FIGHTING THE DRUG WAR

The first news about the murderous wars between competing drug
cartels along our border with Mexico was alarming enough. Then came
the surprising idea that it was really all our fault. That painted
the United States as such a great market for hard drugs that the
cartels were frantically competing to increase their share, and since
we have such lax controls on gun sales, the gangs could get their
automatic weaponry from us while they were delivering the dope.

Fortunately, the facts don't support the idea that we are
responsible. If you look north to our much longer border with Canada,
there is no border war there. Drugs are not flooding across the
border from Canada, and we are not exporting automatic weaponry to
our northern friends. Why would that be true? Because Mexico is a
much different society than Canada or the United States, and we can't
seem to get that through our heads.

Mexico's problems must ultimately be solved by Mexicans in Mexico.
President Calderon is working hard and taking great risks to bring
his nation under the uniform rule of law, applying to all classes and
all parts of the country. We should be doing all that we can, without
intervening, to help him accomplish that task.

Cornelius Deasy

San Luis Obispo