| El Paso/Juarez Metro-Borderplex - Thousands of | | | | secretary, said 100 soldiers would also be sent to |
| Mexican soldiers have been sent to CD. Juarez, | | | | Palomas, across the border from Columbus, N.M. |
| after many pleas for help from the Juárez | | | | See Mexican Police Chief Requests US Asylum |
| Mayor José Reyes Ferriz. The Mexican | | | | Meanwhile, even the national mainstream media is |
| troops and federal Mexican police are patrolling the | | | | pretty much ignoring the deteriorating situation |
| city with gunship helicopters, troop personal | | | | along the Mexican border even as it has become |
| carries, pickups and Humvees with mounted | | | | daily news, as they continue their propaganda |
| .50-caliber machine guns. These Mexican troop | | | | against any effective action to control illegal |
| convoys are currently operating throughout the | | | | immigration or to secure the Mexican border. |
| city. As reported in the Laguna Journal the | | | | The most dangerous city in the world status is |
| Mexican soldiers are armed with combat M-16 fully | | | | the one where there is a war zone, where killings, |
| automatic rifles. This latest action by Mexican | | | | kidnappings, torture, muggings or any number of |
| President Calderon now places Mexican armed | | | | other criteria could be used to claim the "most |
| soldiers on the U.S. Border with Texas, New | | | | dangerous" title. Mexico meets all that criteria and |
| Mexico, Arizona and California. | | | | more, yet the U.S. Government seems to be |
| A convoy of newly arrived Mexican soldiers in a | | | | doing nothing. |
| variety of military vehicles traveled along Barranca | | | | Many critics claim that the relationship between |
| Azul street to a military installation in South of | | | | Washington and Mexico City is to cozy. |
| Juarez Friday. | | | | Since President Bush took office he has been |
| This latest Mexican troop movement places more | | | | reluctant to criticize Mexico. Critic's of NAFTA say |
| than 30,000 Mexican troops combating the | | | | the President does not want to do anything to |
| Mexican cartels throughout the country. This | | | | upset the Mexican Government as he courts their |
| operation, dubbed Operación Conjunta | | | | membership in the U.S. Canadian, Mexico reliance |
| Chihuahua, by the Mexican army is expected to | | | | program referred to as "The Security and |
| provoke a violent response from Mexican drug | | | | Prosperity Partnership of North America" (SPP). |
| cartels, officials said. | | | | Critic's of the war on drugs and terror say for |
| "We are not going to give in," Public Safety | | | | what ever reasons the Bush administration wants |
| Secretary Genaro Garcia Luna said. "In the states | | | | the border between Mexico and the U.S. to |
| where there is most violence, we will be right | | | | remain open at all costs. The U.S. ambassador to |
| there to confront the phenomenon." | | | | Mexico said the United States is considering issuing |
| Dozens of U.S. citizens have been kidnapped, held | | | | a heightened travel alert in the coming days. |
| hostage and killed by their captors in Mexico and | | | | "While there is little doubt in my mind that the |
| many cases remain unsolved. Moreover, new | | | | travel alert should be reissued, it may also be |
| cases of disappearances and kidnap-for-ransom | | | | necessary to heighten the alert to better reflect |
| continue to be reported. | | | | the increasing insecurity in the state of |
| An alarming number of Americans are vanishing in | | | | Chihuahua," U.S. Ambassador Tony Garza said. |
| Mexico where there has been a dramatic increase | | | | The U.S. State Department reluctantly issued an |
| in the numbers of U.S. citizens who have recently | | | | alert last year warning Americans about travel in |
| been reported missing or kidnapped along the | | | | areas of Mexico where foreigners have been |
| border with Mexico, reports the Washington Post. | | | | targeted. The alert is due to expire April 15. 2008. |
| Many who have vanished from U.S. cities are still | | | | Mexico has suffered a wave of organized crime |
| missing and it is feared they will turn up in the | | | | and drug-related violence that killed more than |
| mass graves that have been discovered lately in | | | | 2,500 people last year. |
| Mexico. | | | | According to the U.S. State Department "Travel |
| Mexican federal police guard the home where | | | | Warnings" are issued when the State Department |
| authorities discovered 36 bodies buried beneath a | | | | decides, based on all relevant information, to |
