“CONFUSION” BETWEEN US AND MEXICAN TROOPS ON THE  BORDER? YA…RIGHT!  

            Well, the story goes, once again, there was “confusion” between US forces and Mexican SEDENA forces on the US border with Mexico in Texas. You see, there is this area that is nothing more than a thick brush and a small amount of water and as such, the  members of SEDENA were, “confused”. Let me take a moment here to toss the BS flag onto to field! Let me go over a few issues that made he reach for my BS flag.

1.     Calling the river, a small body of water with some brush during an event that took place during daylight. Well, whoever is trying to tone this story down, you have to do better than that.

2.     Does any Member of the Mexican military not understand the area they are working in?

3.     Do any of them not know a small river is the boundary between the two nations?

4.      Do any of the Mexican military members not recognize the uniform of the US military?

5.     Is there not a deconfliction Rep at NORTHCOM to make sure such events don’t take place?

Okay, I could go on and on, but here is my analysis of what took place and I will tell you, my thoughts are based on a, “Been there…..done that” environment on the Texas, Mexico Border.

Corruption at every level:

1.     Are there members of SEDENA who are corrupt? Yes.

2.     Are there units of SEDENA that are corrupt? Yes.

3.     Are there Unit Commanders who are corrupt? Yes.

4.     Are there senior leaders in SEDENA who are corrupt? Yes.

5.     Are there senior, political leaders in Mexico who are corrupt? Yes.

6.     Does this raise the possibility this was not just some “confused” event? Yes.

7.     Would NORTHCOM, the US Military Command for the US, do everything in its power to tone down and even make this event go away? Oh you bet they would….. Not the first time.

What Happened:

            “ The US service members reported they did not see any identifiable seals or symbols on the individual’s vehicles and couldn’t identify any patches or name tapes on the uniforms except for the Mexican flag.

1.     Mexican Special Ops working the border area in a “sanitized Ops? BS!

2.     Without deconfliction at NORTHCOM? BS!

3.      No vehicle markings, what unit’s motor pool did they come from?

Right about now, anyone who has ever worked an operational mission is reading this and saying, BS! Who isn’t saying BS? Why, the US government. Interesting.

Not my First Rodeo:

            I’ve talked about this before but let me go over it again so you get a better feeling where I’m coming from. Several years ago, I was part of a CODEL, Congressional Junket, that took place in West Texas. In that CODEL, civilian Law Enforcement members gave statements about an event with shots fired along the “river”, where what seemed to be a Mexican military unit appeared to be assisting a drug movement recover a load of drugs from a sunk vehicle in the river. You know….that little bitty river with brush all around it. Unit flashes were seen on the front of the SEDENA vehicles and a whip antenna was seen next to a person who looked to be giving orders over a radio. Well….when the dust settled….the answer became, it was a drug cartel dressed to look like SEDENA, to even include the proper vehicles and markings. Yes…..BS…..complete BS…not “Confusion”. But then, the whole event just went away. Does this story have some commonality to what took place on April 13^th of this year? Could This Sanitized team have been providing route security for a major drug movement? Let me ask you something. When you hear of a large surge along the border, do you ever stop to think that “surge” is preplanned? Is it designed to draw the attention of the US assets in the area in order to move a “load” across somewhere else? Just ask any civilian Law Enforcement or Border Patrol member who works the Texas / Mexico border and see how many stories you immediately get back.

Look. This was not “confusion” but, “confusion” is the easiest answer to the political leaders who are always trying to dance around the issue of the corruption in Mexico. Is the entire Mexican military corrupt? No. Is it nearly impossible to distinguish who is and who is not? Yes. I remember when a good friend from the DEA told me, “If the Op includes SEDENA, be careful”.

What took place on April 13^th? I think most of us who have worked that area know. Is it the first time? No. Will it be the last? No.

            SIDE NOTE:

                        US forces being armed with a side arm? Someone needs to be fired over that decision.  

RUSSIAN, US AND ISRAELI “COLLUSION” THEORY. 

So, the “rank and file” of the Syrian military was upset with the latest attack from Israel? So, some of the leadership feels the Russians and the US are supporting Israel’s actions in Syria? What was their first “clue”? That support has been taking place since day one of the Russian operations inside Syria.

