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