72 bodies found on Mexican Ranch – Bullets fly across Texas border

I served in the Army Airborne Infantry (1/508th Ft. Kobbe, Panama) during Reagan’s “war on drugs” in the mid 1980s in Panama. We functioned as a “buffer” that while we didn’t stop drug trafficing, we did keep these drug cartels somewhat at bay in Central and South America. When we turned over control of the Panama canal, this effectively ended a “permanent” military deterrent in this strategic region. While there were other military bases along the Central American corridor, the Panama Canal was a very defensible boundary which kept the Colombian drug cartels – in Colombia. Have you noticed in the last ten years how much of the “drug” violence has shifted from South America to Central America and Mexico? Now you know why.

When we turned over control of the canal (Dec. 31, 1999), and most American military personel left as well, we effectively opened the flood-gate to allow these powerful and dangerous cartels to advance virtually unimpeded right up to our border! There has been talks (April 15, 2010) “under the radar” to increase U.S. military presence in Central America. Reportedly there have been significant increases in troop strength to this region to challenge the transportation of drugs, humans, and weapons.

While during the time I was serving in Panama (and I was much younger) I didn’t understand the reasoning behind putting so many men in harm’s way to invade the quickly-vacated cocaine labs in Colombia (whoops, did I just disclose covert ops). Now I do. Our actions kept the Colombian drug cartels continually on the move. They could not set up nor establish permanent strong-holds, because we were like pesky yellow-jackets, continually “stinging” their operations.

While I lost contact with much of what was going on in Central America after my discharge, it is apparent that our decrease in military presence (including force) has not served in this nation’s interest and security. I am hopeful that a renewed military presence in Central America, particularly since we will effectively shut off the cartel’s retreat route from Mexico, will prove successful in removing this threat from our borders. Of course this will have to be with the assistance and cooperation of the Mexican government, who can make life very unpleasant for these terrorists. If, in conjunction with the Mexican government and Washington’s approval, through military intervention we can reduce (not eliminate) this threat to America and Central America, and keep these thugs South of the Panama Canal.

Again this all depends on the willingness of Washington to “act” (with Obama I have my doubts), and Mexico to “push” these terrorist to reteat South, which will compress them into a managable, small region that can be effectively eliminated. Let’s see what happens.

I’m so sick of this!!! I was watching the spanish news a few days ago and it was making me angry- They spent a large portion of the broadcast showcasing a family in Arizona and how their ‘discrimination’ had torn this family apart. A week or two before that, I saw that douche-bag that did an interview on O’reilly spewing his crap. Lies are acceptable so long as they manipulate people into falling in line with the liberal agenda. I wonder if this was covered on the broadcasts in spanish- as much as it would benefit me to know what people are being told in foreign languages- I can’t stomach it.

You are too kind to Obama, you .. you diplomat! If this Administration does anything it will be because they were dragged into it kicking and screaming.
I may have been there before you (1982-83) as part of a Seabee Detachment. My Det (part of NMCB-40) was covertly deployed to Nicaragua to assist their government in building gov airport runways in remote sections of northern and western Nicaragua. The runways were for the proposed war on drugs to assist our military jointly “exercising” with those in the region. Within a few short weeks (3 I think) all or work came to a halt when we came under sniper fire. The problem with this was that we weren’t there!, which means we had to wait it out. Spent another 3 weeks living in fox/mortar holes waiting for the Marines to come through the forest/swamp to rescue us. Back then the Sandanistas were the announced problemm and yes, they were. But it was claer to us the growing problem was due in part at least to drug cartels. The Sandanistas were funded in part by Communist desires, but in time, the funding from drugs took over.
1977 is the year the cartels now celebrate.