Why Now?

            Why do these “rank and file” members speak to this issue now? Did fear keep them from making these statements, statements they’ve known all along were true?  Has the level of frustration just now become an issue? Was the location of the attack the new twist? Nope. It’s been hit before. Was it how it was struck; from Lebanese airspace? Nope. Look, Iranian and Hezbollah assets in Syria have been under attack for several years now, so why did some of the Syrian military members finally decide to say something?

Is the Bromance coming to an end?

            I’ve addressed the issue of the so-called alliance between Iran, Russia and Syria on multiple occasions, but for the sake of clarity, let’s take a quick refresher course and I promise I won’t take the approach of some condescending Academic looking to sell their next book. Iran is one thing to Moscow….. a Pawn……. A Pawn that is a proxy fighter when called upon or manipulated into such actions. To the Mullahs, Syria is a Pawn….. a nation with a subservient government that bends to the will of Tehran and its vision of the future for the region. The idea that Moscow will determine the outcome of Syria is unacceptable to the Mullahs. These old men may be delusional, but they recognize the game being played by the Russians……. Act like they are a friend until the movement in time that friendship is no longer needed and then……. The Mullahs sleep with the fishes.

            Again, a few weeks ago, I commented on how important it was the Mullahs dragged Assad to Tehran and did so without Moscow’s permission or knowledge. Inside the halls of the Kremlin that action was not going to go unanswered. Yes, Moscow had been letting the IDF have it’s way in Syria, but pulling Assad in for “consultation” without telling the Tsar, well….that was a step too far. Did that lead to the Israelis attacking last week? Someone would have to prove to me it didn’t. Iran is pushing it’s agenda for Syria and that agenda is not designed in Moscow. How does this answer the question as to why the Syrian military finally spoke up? They were told to speak up! They were instructed to call out Moscow and place the blame on the Russians and good luck to the Syrian military leaders who didn’t follow those orders….orders coming from the Mullahs. Rock and a Hard Spot? Why do you think the statements were from “unnamed sources”? By the way, if the whole thing was made up and no Syrian military leader said anything about the Russians being in bed with the US and Israel, what an absolutely brilliant move on the part of the Intelligence Community!!!! Sadly, my bet is, the story is true. As much as I would like to believe the IC could pull off such an information operation, I am more convinced this event is another true indicator of the fragile Bromance between the Iranians and the Russians growing weaker by the day. Sure, the Russians will come out with some statement about the alliance is stronger than ever. They may even send a few more ineffective toys to the Syrian military, but in the end, one strategic fact cannot be denied. The future of Syria and the region is not a common vision between the Russians and the old men in Tehran. Pressure to expose that division is critical to those that don’t want to see ether side reach their vision quest. Side Note. If you think the US is Hell bent on keeping the Russians from determining the future of Syria, you may be in for a disappointment. Iran is target number one for the US and Israel is the proxy fighter for that task, and that fighter is undefeated in the region. By the way, when the Tsar decides it’s time for the Mullahs to go, well………… the fish will have company.

CHINA AND THE HEMISPHERE STATEMENT

Thanks to my Twitter friend, “W”, for showing me this article as it was one that truly gained my attention.

https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-04-02/china-sends-over-100-troops-venezuela-defiance-us-warnings

China joins into the game of sending troops plus supplies and surprisingly enough, the total number sent was eerily close to the Russian figure. Something new….seeing Chinese military members in Venezuela or the region for that matter? No. One only has to go looking around the Panama Canal and notice the inordinate number of 6ft plus, 2 percent body fat, Chinese “maintenance workers” to realize the game being played in Venezuela is not new to the region. So, what is happening here? Is it worthy of the IC putting the information on the President’s morning briefing and making the cutline? Yep. How do you know? Because of the way John Bolton reacted last week, that’s how you know. His statement about the “Hemisphere” was not lost to those who make decisions in Russia and China, but the grins that statement resulted in were also not lost on those in DC who monitor reactions. By the way. The US has it’s share of “Contract / Support Workers” near the Canal😊.

What does it mean?

