AMERICA NEEDS A PLAN TO COMBAT MEXICO'S CARTELS

On Feb. 15, Jaime Zapata and Victor Avila pleaded for their lives in
Spanish, identifying themselves as American federal agents moments
after members of a Mexican drug cartel forced their vehicle bearing
U.S. diplomat plates off the highway in Central Mexico. The cartel
responded by firing more than 80 rounds from automatic weapons. That
event instantly changed the landscape of our nation's involvement in
Mexico's bloody war.

For the first time in 25 years, cartels are targeting American law
enforcement. Avila recently described the ambush by the Zeta cartel,
comprised of former Mexican military special forces as "pure evil."
Even at the Mexican hospital, he feared that they would come back and
finish the job.

President Felipe Calderon should be praised for his efforts to
eradicate the cartels. When U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, and I
visited Calderon in Mexico City in 2008, he told us security was his
top priority. He had boldly declared war against the narcoterrorists
that were infiltrating his military and local police forces and
killing anyone who dared threaten the free flow of drugs, weapons and cash.

After more than 35,000 killings in the past five years, increased
spillover crime into the U.S. and the killing of Zapata, it is time
for America to take decisive steps to end the rampant drug war. The
solution goes beyond securing our borders.

In 2007, Cuellar and I built bipartisan support to increase funding
to fight international narcoterrorism.

In 2008, Congress passed the Merida Initiative, directing $1.3
billion in resources to help the Mexican government fight the
cartels. To date, only one-quarter of that amount has been directed,
and the violence in Mexico is only increasing.

Mexico is in danger of becoming a failed state controled by
criminals. If that happens, Mexico could become a haven for
terrorists attempting to enter the U.S. through the porous border. In
the interest of our national security, trade with our third largest
partner, and our rich cultural ties, we cannot afford for that to happen.

As the chairman of the Homeland Security Oversight, Investigations
and Management Subcommittee, I am convening a hearing to ask: "What
is the United States' role in Mexico's war against the cartels?"
We'll explore what our plan is to deal with the crisis at our
doorstep. We must examine what has worked, what has not and how to
move forward.

In 1999, the United States entered into Plan Colombia, a joint
military and intelligence operation with the Colombian government, to
destroy that country's cocaine trade, eradicate its cartels and
restore its economic and national security.

In the first five years, heroin poppy cultivation decreased 58
percent. Homicides dropped by 60 percent. Kidnappings went down 254
percent. Terror events fell 420 percent. Extraditions of drug
traffickers increased exponentially, which destroyed the infamous Cali cartel.

Today, Mexico is on a dangerous path to where Colombia once was. A
similar strategy may be needed.

In addition, the State Department should classify the cartels as
foreign terror organizations. Mexican cartels kidnap and kill and
mutilate innocent civilians, elected officials and law enforcement.
Though their motives are different, cartels are as savage and
cold-blooded as the terrorists that plot against America from the
Middle East. Similarly, they use gruesome tactics to intimidate the
Mexican government and citizens to abide by their rules.

Classifying Mexican cartels in the same manner as al Qaeda, the
Taliban or Hezbollah, would make them a higher priority for American
law enforcement and would subject them to laws that target their
finances and networks in the United States.

There is no question that we must secure our borders and ramp up
southbound inspections to seize weapons and cash that arm and fund
drug trafficking operations. However, without attacking the cartels
at their roots, our borders will continue to be an expensive Band-Aid
on a wound that will not heal.