I found this article interesting because of the contradiction in it. The beginning of the article states that a top homeland Security official told House panel the biggest organized crime threat to the United States is Mexican drug cartels. A little further down it talks about President Obama and him saying no is not the time to militarize the southwest boarder. I dont understand how Mexican drug cartels can be the biggest threat to the U.S but now is not the time to take care of it. My question is "When is the time?" and are we going to keep pushing it away until something really bad happens? Official Roger Rufe talks about how violent crimes are down but kidnappings are up and how "we're not so concerned, at least at this point, about that violence spilling over into our cites". That just doesnt make any sense to me.

Posted by: Christina DiGregorio


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Official: Mexican Drug Cartels Pose Threat
Gangs Amount To Biggest Organized Crime Threat In U.S According To Department of Homeland Security

Article:

CBS/AP) A top Homeland Security official told a House panel Thursday that Mexican drug cartels are the biggest organized crime threat to the United States.

Homeland Security official Roger Rufe said a department plan to respond to escalating violence on the southwest border includes as a last resort - deploying military personnel and equipment to the region if homeland security agencies become overwhelmed.

Rufe, echoing comments a day earlier from President Barack Obama, said now is not the time to militarize the southwest border.

"We would take all resources short of DoD and National Guard troops before we reach that tipping point," Rufe told lawmakers. "We very much do not want to militarize our border."

Rufe said military forces would be called in only when homeland security and other government agencies are overwhelmed. He did not specify what circumstances would trigger a call for troops.

The Mexican government has deployed 700 extra federal police to Ciudad Juarez, a city bordering Texas where local police have been overwhelmed by drug violence. Earlier this month, 3,200 federal troops were sent to the city.

Mexican officials say the violence killed 6,290 people last year - and more than 1,000 in the first eight weeks of 2009. Warring drug cartels are blamed for more than 560 kidnappings in Phoenix in 2007 and the first half of 2008, and killings in Atlanta, and Birmingham, Ala.

Rufe said while the violence along the border in Mexico is appalling, violent crimes have not increased in U.S. border cities as a result. He said kidnappings are up, but violent crime is down.

"We're not so concerned, at least at this point, about that violence spilling over into our cities," he said.

Further, the Homeland Security Department's attache to Mexico said the violence in Mexico is not as dangerous to U.S. tourists as has been portrayed.

Alonzo Pena said the violence is in isolated areas of the country and only affects the people involved in criminal activity. He said the violence is not affecting U.S. citizens visiting Mexico and Americans should not cancel their vacations in the country.

Earlier this month, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives warned college students on spring breaks not to travel to parts of northern Mexico because it was too dangerous.

In February, the State Department advised travelers to avoid areas of prostitution and drug-dealing in Mexico.

Meanwhile, Vice President Joe Biden announced the appointment of Seattle Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske as the next drug czar, a post that will be particularly concerned with violence in the Southwest.

As director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, Kerlikowske will help develop and put in place a strategy to stem the Southwest border violence, Biden said in introducing the man President Barack Obama wants to coordinate the nation's drug policy.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/03/12/politics/main4861348.shtml