How the U.S. arms industry benefits from the drug war

Now this makes me really upset.

You hear it more and more: the war of Mexican drug gangs, just a few miles south of  the borders of California, Arizona, Texas and New Mexico. More and more people realize that the U.S. is not only involved in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, but also in a much bloodier conflict just on their doorstep, fought with real weapons of war. 90 percent of these weapons – including machine guns, grenades and remote-controlled bombs – come from U.S. production, purchased by middle men of the drug gangs on the territory of the United States. For the 7000 state-licensed U.S. gun shops along the US-Mexican border the escalating war is highly profitable. As NBC reported the gun shops supply literally everything to the Mexico killer gangs – including heavy machine guns, which thanks to a decision of the U.S. Congress and the former Bush administration are no longer banned from sale.

28,000 dead in three and a half years

Hillary Clinton admits, “I think this is a mistake,” when asked about the U.S. arms sales to Mexico’s drug-dealing mass murderers. 28,000 people including several U.S. citizens died in the last three and a half years in a hail of bullets between rival Mexican gangs. The Obama administration fears that Mexico could soon become a failed country, an anarchic structure with incalculable consequences for the neighboring U.S. states. But the gun lobby in the U.S. makes sure that the sale of military equipment to private individuals is still possible – and also the export to Mexico’s drug militias.

The promised aid is still off

Nevertheless, U.S. President Barack Obama says, the Mexican government could count on the full support of the U.S. in their fight against the drug mafia. For example, almost all freight trains heading south would be checked by U.S. security.  As a partner the US. would give the Mexican government just what they need to succeed in the drug war.

But these are just presidential words.

1.3 billion dollars approved by the U.S. Congress in 2008 to combat drug smuggling haven’t been spent yet. The Mexican drug fighters desperately still wait for the helicopters, surveillance planes and drones, promised some time ago. The U.S. promised to help the Mexican authorities combating the money laundering by drug dealers.

Weapons for Drugs

But so far, little is done – even though Mexico’s drug cartels are now among the largest criminal organizations in the U.S., according to  NBC. No surprise here: The U.S. is not only the main supplier of arms, but also the main buyer of drugs. Obama promised to implement new programs to combat drug demand in the U.S. But this will remain inefficient in the fight against Mexico’s drug barons. They lately liked to kill with remote-controlled car bombs, most recently in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas – just like of Al Qaeda.

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