| patio. The tallest building stands on the same | | | | recommend that Americans avoid travel to a |
| property where the remains were found. | | | | certain country. Countries where avoidance of |
| The U.S. Government has not issued a new travel | | | | travel is recommended will have Travel Warnings |
| warning or even an up-grade on its existing alert. | | | | as well as Country Specific Information. No travel |
| Even though many Mexican cities on the U.S. | | | | warning is in place for the country of Mexico |
| Border and elsewhere in Mexico is under siege. | | | | Travel Warning should provide updated |
| The question is why not. Mexico is now one of | | | | information on the security situation in Mexico. |
| the most dangerous countries in the world. And it | | | | The security threat to all American citizens in |
| is our neighbors to the south with a population | | | | Mexico remains critical. |
| nearing 100 million people. | | | | The Department of State continues to strongly |
| Fort Bliss bans soldiers from visiting Juarez | | | | warn U.S. citizens against travel to Afghanistan. |
| because of increasing violence there, Fort Bliss | | | | And other countries but not Mexico. U.S. Mexican |
| officials say they've discontinued issuing passes to | | | | border Drug War kills more than War on Terror in |
| soldiers who want to travel across the border to | | | | Afghanistan The State dept. says that no part of |
| Juarez. If its not safe for U.S. Soldiers, than it is | | | | Afghanistan should be considered immune from |
| unsafe for other Americans. Said, John Lutes who | | | | violence, and the potential exists throughout the |
| was born in El Paso and served in the military. | | | | country for hostile acts, either targeted or |
| The Maverick Conservative Public Journal reported | | | | random, against American and other western |
| recently that citizens in both El Paso Texas and | | | | nationals at any time. That is also true of Mexico. |
| Juarez Mexico woke up to the news that | | | | There is an on-going threat to kidnap and |
| thousands of Mexican troops are now patrolling | | | | assassinate U.S. citizens. Mexican authorities have |
| the streets of Juarez according to flash radio and | | | | a limited ability to maintain order and ensure the |
| TV reports. The troops are there according to | | | | security of citizens and visitors. |
| Mexican President Filipe Caldron because of the | | | | Travel in all areas of Mexico, including border cities, |
| ongoing violence" in the DRUG WAR going on | | | | is unsafe due to military operations, armed |
| along the Mexican border (especially in Mexican | | | | rivalries among numerous Drug Cartels, Gangs and |
| cities bordering the U.S. like Juarez. | | | | other drug war activity, kidnappings for ransom |
| Juan Diaz a resident of Juarez said "he awoke | | | | and kidnappings for revenge killings, banditry, and |
| recently to a radio report about another gunshot | | | | the possibility of terrorist attacks, including attacks |
| victim being rushed to an AMERICAN hospital | | | | using vehicular or other improvised explosive |
| from Columbus, Mexico--the place, I believe, | | | | devices (IEDs). The security environment remains |
| where the POLICE CHIEF sought asylum in the | | | | volatile and unpredictable. |
| U.S. from about two weeks ago." The El Paso | | | | Foreigners throughout the country continued to |
| Times has even begun carrying stories about it | | | | be targeted for violent attacks and kidnappings, |
| being DANGEROUS for people to go to Juarez. | | | | motivated by Mexican criminals. |
| You know things are BAD when they start to be | | | | Riots and incidents of civil disturbance can and do |
| warnings about going into Mexico. Both economies | | | | occur, often without warning. American citizens |
| depend a good deal on tourist, and El Paso hardly | | | | should avoid rallies and demonstrations; even |
| wants people to get the idea that Juarez is a | | | | demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn |
| DANGEROUS place to visit. People visiting Juarez | | | | confrontational and escalate into violence. |
| generally go through El Paso. To me, this | | | | Carjackings, robberies, and violent crime remain a |
| DETERIORATION along the Mexican border I | | | | problem. Americans who find themselves in such |
| have never seen it this bad in the 40 years I | | | | situations cannot assume that either local law |
| have lived in the region." At a recent news | | | | enforcement or the U.S. Embassy will be able to |
| conference in Juárez , Gen. Guillermo | | | | assist them. |
| Galván Galván, Mexico's defense | | | | |