SPILLOVER: DRUG WAR TOUCHES EL PASO

It's now said openly. There's no more political tip-toeing regarding
the unabated violence in Juarez having "officially" spilled into El
Paso.

For the first time, a high-ranking politician, our state Sen. Eliot
Shapleigh, confirms the drug cartels have seeped over the Mexico
border and into the eastern side of El Paso and El Paso County.

Shapleigh told the El Paso Times Editorial Board that, for the first
time, he's noted that his constituents are afraid. " ... It appears
that elements of gangs in Juarez who are under pressure in Juarez are
moving their operations to the Mission Valley. We have received
numerous reports of gang members living in the San Elizario, Socorro
and Fabens communities ..."

Meanwhile, Mayor John Cook is on record advising El Pasoans not to
travel into the war-ravaged, dying city of Juarez unless it's
"absolutely necessary." Texas Sen. John Cornyn said Mexico's battle
against the drug lords is just as critical for the U.S. as the wars in
Iraq and Afghanistan.

Since Mexican President Felipe Calderon declared war on the drug
cartels just more than two years ago, there have been an estimated
18,000 drug-related murders throughout the country. In Juarez alone
there have been more than 5,000 slayings since January 2008. Some
10,000 federal troops have been deployed to Juarez, but the killings
have, in fact, escalated.

There has been tremendous reaction here since the war began, but it
took the rest of the nation until recently to take note that Juarez is
now the most dangerous city in the world.

The slaying of an El Paso couple last weekend, just feet from the U.S.
border near Downtown, received worldwide attention. The wife was
connected to the U.S. Consulate in Juarez and her husband was employed
at the El Paso County jail. Both President Obama and U.S. Rep.
Silvestre Reyes decried the killings.

If there's any good news it's that now every politician, from the
mayor to the president, has put in their proverbial two cents of
"official" concern.

But will it amount to anything? So far, words have done nothing to
stop the violence -- that is now officially spilling into El Paso.