US Army report states that America may be forced to intervene in Mexico to prevent the country from collapsing at the hands of organised crime and drug cartels. The report compiled by the army’s highest command has placed Mexico alongside Pakistan as possible failed states of the future. The report states: “Two large and important states bear consideration for rapid and sudden collapse: Pakistan and Mexico.”
Mexico has a population of 110 million and shares a two thousand mile border with America. It also is next to the smuggling routes linking the US with the drug-growing areas of South America such as Columbia, which is still the world’s biggest source of cocaine.
Mexico already provides America with more migrants than any other country and would be the obvious destination for massive refugees if the country descended into civil war. The report states: “Any descent by Mexico into chaos would demand an American response based on the serious implications for homeland security alone.”
President of Mexico, Felipe Calderon has already deployed Mexico’s army in a new offensive against organised crime mainly focusing on four major drug cartels. Last year, this battle against these drug cartels and some local syndicates claimed 5,367 lives of members of the security forces or suspected criminals.
In a controversial election in July 2006, Mr Calderon won Mexico’s presidency by a tiny margin of less than 1%. Despite this minor win, Mr Calderon has made his fight against organised crime the central goal of his leadership.
In Mexico, there is wide spread corruption with many police officers and security officials accepting bribes from the drug rings. This corruption may reach into the highest levels of the government itself and obstruct Mr Calderon’s campaign, ultimately destroying the state itself.