WAR IN OUR BACK YARD

America's biggest drug-financed military problem used to be 3,000
miles away in Colombia. It's now standing at our doorstep in Mexico.

Mexico's estimated 2,000 Zeta paramilitary enforcers have reached such
a level of supremacy that they no longer answer to their former bosses
in the Gulf drug cartel. They are growing in number, firepower and the
ability to self-finance with heroin and cocaine profits.

Now comes the shadowy new militia known as La Gente Nueva, or the New
People, funded by a rival Mexican cartel to avenge the Zetas' murder
spree.

This is exactly how Colombia became such a mess: One cartel began
paying protection money to guerrillas, while rival drug lords formed
paramilitary groups to fight the guerrillas. These private armies used
drug profits to recruit thousands of fighters and became so rich that
they eventually seized control of the drug trade and openly challenged
Colombia's army.

Civil wars get started this way. We care deeply because the Zetas are
linked to gangland-style hits in Dallas, including the killing of a
police officer in March. How long should we wait to confront such a
growing menace?

When these same ingredients were present in distant Colombia,
successive U.S. administrations deemed the national security threat so
high that they sent troops and billions of dollars in aid to fight it
at the source. The results have been mixed but certainly far better
than if Washington had done nothing at all.

Colombia is on the mend, thanks to some bold leaders who broke
nationalist taboos, ceded some sovereignty and accepted help from
Washington in the form of Plan Colombia.

Mexican President Felipe Calderon demonstrated similar boldness in
January when he extradited Gulf cartel leader Osiel Cardenas to the
U.S. But he must summon more courage and work with Washington on a
"Plan Mexico" that will permit more training, military coordination
and counter-narcotics aid.

The Zetas have proven their ability to withstand a sustained Mexican
military offensive. Mexico needs to swallow its nationalist pride and
admit that its best efforts are failing. We learned from Colombia how
high the price of neglect can be.