The Mexican Army's next uphill battle: wages
March 25, 2009
3 comments
MEXICO CITY, Mexico (CNN) -- In the face of spiraling drug violence that has shaken the country, the Mexican army has taken a lead role in attempting to thwart the narcotraffickers. But its ability to do so has been hurt by a large number of desertions, government officials say. At present, some 40,000 forces are deployed throughout the nation against the traffickers, according to the secretary of defense. "A soldier who makes 3,000 or 3,500 pesos (US$196-$229) -- how is he going to be there for one month when we know that for up to 40 days he is out of his familiar environment and the confines of his barracks?" asked Rep. Roberto Badillo, a member of Mexico's opposition PRI party.Those wages should quickly put it into perspective how the Mexican cartels are able to bring as many as 100,000 men under arms for their cause. They could offer 100,000 men making that much money a 100% pay raise upon desertion, and it would cost $45,800,000. For a billion dollars a year, they could easily build a series of rival private armies more than capable of holding their own against the Mexican government. The US government can continue to deny that the War on Drugs has caused this crisis, but it's probably only a matter of time now before the US Army has to intervene. If and when that happens, they will be facing a situation much more dangerous than Iraq.
I don't think that Mexico could ever compete with the narcotraffickers for wages. They are simply outspent.
The WoD is at fault. Yet I don't see that policy changing any time soon.
The US military and other Federal agencies are in for a ride. I don't think it'll be much worse than Iraq...probably on the level of Fallujah or downtown Baghdad.
What will make it worse is that we have this national compulsion to be nice, to be proportional in our fighting. I say screw that. If we're going to crack skulls, let's get after it and start putting gangster heads on pikes.
It would be easier if we weren't funding our opposition.
Oh, it'll be a lot worse because it'll be closer to home. The enemy will start to have an incentive to come across the border and wreck havoc. Unlike the average wanna be Osama bin Laden in Iraq, they'll also be on the same continent as us, which makes it a long drive, not a dangerous trip across an ocean.
Ugh. I need to get out of this state; the PRK is going to bend over backwards to disarm the citizens and fluff the pillows for the cartels, without a doubt.