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Senator Calls Drug Cartels Top Organized Crime Threat to U.S.
April 22, 2009

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News Summary

Mexican drug cartels have displaced the Mafia as the top organized-crime threat to the United States, according to Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.).

Fox News reported April 20 that Lieberman called the battle against the cartels "literally a war" and announced plans to call for an additional $380 million in U.S. funding to prevent drug and gun smuggling at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Lieberman said that the cartels are operating on both sides of the border, and have a presence in 230 or more U.S. cities and communities.

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) called for the federal government to heed state governors' requests for National Guard troops to help patrol border regions.

COMMENTS ON THIS ARTICLE:

Posted by maxwood on 23 Apr 09 09:25 PM EDT
It may be true that Mexican cartels do a lot of business with cannabis but the fact remains that bulky, undistilled hemp plant product is risky and expensive to transport, and cannabis shipments are disproportionately targeted by the para-military Grenzpolizei good old Joe and John are supporting, thus rewarding the traffickers who stick with compact concealable smack and crack. If only cannabis were legalized, resources would be freed up to go after "hard stuff".

Posted by Diane Kopperman on 27 Apr 09 01:42 PM EDT
If it were only pot, it might not warrant a "drug war". However, a majority of the meth trade in the US has moved south of the border as American states have limited access to the availability of the requisite materials for producing meth and cracked down harder on American meth producers and sellers. The drug cartels are now heavy into cocaine and heroin, which may simply "flow through Mexico". However, many drug cartels have "diversified" (and joined forces) in an attempt to protect their market share. Drug trafficking is not benign. American weapons are used less against our military forces than they are against competitors.

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