Mexico Under Siege--THREE Wars Simultaneously!

"It's a war!" declared President Felipe CalderonPresident Felipe Calderon. But, perhaps it's more accurately three wars, according to recent analysis published by Stratfor. Let's count them:

1) A war is being waged among various drug cartels in Mexico for territorial control of drug trafficking corridors, the pathways through which valuable contraband material moves through Mexico to the U.S. These smuggling territories, or "plazas," include areas like our neighboring city Ciudad Juarez, with its handy access to the US corridors of Interstates 10, 20 and 25. Since Juarez/El Paso comprise a major gateway to the US, it is no accident that Juarez is currently one of the bloodiest cities in the world.

2) Mexico is itself waging a war, the war to which Calderon referred, against those warring drug cartels. Calderon deployed 45,000 troops and 5,000 federal police to do battle in 18 Mexican states. The Mexican military have scored some few successes in this war. Soldiers have regularly seized shipments of marijuana--multi-tons of it. This never occurred prior to the military deployment. However, Mexico counts 78 soldiers lost during the past two years of this war.

3) There is a third war, perhaps the most insidious and dangerous: Mexican citizens are themselves under attack. Kidnappers, extortionists and criminals of every sort have declared open season on Mexicans, creating a dangerous situation for tourists and foreign businesspersons as well. In this third war, violence increases as wars one and two drag on--already well over a year now. Although the third war does not receive the same headline-grabbing international attention, Mexico's civilians increasingly are coming directly into the crosshairs of violent action, and evidence suggests that their plight is rapidly deteriorating.

Mexico is under siege. Take notice. One war has begotten another...and another...and another.