Why Does the U.S. Listen to Mexico's Corrupt Politicians? Drug Lords Pulling the Strings

Let’s imagine for a second if Mexico had nuclear weapons, shall we? Scary isn’t it, since we all know that the Mexican government is as corrupt as they come. The Mexican military establishment is by some professional accounts even more corrupt. So, how would we like to live near a corrupt, unstable, economically depressed country, with drug cartels running around massacring nearly 45,000 people right next door, who posses live nuclear weapons? It’s all true, except the nuclear weapons for now.

Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry (R-TX) has caught the attention of many including the Mexican government after he suggested that as president he would have the U.S. Military get involved in the war. Mexican politicians have strongly voiced their opposition to any U.S. military on their territory. Not a surprise there, right?

Mexico Corruption Rampant, Far-Reaching

Let’s delve further. We all know that for politicians, politics is always local. Every Mexican state and colonia has a mayor, regional senator, or representative, etc. All of them can be easily found and either paid off or killed by any number of Mexican cartels. If you were a popular politician, you are a sitting duck and so is your family. Could it be plausible that these politicians have been paid a visit with two options: Take the bribe or die?

They are in a tough spot, but rather than my sympathies, should we not ask ourselves, what is America’s future role here? Should an idea by the national press to scoff at an answer of greater engagement be really laughed at? If we find it necessary to get involved with other conflicts across the globe – from Yemen to Syria, shouldn’t we be assessing what’s on going on with our neighbor next door? Mexico’s drugs and violence have been spilling over for years and is threatening our people and soil now more than ever.

Rick Perry advises U.S., go into Mexico after cartels

Clearly Perry might be on to something. He did point out the success of the U.S. military success in places like Colombia, which struggled for decades under the harsh conditions of narco trafficking. Today, the U.S. provides about a billion American clams to help contain or fight or counter the drug lords. Doesn’t seem to be working, does it? Where is all the money going? What is being used for? Sounds like the Mexicans will gladly take our money, but won’t accept some real fighting power with boots on the ground?

I have yet to decide who would make a good presidential candidate to go up against President Obama next year, but I commend Mr. Perry for providing a fresh perspective, a bold idea, and having guts to stand by them. In time, I imagine that good ideas stick, and soon you will have other presidential candidates adopting a position they once laughed at. That’s the way it goes when you’re an idea person. It’s my hope that the idea sticks around for the general election, when the spotlight would be much bigger and the idea much more amplified.

Only then, will enough people in the U.S., Mexico, and the world see the problem for what it is: A cancer that needs to be cut out.

The Mexicans need to get it together. If they can’t then we just might need to step in. The future and safety of our continent and our own society will depend on our ability to see a problem and act. Don’t we all see a problem?

I certainly do, and I’m just happy that they don’t have any nuclear weapons.