            Is the concept of the US’s adversaries creating problems in Hampshire new? No. Are the Chinese and the Russians working hand in hand on the events in Venezuela? It appears so, at least for now. Is China doing this as a true combined operation with the Russians or is something else taking place as well? Has the US made it public it will work to limit China’s expansion? Yes. Could Chinese leadership see the constraints placed on Iranian and Venezuelan fuel as a byproduct of that attempted limitation plan? Yes. Could China see the pending military aid increases to Taiwan as a measure that needs to be countered? Yes. In the end, is Venezuela as important to China as Taiwan? No. So, is China willing to push this event to the point of being a true crisis? No. Is the US willing to compromise sales promises to Taiwan for the reduction of Chinese actions in the Hemisphere… in other words………will the US trade Taiwan for Venezuela? No………….not even close! Then what does China really think it will gain out of this stunt? China will get the fuel it needs with or without Iran and Venezuela. It simply has too much money for everyone to hold the line and besides, this is not just about fuel. It’s about regional authority……it’s about the future of the Chinese nation. Wait….what about the Russians? Well, to keep this short, Moscow has the same desire. If the West is going to continue to creep into the old territories controlled by the old Soviet Empire, then the counter move in the “Hemisphere” is the logical answer. Just another example of the new “Cold War” you might say? Well…………….maybe……………………..but the odds of someone screwing this version of the Cold War up is much higher than in the past. The Russians and the Chinese are not going to commit to World War III over the Hugo Wannabe, but they may sit back and watch Guaido be tossed into jail. If that happens, Venezuela falls into a full-scale crisis and you can bet the US mainstream media and the US Democratic party will blame The Donald for  anything that takes place afterword’s. Is that disruptive to the US? You bet it is. It’s almost as disruptive as the Human Waves being coordinated and sent to the US border. Yep. 120 troops here and 120 troops there is not much to fret about, but then again, that’s not the real issue anyway. I will end this with the same question I always ask when speaking of the future between the Dragon and the Bear. When you rest your head on your pillow at night in Moscow…………. who do you truly fear….the Dragon or the Eagle?

THE NEXT OPERATION INSIDE GAZA:

            Should I be addressing the findings of the Mueller report this morning? Should I be talking about the political circus that has gripped the US for over two years? Well, maybe, but if you have followed my post over the years, you know I spend little time on politics and the games that are played inside the US. Does it upset me? Yes. Do I focus on it? I try not to and, in that statement,, let me move on to something I think is important today, perhaps far more critical than many waking up in the US this morning realize.

Short Range, Medium Range, Long Range.

            When you live in a nation the size of Israel, what is the definition of “range”? From where those that wish to spread violence stand, any size rocket can have the results they crave. You can shoot a rifle and gain the world’s attention. For the people who live in Gaza, the ones that have nothing to do with rockets and firebomb balloons, every weapon in the IDF’s arsenal can inflict pain and tragedy. Take a small area that is full of people who are in a struggle just to live day to day, on both sides of this conflict, and insert those who only wish to propagate violence for the purpose of prestige or to fulfil the task of others and you have a recipe for what is about to happen yet again. Now, let me be very clear who I am talking about here. Those people who have inserted themselves inside of Gaza who have one purpose…..violence, those are the ones that have lit the fuse on the next major conflict inside of Gaza. Not the people in Gaza trying to find some level of medical help today. Not the people in Gaza who are trying to find a way to convince their children they can go to school today. Not the people in Gaza who have now heard the news stories or even witnessed the mobilization of IDF units on a scale larger than they have witnessed in the past. The people of Gaza who have no dreams of violence are now once again preparing for the worst. They are finding ways to gather their families and loved ones in a safe place in a city so small, hiding from the pending violence is impossible. These are the people who are falling to their knees and asking the Lord, “why”? These are people who share a commonality with the people in Israel. Fear. Fear of what is taking place and a fear of what may come once again. Are they correct? Is this time going to be different? Will the IDF strike empty buildings and then stop? This is where the real fear is coming from, for both sets of people know, the answer is most likely yes.

