Calderon And Biden: US Guns Fuel Mexican Violence And Crime – OpEd
By Jim Kouri
During his meeting with U.S. Vice President Joe Biden in Mexico City, President Felipe Calderon said the only way to win his country’s war with the drug cartels is to jointly tackle organized crime including arms trafficking along the border as well as ceasing the rampant cross-border money laundering, according to a press statement.
The Mexican government has waged a war to eradicate organized crime gangs that has killed more than 47,700 victims over the past five years, according to figures released earlier this year by the Attorney General’s Office.
Calderon claimed — and Biden on behalf of the Obama administration agreed — that the drug cartels have challenged the military and police with advanced weapons, most of which are trafficked illegally from the United States.
But Thomas McMahon, a former police commander and proponent of Second Amendment rights, tells the Examiner that these are no conclusive studies to support the claims of Calderon, Biden, Obama, or Attorney General Eric Holder.
“Trying to prove the canard of rampant gun-smuggling is what cost so many lives due to the Operation Fast and Furious debacle. That entire operation was politically-motivated and more about gun control in the U.S. than solving drug and gang problems in Mexico,” said McMahon, now a private security executive.
Calderon and Biden then discussed the immigration issue which they agreed needed a commitment from both governments to further cooperation. The two leaders emphasized the importance of the contributions made by migrants to their communities of origin and destination.
“During their conversation, both men used the term migrants. We’ve gone from illegal aliens, to undocumented immigrants to migrants to describe lawbreakers,” said Mike Snopes, a former police detective and military intelligence officer.
Calderon stated that his countrymen expect to help generate more jobs in the United States and in return expect economic assistance from the Obama administration, the anonymous drug enforcement agent said.
The White House said in a statement that Biden’s agenda in Central America would focus on combating organized crime and discussing the Summit of the Americas to be held in April in Colombia.
