EXPERT: U.S. MUST PREPARE TO AID MEXICO IN DRUG WAR

EL PASO -- The U.S. government must be ready to assist Mexico in its war
against the drug cartels, if Mexico asks for help beyond what's in the
Merida Initiative, retired Brig. Gen. Jose D. Riojas said Wednesday.

"We must respect Mexico's sovereignty, but also be ready to respond, and
not be caught flat-footed, to their requests for assistance," said Riojas,
vice president of strategic initiatives at the University of Texas at El
Paso, which includes the new Center for Border Security and Immigration.

The Merida Initiative -- a $1.4 billion support package for Mexico and
Central America -- "is being closely watched. It was a big step for
Mexican President Felipe Calderon to ask for our assistance," said Riojas,
keynote speaker for the Central Business Association's monthly luncheon at
the Camino Real hotel.

He and others at the meeting said there is nationwide interest in the
violence in Juarez, which has killed more than 1,800 people since last
year.

In response to questions about how to end the drug violence, and why there
have been relatively few arrests of those doing the killing, Riojas said
it is difficult to stop gangs or cartels that are intent on attacking each
other. And, he said, he didn't know why more arrests have not been
reported.

During a question-answer session, Riojas said he did not know of any
businesses that had left Juarez because of the violence, but businessman
Mike Ahumada said he knew of one, and after the meeting, others said they
knew of one or two others.

Riojas said he did not know how many Mexican citizens have fled to the
United States because of the violence.

In response to the violence at the border, businessman Jose Contreras,
vice president of international relations for the Mexican National Chamber
of Commerce in Mexico, said he and Luis Garcia, who retired as Immigration
and Naturalization Service district director, formed the Cross-Border
Security & Management Group LLC.

"We have armed guards that can escort people across the border ... we have
quite a bit of business already," Contreras said.

Riojas, a former commander of Joint Task Force-North, said the three
biggest criminal enterprises in the world are human trafficking, now in
first place, followed by drug and arms trafficking.

Ideally, he said, whether it's illegal immigration or drug-trafficking or
other transnational crimes, problems should be confronted "at their point
of origin, but if they are here, then we should give our law enforcement
all the tools they need to deal with them."

On Wednesday, Mexican President Calderon expressed his condolences for the
death of Mexican army Sgt. Angel Macrino Manzo Avila, who was killed
Tuesday near Villa Ahumada, Chihuahua, in a firefight against alleged drug
cartel operatives.

A total of 21 people, including 14 alleged members of cartel hit squads,
six murder victims and the soldier, were killed in the related attacks
that occurred 90 miles south of Juarez.

Officials found IDs indicating that some of the alleged killers were from
the states of Sonora, Sinaloa and Chihuahua. They also seized several
vehicles used by the suspects, along with many assault rifles (one was
gold-plated), ammunition magazines, helmets, bulletproof vests, uniforms,
radios and cell phones.

"Troops are continuing to search the area for other suspects who got away,
but efforts were hampered by adverse weather, including snow," according
to a statement issued by the Mexican secretary of defense.

The Mexican federal attorney general's office is investigating the attacks.

Also on Wednesday, Joint Operation Chihuahua in Juarez reported that four
men who were riding in two trucks were killed by gunfire on the
Juarez-Porvenir Highway near Independence Boulevard, and that a fifth man
was shot to death in the Zaragoza neighborhood. State police are
investigating.