What is different this time:

            For all the talk of “range”, range is an issue that has little meaning to Israel. Where does the technology for these “homemade” rockets in Gaza come from? Who supplies the materials needed for such “homemade” weapons? Do the Mullahs and the Iranian military leaders truly believe Israel and the US don’t have the ability to analyze the structure of these weapons and determine their true origin? No, they are not that naive. What they are is confident. Confident the pressure on Israel to not over react is too great. Confident this latest event will be like all the others…… Tehran’s proxy fighters launch an improved weapon into Israel and the IDF is limited to nearly worthless counter air strikes on empty targets…..targets that still have value by the way, but that is a much more detailed discussion for another day. What the Mullahs are is confident. Well, let me tell you, in the history of warfare, many of the most critical errors made by “leaders” were based on Confidence.

            The Mullahs pulled Assad into a meeting without the Russians being in on the “plan”. Why? Simple, because the Mullahs have never intended on letting Moscow shape the future of Syria. Where they “confident” Moscow / Putin would overlook this embarrassment for the sake of not showing cracks in the Iranian, Russian so-called Alliance? Most likely. Was that a strategic level error on the Mullah’s part? OH… I can assure you it was. Have the Mullahs anticipated the US’s intent to limit Iran’s influence over Syria and Iraq. Yes. Have they convinced themselves unleashing one of their primary proxy fighters in Gaza is a way to distract the US? Remember what I said about the error of “Confidence”.

Desperation:

            In battle, what is just as dangerous as reckless “confidence”? Desperation! How long do you think it took for Moscow to let the Mullahs know ether verbally or non-verbally, Putin’s displeasure with the Assad stunt? Do the Iranian military commanders understand the impact of the Russians agreeing to let the US and “others” maneuver into a position to greatly change the capabilities of Iran inside of Iraq or Syria? Did the forced Assad trip potentially change the “game” in the region? By the way, if Assad is smart, “forced” is exactly how he better have shaped this trip when Putin called him……if Putin called him. What is the life expectancy of someone who double crosses Putin, when that someone is a proxy puppet? If the Mullahs are not over confident then they may very well be desperate. Yes, these limited rocket attacks have been taking place for some time now, but the targets they are reaching has become the issue and those targets are not being reached without the support and authority of the Mullahs. No one understands this better than Israel. So, what is said here? How does the so called leadership in Hamas respond to these attacks?

Abbas and Hamas:

            What is the one thing Abbas and Hamas have in common? Actually, it’s two things. Profit and power. The future wellbeing of those people who are praying and seeking shelter as I write this is not the concern of Abbas or Hamas. For Abbas, it’s yet another opportunity to show that Hamas cannot be trusted and has no compassion for the people of Gaza….. a slice of land Hamas took from Abbas. The death and destruction that might be about to take place in Gaza is good news to Abbas. Sick, but true. As for Hamas. There is only one set of individuals in Gaza they care about. The members of Hamas. The money and weapons they receive are based on their willingness to do someone else’s bidding. The daily thrill of walking the streets dressed like a Warrior is far more exciting to a young man than getting up at 5am and going to work in a bakery or some other manual labor job. The pool of Pawns is deep enough to keep the blood flowing for some time to come and the old men who manipulate Hamas know this.

            Look. I could go on and on, but the truth is simplistic if not sad. Gaza is yet another proxy for the ongoing struggles in the region. The more the Mullahs see Arab leaders talking to Israel, the more they are convinced their time is running out. Pulling the stunt with Assad may have set in motion events the old men in Tehran simply could not have anticipated. There can be only one question remaining. What does Israel do? Yes, it’s election time and yes Israeli citizens were injured. Does that play into this event? You bet it does? Did that factor into Tehran’s support for this latest attack? Yes. Do the old men in Tehran worry for the safety of the people in Gaza? No. Have they made a decision that could cost perhaps hundreds if not thousands of lives? Most likely. Here is the reality. The only side of this next event that will take into consideration the safety of the innocent, is Israel…..and guess what….the Arab Leaders know it. Playing games with Putin’s plans…………………………… A very risky concept for a group of old men trying to hang on to a 40 year old dream.

Dear Mullahs. Don’t believe for a minute, the move on Hamas is the only reaction you will witness from Moscow. Syria and Iraq had their courses changed with one trip by the Eye Doctor.

RAND CORPORATION REVIEW OF THE SELF-LICKING ICE-CREAM CONE.

