Star-Telegram | 07/08/2005 | Answering a growing crisis

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Back to Home > News > Friday, Jul 08, 2005

Opinion
email this Posted on Fri, Jul. 08, 2005 print this

Answering a growing crisis

By Jerry Brewer Mexidata.Info

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Mexico's intensely serious dilemma with internal and northern border area violence is by no means exclusively its own. It has global tentacles -- and critical global attention. International thoughts and concerns have come from the "Independent Task Force on the Future of North America," among others, formed by the Council on Foreign Relations. The task force's membership includes U.S., Mexican and Canadian consultants, as well as corporate leaders and former government officials. Creative strategies from these "stakeholders" could affect an eroding and collapsing internal government structure in Mexico. Trafficking in drugs, humans and arms raises the outcry on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border. Such trafficking is clearly terrorism: the unlawful use of violence, or the threat of violence, to coerce or intimidate a government or a society. Protection from this menace requires an offensive capability and a defensive program. The defensive actions must prevent or mitigate hostile actions against resources, facilities and critical information such as strategic intelligence. These recommendations assume the trustworthiness of our partners. The primary building blocks that must be placed in this new foundation of partnering are trust, eliminating/controlling corruption, adhering to the principles of ethics and instilling values for respecting human life. Mastering this level of commitment will demonstrate the unified effort and trust required among government, military, police and the diverse indigenous sectors. Principles of democratic policing require training, monitoring and vetting personnel for human rights violations and unethical practices that can destroy the organizational infrastructure. This would serve to initiate and foster public confidence in the willingness and ability of those entrusted to protect. Successful partnering with the United States in this fight, and Mexico's commitment to not compromise sensitive operations and intelligence, are key factors. This is more than likely the Achilles heel impeding serious progress, because of deep-rooted ethical and economic weaknesses that permeate fair and honest economies in favor of terror-enforced initiatives. There is a vast network of legitimate investment and economic alternatives at stake. Mexico supplies a good share of U. S. oil and manufactured items. The U.S. needs to understand this is a conflict with criminal elements motivated by terrorist notions. The combatants are no longer confined to the Mexican side of the border.

http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/opinion/12083994.htm (1 of 2)7/8/2005 7:55:10 AM

Star-Telegram | 07/08/2005 | Answering a growing crisis

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Consistently anticipating and effectively responding to this spontaneous, volatile and quick-moving escalation of events requires intense cooperation and the mechanisms of cohesive teamwork to mitigate this inherent risk to both nations. Quality-of-life issues should be the main motivator as both sides degrade the opportunities for the criminal elements to perform and hide. Territory occupied by these elements must be taken expediently. Aggression must be contained and eliminated. Representatives from both sides of the border are engaged more in talks than cooperation or commitment. Mexicans must not wait for bureaucrats to take back their cities. The death toll rises, with those who are employed to protect citizens dying in large numbers. All of this tears at citizens' faith. A proactive strategy, in lieu of sending and removing troops, would be to adopt a bold initiative of zero tolerance. Saturation patrols and immediate response to violence would reclaim the area and show criminal elements that there will be swift reactions to every action. Cordoning off areas and deploying tactical personnel within those areas serves to place fear in those who use fear as a weapon. Criminal elements cannot stand this type of heat for long, and are forced away from those they seek to control. Mexican officials, by committing to unify proactive strategies to aggressively suppress, deter and combat violence, would be seen as heroes. Such commitment would most certainly inspire cooperation and be met with a spirit of unity by the populace.

Jerry Brewer is vice president of Criminal Justice International Associates, a global risk mitigation firm in Montgomery, Ala.

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