©  Leslie Blanchard

Okay people, we know something is wrong when I agree with Newt Gingrich. But I agree with Newt Gingrich.

The drug war/civil war going on in Mexico is a bigger security risk to the US than is Afghanistan and Iraq. It is classified somewhat as a gang war. However it is much more it is a genuine civil war. Underway between drug dealers as cartels who, sadly, are financed largely by American money, purchasing drugs in this country. That cartels are waging a vicious and brutal war, fully as horrifying in the atrocities and the things they've been doing to people as anything that was done in Iraq, may surprise you because there is virtually no mention in our supposedly “free” press.

Now it could be that since I live in South Central Texas I am more attuned to it than people that don’t live as close to the border as I do. But we have serious threats 300 miles south of my home.

Police in Tijuana boasted recently of what they feel is a significant win against the enemy. The Tijuana cops were proud and rightfully so, of their bust of a big player in a prominent cartel known as Stew Man who has bragged about killing over 300 people by dropping their bodies into big vats of acid. Truly a ruthless man. But these cartels and these wars are perfect breeding grounds for ruthlessness. These violent highly organized cartels have been causing death and destruction all across Mexico with some of the destruction spilling over into the United States in Texas & Arizona.

Just as in Afghanistan where Opium is the only money crop they can produce, Mexico’s economy is so poor that the drug runners by necessity run the country as well. When President Felipe Calderon met with President Elect Obama a couple of weeks ago he stated that he believes the only solution is in working together with the United States. Calderon said, “We need to combat together this common problem, our fight with organized crime.” President Elect Obama promised to cooperate with Calderon.

But many people on both sides of the border think that Calderon downplayed the truth about what is really happening in Mexico. Tourism has been down for several years, due to rising transportation cost and fear of these wars. Which even though they are based on the economics of the drug traffic, are also seen by many citizens as an out and out civil war.

If proof was needed that these violent thugs were running things in Mexico with little consequence consider the fact that it isn’t even February yet and there have been at least 400 deaths attributed to the gang warfare. Many more deaths have occurred although while thought to be direct results of the conflict, they can not be directly attributed to the cartels.

An ominous warning sign was found around Christmas time when 12 soldiers were found beheaded and a note by the bodies which translated into "For every one of us you kill, we'll kill 10."

It appears obvious that these murdering cartel lords are not worried in the least about the Mexican authorities. Many of whom are paid to look the other way, or threatened to look the other way. The carnage and destruction grows exponentially every day. It’s rising so fast that statistics are outdated before they reach the media. They say that once a dog has tasted blood- it can never be trusted again, and I can personally attest to this as I was attacked by a neighbor’s pit bull. But I also believe that there are people that are the same way. After seeing so much blood, they either can’t stop, or it means nothing any longer to their thinking. In either case, the Federals’ are not winning, and are not about to win. Unless we step in. But how can we? We don’t have the troops and probably not the will to try and prevent more slaughter in our closest neighbor.

The fall of Mexico has been predicted for 18 months or more but we haven’t paid much attention here in the states. Most of the American people when thinking of Mexico, see it as either a pleasant vacation spot, which it hasn’t been in some while, a good place to get cheap medical care and prescription drugs, or the home of all the Mexican Nationals who cross the border to “steal our jobs.” Perhaps, just perhaps, they are fleeing from this carnage. Most of us don’t understand what living under those conditions are like. Unless we live in inner cities, or have been to Baghdad recently. We cannot grasp such violence, bloodshed, and fear.

 A recent Pentagon report warned that if trends continue into the next decade, the U.S. must be on alert for the possible "rapid and sudden collapse" of Mexico If Mexico does indeed fall, then it leaves the U.S. with a lawless failed state right next door.

Again this may be a matter of proximity but most Americans haven’t thought of Mexico, or Canada for that matter, the two nations we share borders with as a National Security Issue. But a lot of us here in Texas have faced and acknowledged that possibility. Not so very long ago the border patrol stopped a Chinese national trying to cross the Rio Grande from Mexico into Texas. What then would stop a jihadist ? So in a very real way our borders are not safe, but if Mexico fails that risk soars even higher.

Right now American interests in Mexico are vulnerable, especially if we are seen to be helping the Mexican authorities. We have already promised $400 million for hardware, software and training to help Mexico fight the cartels. We are in the old preverbal rock and a hard space structure. As if President Obama didn’t have enough on his plate already this Mexican meal has been added to his very full platter. He must help stop this bloodbath before it drenches both sides of the border.

Why do I believe it is more dangerous than Iraq and Afghanistan? Because these drug monsters have no political agenda, nor do they have a religion that they are fighting to protect. They aren’t trying to overthrow the government in Mexico to help the Mexican people live better, they have no moral justification. The sole purpose for their tyranny is greed and power.

Most Mexicans think the gangs are winning But they still hate them and what they are doing to the country. For too long the world has turned it’s head, averted it’s eyes to Mexico’s nacrogens and narco terrorists, probably hoping that they would destroy each other. That isn’t what is happening. They are destroying good family people. People who work hard and take their kids to church and want a free life like we enjoy on this side of the border. The Mexican way of life is being destroyed. And for nothing more than to supply drug addicts here in the U.S.

Are we to blame? Possibly. Most of the drugs they traffic in Mexico end up in the U.S. We are their closest neighbor and have done little to help them. We have good reasons that we haven’t helped, we’re in 2 wars, we’re in an economic meltdown. But we also have reasons that aren’t so good. Racism and prejudices against Mexicans. The attitude that the Mexican people only want to steal our jobs, reap our government benefits and get high. You may not believe that this racism exists. But it does. I have Mexicans in my family and so I am highly aware of the racism that evades everyday life here in Texas. I’m probably hypersensitive to it but that by no means says that it does not happen.

Last year alone Mexico lost more than 5,300 citizens killed in drug-related violence. That’s more than were killed in Iraq. Some say that that isn’t the sign of a failed state, Even President Felipe Calderon won’t classify his country as being on the road to failure. I suspect he may have some of what President Bush had - no idea of the living conditions of the real people of his country. No man or woman wants to be governing a failed State and as such few want to admit it when their nation is on the verge.

There are a few reasons to be hopeful that this won’t evolve into a failed state. But very few and very cosmetic at best. One is that the gangs have not unified to fight the Mexican Army, police or government. For the most part each gang fights it’s own battles. But even if that never occurs that does not mean that Mexico won’t be fatally damaged as a nation. There are signs that the gangs are beginning to fight for loyalty from the Mexican citizens in order to wage war against Calderon. Calderon has some U.S. support, limited as it may be it, it appears that President Obama seems committed to carrying on the unprecedented security assistance to Mexico that President Bush began, (see I can say good things about President Bush) . Calderon was the first head of state Obama chose to meet, which is likely more than just the old visit-with-the-neighbors-first tradition. Obama would also be wise to recognize how the Mexican gangs are largely fighting their war with U.S.-bought weapons If we allow the Mexican government to decay and we allow the drug dealers to win, then we will have a nightmare on our southern border and no amount of fence and no amount of national security will compensate for the collapse of Mexico. There is virtually no news media taking it seriously, saying it’s Mexico’s problem. But we must see that it is our problem as well. Spread the word and get the media interested in this story. It’s quite literally a ticking time bomb that could ruin Christmas 2009.