            All right. My disclaimer upfront. RAND Corp. Have I read their “works for long? Try a few decades. Have I ever seen them come to the conclusion the US doesn’t need to spend huge  sums  of money and do so quickly? Nope. I mean, if you have followed them like I have, when was the last time you heard them say, “ In conclusion, the US need not worry for at least five to ten years and can reallocate defense spending to some other areas of society in the meantime”. Nope…..never! There’s always a pending crisis that must be averted by getting out the checkbook. Does RAND have a direct relationship with the West’s / US / Military Industrial Complex? Silly question, so let’s move on.

The latest report:

            Several sources addressed the latest RAND report  on the potential outcome of a war between the US and a combined China, Russian event and how the US would be beaten and beaten badly. I must confess, I’ve not read this latest report, but the comments I’ve have found lead me to believe it’s the same old song and dance. Spend and spend a lot and spend it quickly. Sidenote. Take a look sometime on who goes to work at RAND, or where ex-RAND members go. Enough said. Okay, so the scenario goes something like this. The Russians make a move on Ukraine and the Chinese make a move on Taiwan. It’s seems they both strike first and they both do so at nearly the same time. Now again, I’ve not read the report, yet, but I will tell you that is a huge “assumption” to have as a Starting point. It also appears the authors indicate just how bad the initial strikes are to the US’s ability to respond. Crippling seems to be the message. Alright, that’s where I toss the first BS flag.

Preparation for conflict:

            If you want to sell the idea of spending more money on more military hardware, then you have to paint a picture of threat and that threat has to be superior typically in strength or capability or both. For a report to indicate the US military would be caught unprepared for actions by the Chinese and Russians at the same time it would have to anticipate a complete failure on all intelligence operations on a global scale, to include US Allies. The discussion of losing US airbases before aircraft could be launched or moved can only be given a level of believability based upon a complete, “cold start” operation by both nations. Can the Russians and the Chinese coordinate a first Strike / Cold Start operation without enough indicators to warrant a higher alert status by Western forces? Someone better be able to show me that at the training and exercise level before I believe it. Look, again, I have not read this latest report, but the idea of losing such a significant percentage of combat capability from the very beginning seems to be self-serving, especially in the “you need to spend more money” business. It’s my opinion, the indicators of such a Force generation cannot be hidden from modern-day intelligence. Preparation actions are some of the primary areas watched 24/7/365 by the IC and I find it impossible to believe such a combined Russian/ Chinese event could take place with the US sitting on it’s hands. Yes…I  know… Pearl Harbor!

Allies who don’t fight:

            Not only does this report seem to count on US forces being caught totally off-guard, it also seems to make the assumption key NATO nations will decide not to get involved. Wow…..there’s an inserted scenario advantage for ya. If you need your report to come to the conclusion you are looking for, then you need to have key segments that support your hypothesis. When I read someone commenting about this segment of the report, I thought to myself, “ yep, RAND and the Self-Licking Ice-cream Cone”. Germany and France just take a knee and agree to whatever Moscow tells them. Okay, it might happen, but my bet is RAND may need to think that way to get the report to the conclusion they are paid to find, but I would also bet you that assumption is not made in Moscow. Likewise, Japan and the rest of the Pacific decides to watch the Dragon swallow Taiwan and simply look the other way. Well…you know…. You need key assumptions to get to where you want to go. The US and its Allies are caught totally off-guard and key Allies decide not to fight. Now let’s see… the goal here is to paint a picture of the US losing a conflict. Well, those are two great assumptions that could lead one to that conclusion. I really do need to read this report. Let’s take one last issue and see if we can toss cold water on this hot topic.

The Cost:

            The US and it’s Allies are caught totally off guard and are unable to defend key sites because of a lack of air defense assets, hint…that is what this report is all about. To make matters worse, Allies won’t fight. Got it. That sounds really grim and if I was a clueless member of congress I might be briefed by a few retired Generals and so called, “Experts” from the academic world and begin to panic. But you see, I’m not a clueless member of Congress and I’m not looking for that multi BILLION dollar plant to be built or expanded in my district and…..I’m not a President who is already more than willing to spend more money on the military for the sake of saying I’m doing so. Let me add a factor here that may have not made it into the report, but I will read it and find out.

