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BREAKING: President Donald Trump plans to put Mexican "drug cartels" on the designated terrorist list, weeks after calling for "WAR" against drug traffickers
If that sounds like a no-brainer, or a simple proposal, think again. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-mexico-cartels/trump-says-u-s-will-designate-mexican-drug-cartels-as-terrorists-idUSKBN1Y02NJ
If that sounds like a no-brainer, or a simple proposal, think again. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-mexico-cartels/trump-says-u-s-will-designate-mexican-drug-cartels-as-terrorists-idUSKBN1Y02NJ
To start, most "cartels" do not exist as organizations with membership, official names, or even a well-defined hierarchy.
This announcement begs the question: what would the criteria be? who would be designated? Is this just in Mexico, or also trafficking networks in the US?
This announcement begs the question: what would the criteria be? who would be designated? Is this just in Mexico, or also trafficking networks in the US?
Involvement in or association w/ "cartels" is extremely fluid, and includes an extremely wide array of activities.
Would the U.S. designate the child on the street making some pocket cash as a lookout? What about farmers in "cartel" areas with little choice but to cultivate?
Would the U.S. designate the child on the street making some pocket cash as a lookout? What about farmers in "cartel" areas with little choice but to cultivate?
It's unclear what the U.S. would even do with this. Many traffickers are already sanctioned by the Treasury Dept., bank accts frozen, etc.
What new powers or priorities would a designation provide to U.S. anti-drug forces?
What new powers or priorities would a designation provide to U.S. anti-drug forces?
Once Trump rings this bell, it's hard to imagine it being unrung in the near future. Can you imagine a Democrat trying to explain why they're un-designating "cartels" as terrorists?
There's also the question of how this affects Mexican sovereignty. If "cartels" are designated, does that give the U.S. wider leeway to take action against them on Mexican soil? We've seen what the U.S. is willing to do to designated "terrorists" on foreign soil
Finally, drug trafficking has been treated as a national-security threat and military priority for decades now.
Military escalation against drug trafficking in Mexico has brought nothing but death, despair, and ever more violent "cartels." This could make things a lot worse
Military escalation against drug trafficking in Mexico has brought nothing but death, despair, and ever more violent "cartels." This could make things a lot worse
At best, this is a stupid and politically expedient stunt.
At worst, it could be a dramatic escalation in the militarization of the drug war. Here's what military escalation brought Mexico last time https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/the-staggering-death-toll-of-mexicos-drug-war/
At worst, it could be a dramatic escalation in the militarization of the drug war. Here's what military escalation brought Mexico last time https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/the-staggering-death-toll-of-mexicos-drug-war/
Anyways, I'm sure that this will be discussed in the United States with great nuance and sobriety, as typically occurs when the "T-word" is thrown around
ANOTHER THING: What does this mean for the ability for U.S. intelligence and law-enforcement agencies to surveil suspected "cartel" members or associates? I'm curious about the implications abroad but also particularly for domestic surveillance
