palin-pallin-around-with_b_177709.html

Disturbing News From Israel

This t-shirt, depicting a pregnant Arab woman, is one of many disturbing designs that have been ordered by soldiers in the Israeli Army. News reports this past week contained statements by some soldiers that they were encouraged to kill Palestinian civilians. Much has been made of army religious leaders passing out publications, containing the Religious Zionist view that Israel is a gift from God and that He has ordained that the country's destiny is to rule the Holy Land.

In an earlier post I mentioned the fact that the Religious Zionist movement encourages military service. Now in light of the recent decimation of Gaza there are accusations that this movement is attempting to take over the Israeli Military. One soldier stated that military rabbis "had a clear message — we are the people of Israel, we came by a miracle to the land of Israel, God returned us to the land, now we need to struggle to get rid of the gentiles that are interfering with our conquest of the land." He went on to say that, The general atmosphere among people I spoke to was . . . the lives of Palestinians are . . . let's say far, far less important from the lives of our soldiers," Ram said. The religious literature gave "the feeling of almost a religious mission." Others have expressed concern that they were ordered to kill Palestinian civilians.

Traditionally, the Israeli military has been secular with an attempt to meld all groups together, and form relationships between the groups that continue after military service. Now it appears that the Religious Zionists may be gaining the upper hand. As in this country there is a battle brewing between the religious nationalists and the secular advocates for control of Israeli society. In the military, much of the leadership is turning toward religious nationalism. The military’s chief rabbi, Brig. Gen. Avichai Rontzki, a settler and Religious Zionist, has been accused of turning the recent war into a holy war with a booklet that was handed out to soldiers that contained an edict against showing the enemy mercy. He was later reprimanded.

Where this will all lead depends upon the strength of Israeli society and whether it can or even desires to withstand the religious right's assault. The Middle East is fraught with religious fundamentalism on both sides. As in this country, the Israeli religious right cannot or will not see that in advocating no mercy and claiming their religious rights to the land, they are no different from the Muslim fundamentalists they oppose. Religious fundamentalism, regardless of the sect, is inherently cruel, when it undertakes to impose its power on others. The enemy becomes worthless and deserving of death, because it opposes God's people. Therefore, indiscriminate killing of the infidel is condoned in the name of God. Just how much this mindset influenced the events in Gaza remains to be determined. The outcome of this inner struggle in Israel will determine future Israeli actions in the Middle East. As usual, the future of the United States in the Middle East will remained wrapped around Israel because as Israel goes in that part of the world, so go U.S. fortunes.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1072466.html
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/255/story/64518.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/21/world/middleeast/21gaza.html