            You are sitting at home. It’s 7pm EST and as you watch your favorite cable news network babble on about current political events in the US, a “ Special Report” comes in stating it appears a large scale attack is taking place against US forces in both the Pacific and Europe. Within a few hours, all the reports seem to be true and the internet also seems to be completely compromised as part of this attack. Where in the world do you think the world economy is the next morning? After a few dozen Talking Heads run to the major networks to give their opinion on what is taking place and what might be yet to come, who is going to work? Who is letting their kids go to school? Does Wall Street open? No. Do other world markets open? No. Are the stores in the US overrun with panic driven zombies? Yep. Are the major networks in full scale emotional meltdown? Yes. Is it Trump’s fault? Yep. So, that’s it? That’s the status of the world the Russians and the Chinese are looking for and all for the sake of regaining Taiwan and the Ukraine? Both China and the Russian devise a plan, work out details too complex to even mention here and all of this happens without the Intelligence Community knowing and all with the outcome of a collapsed world economy? Just how much funding did RAND receive to develop this plan? Does the US need a greater air defense network? Yes. Has the US been so focused on the “little wars / Terrorism/ that it’s spent nearly the last 20 years building a force that is not a true battlefield network? Yes. Does that mean the Chinese and the Russians are going to risk everything they have to take back two small slices of land? If the folks at RAND need to help convince US political so called leaders the nation needs to refocus, then I guess this report fits the last three or four that have come out.  I will go read this Self-licking Ice Cream Cone from RAND, if I can, but someone needs to prove to me the Russians and the Chinese are willing to risk everything over two previous territories. Let the Russians and the Chinese believe their national survival is at stake and some of this may come true, but someone better have some really hard “facts” to convince me, a guy who watched this level of interaction on a daily bases, the Chinese and the Russian could ever work hand in hand, right down to the war plan level. Who does Moscow fear more? The US or the Dragon? Who does the Dragon fear? A group of people on a small Island that may show 1.5 billion people a better way of life? Now………..that is a real problem, but not a problem the Russians are willing to help the Dragon solve.

DRUG CARTELS AND TRUE DEFINITION OF “TERRORISM”. DOES IT FIT? 

            A good friend of mine is being asked by a few US political leaders to help draft language that would identify certain drug cartels as FTOs ( Foreign Terrorist Organizations). He and I have a “history” of working the issue of drug cartels and I am here to tell you, he knows what he’s talking about. Having said that, let’s take a few minutes and see if a nexus between the word “Terrorism” and the drug cartels truly does exist.

What is a Terrorist?

            Okay, first off, a lot of people have made great a deal of money and fame trying to frame the meaning of “Terrorism”. “One person’s, being politically correct here, Terrorist is another person’s freedom fighter”. Now, outside the US that stance has been hard to defeat, just ask Hamas or Hezbollah. Most typically describe terrorist groups or individuals as motivated by political or religious issues. Almost all the “experts” will tell you a terrorist or terrorist movement primarily targets unsuspecting civilians. Most will say monetary profit is not a primary goal of a terrorist group or individual, although receiving funding for their actions often leads to a hierarchy of leadership inside the group. Again, look at the leadership of Hamas or Hezbollah. So, in 2019, it seems the acceptable and recognized definition of “Terrorism” is still wrapped around political, religious and social issues. That begs the question. Can a Terrorist or terrorist movement be based upon nothing more than profit? Again, it’s 2019 and it could very well be time for a review of what truly terrorizes a society.

Drug Cartels:

            Did the Bootleggers of the 20s resemble the modern-day Drug Cartels, because I’ve heard that argument over and over again and it usually comes from those who want to legalize certain drugs. Is it just a matter of legalization and the whole issue goes away? That’s so myopic, I won’t waste my time on arguing that stance. As for the Bootlegger comparison, it’s simple. It’s about proportionality. In the 20s, crime took place everyday in every major US city, crime that was based on booze, who got to move it and sell it. Sound familiar? So is that it? Are we just talking about the Bootleggers of the 21^st Century? No. Here is the reality the “just legalize it” side doesn’t want to face. To the Bootleggers of the 20s, it was all about making money by selling and moving alcohol. That was it. Yes, they dabbled in other smaller criminal activities that eventually spread into illegal drugs, but for the most part, the Bootleggers and the criminal organizations that sprung up with the era of prohibition limited themselves to making money on a local scale and their scale of violence was minuscule compared to what is taking place today. Still don’t believe me there is no comparison? Okay, show me a time in the US 20’s where most major highways were controlled, openly controlled by Bootleggers? Show me an example of entire towns or being rounded up to work in a still somewhere. Forget it. There is no true comparison. Anyone that makes that statement is hiding from reality. The violence and the ability to carry out mass violence makes the modern-day drug cartels unique.

So What?

            So what? The US and other parts of the world have a drug usage problem? Why should that lead to drug cartels being labeled as “Terrorist”? I mean, bombs are not going off in Chicago or New York because someone is upset over the conviction of one of the biggest Drug Lords in history? Why not? If these groups were really “Terrorist” wouldn’t they be threatening the US public and government? Wouldn’t they be bombing commercial aircraft? They sure don’t seem to be reacting like typical Terrorist, so why would someone in DC want to place them in this category? Why should the American people demand the drug cartels wear a title that changes the rules of the game for going after them? Here is the shocker and the answer is right in front of us.

Crime:

            Parts of Chicago are nearly as dangerous as Northern Syria. Why? Drugs? Yep. In the course of 30 days, twenty-five people are killed in open shootouts in the streets over drugs, sometimes that just in one weekend. Is that a Terrorist act? If that was a bus bombing or a mass shooting at a Basketball game with the gunmen screaming “Allahu Ak Bar”, would the media or the public treat it the same way? In one year, how many crimes / murders / are directly linked to “drugs” in the US? I once say a figure that stated 80 percent…let that sink in for a minute. Is the manner of death relevant to the issue? If we lose 20 in good old fashion terrorist attack, is that more impactful than a decades old drug war? When the dead are pilled up in Syria from a terrorist attack, it’s not near as dramatic as when it takes place here right? But…what is the fear…….what is the fear that makes the US spends BILLIONS….even TRILLIONS of dollars? You bet…..it’s the fear those events made come here! So there you have it. If the “ War on Terrorism” is based on keeping it from taking place on the streets of Pleasantville USA, then why does the US accept the failed “War on Drugs”? Is there another avenue to help change a future that some of us know is coming?

 The Future:      

            “It’s Mexico….It’s always been like that”.  Those that follow my post, you know how often I have addressed this ignorant viewpoint. What event or series of events makes the US population wakeup to the dangers of the Drug Cartels? Do they get mad over the conviction last week and bomb a public event? Is that what it would take? Would they consider them Terrorist then? These groups control a 60 BILLION dollar industry. At what point to they decide to up their game and why oh why should we wait until that fateful day takes place? Let me give you an example of the kind of day the US doesn’t want to reach.  Several years ago, I was talking with a few SEDENA “Officials” about their operations along the US/ Mexican border. Two of them had the moral integrity to admit they only control the area while they are physically there. That same day, I sat and listened to multiple US Ranchers testify they know longer felt safe on their own land. Several even talked of how they would not travel onto large sections of their property near the border because of the constant threats from the drug dealers? Is that not being “terrorized”? Is that not a form of Terrorism? That same day, I sat with a Rancher who had over twenty hired guns that simply helped him stay safe on his own land. That was probably 2009, not 1869! I listen to young people talk about what clubs you didn’t go into in cities like Del Rio Texas because the drug gangs ran those clubs. Is that not being terrorized on you own land, in your own town?

So why hasn’t it happened?

            Why haven’t the drug cartels actually taken on the tactics of the more known terrorist organizations? Here’s the bad news……………..they have. I remember when the first video taped beheading started in the Middle East. I remember how outraged the West was. As soon as that took place, a few of us made a prediction………..it would begin in Mexico on a grand scale. Now, in 2019, it’s a daily occurrence and not just in one city or another, but all over the country. What is it the US government would like to do? Wait until that level of narco violence is a daily event in the US? Look, the short answer is this. The drug cartels are already “Terrorist”, just ask any person trying to walk the streets of Juarez, or any other major city in Mexico. Why hasn’t the level of violence elevated to the point it makes the nightly news in the US? Well, do you watch the news from Chicago? What do you think is the catalyst behind that cities image being destroyed?

We’ve tried this before:

            Before I hear it again, let me address another standard response from those who are walking through life blind. “We tried the War on Drugs and it didn’t work. We tried intervention in Central America to prevent the flow of illegal drugs and all we did was back ruthless Dictators”. If I was in a classroom, that would be the moment in time I would toss an eraser at anyone spouting out that BS. What the US was  doing in that region was a pathetic attempt to control the spread of Soviet influence in the US’s “backyard”. Yes, the DEA went in there to make an attempt to answer the drug issue, but the effort was just that, an attempt. Clandestine operations to “deal” with the drug world did work, the problem was, it was never a complete national strategy. It was what it was………a half-ass attempt to deal with a complex issue and it failed.  Here is the real bad news. Times have changed. The days of watching bad things happen in Mexico and then believing they wont take place in the US are coming to and end. Label these groups what they are……. A Clear and Present Danger to the United States. Does this sound like a corny support to a fairly decent movie………… a movie that painted the picture of an out of control US government…. a government that was actually made to look like the bad guys?  Call it what you want, but I will tell you this. The day the flow of drugs, human trafficking, theft of oil and I could go on and on, stops or it  truly threatens the drug cartels, then the US better be ready for a very different optic on the nightly news. Oh…..by the way…………… these so called modern day versions of Bootleggers have documented interaction with real terrorist organizations…..Hezbollah! Don’t believe it? That’s okay, but the next time you want to spend a few days just seeing the great countryside of the US, I would encourage you to take a drive along the Texas, Mexico border. Stop in a few small towns and ask the people there if the drug cartels influence their lives? FTO status…………it must take place and it must take place soon! If this movement in DC keeps going, you can bet I will keep talking about it.

IMRAN KHAN. FROM CRICKET GAMES TO NUCLEAR GAMES

I’ve not come off this story yet and for good reason. Mr. Cricket had an understanding of the situation between India and Pakistan before he decided to run for office. He most likely understood the inability to control the ISI in Pakistan and like most Pakistani politicians, he most likely thought he could be the one that reels them in. Yes, being the leader of a destabilized nation, one with nuclear weapons, is much more difficult than playing Cricket.

Warnings:

            Was Imran Khan right to issue a public warning to India? To me, here is the more important question, was he told to? Were the words he spoke his, or someone else’s? The reality is, it was most likely a combination of both. Why would Pakistan create a new crisis when things were getting better between the two nations? That part probably came from Khan. The rest of the rather threatening language came from those who he must deal with inside his own government. Is India smart enough to see the message inside the message? Yes. Does that make them more at ease with the situation? No. Does it even make thins possibly worse? Yes. Khan is learning a timeless lesion on leadership. One denies the actions of their subordinates, or one admits they cannot control them. What interpretation does the world think India will believe? Is the Cricket player out of his, “league”😊 being the leader of Pakistan? Did he authorize or have knowledge of the event or did it take place without his consent? Does anyone think the difference really matters to India? Does India believe Mr. Cricket can control the ISI? No. Does India believe Mr. Cricket can control the Red Mosque movement? No. Does any of this indicate India is willing to let this event go unanswered? Not a chance. Are “backdoor” communications taking place to mitigate the event? They always do. What options does Khan really have?

Crackdown:

Is it possible to reduce the level of violence in the region where this event took place? Well, that depends on who is willing to help Khan do so. Will the ISI? Good luck. Will the Red Mosque radicals? Silly question. How about the Pakistani military?  Where does their loyalty rest? Is Khan the guy they feel can turn the corner for Pakistan, or should the military step in and once again remove yet another incompetent leader? What does it take to cool the growing anger inside India? Mr. Cricket better figure this one out and he better do so quickly. This is not a game played in nice white uniforms. He better learn to get dirty and he better learn quick. Yes, the tension between Pakistan and India is worth worrying about and yes, it could get much worse. Here is the last lesson for the Cricket Champion. In the world of international affairs, there are no honest judges or officials. What’s in it for them………….that is the baseline of the help or tension he is receiving. Welcome to reality 101 Mr. Khan. How many years do you have left in your term😊?