Column by Chris Graham
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You have to ask the question – which is the more pressing international-security concern? A failed government in Afghanistan, or a failed government in Mexico?
It’s increasingly looking like we have ourselves a failed government operating on our southwestern border, and while certain partisans in Congress and particularly those running for re-election in Arizona are trying to make political hay over illegal immigration, there’s more than immigration status at play here.
It’s in our national best interests to have a Mexican government that is capable of controlling its own internal security, for starters, and it’s not appearing to be the case that the current government in Mexico can do anything resembling that. Violence has been spilling over the border for several weeks now, and the increasingly unstable situation will doubtless contribute to increased outmigration from violence-ridden northern states as people seek to flee the chaos on the streets and the resulting chaotic situation that is being wreaked upon the Mexican economy.
Another issue is also worth consideration – that international terrorists (e.g. Al Qaeda) could seize upon the instability to set up a clandestine base of operations across the open border from the Southwest U.S. Think about why we’ve been in Afghanistan for going on nine years now.
I say this to think out loud that the move that will be announced in the coming day or two by the Obama administration that will have 1,200 National Guard troops deployed at the U.S.-Mexico border and $500 million going to border protection and law enforcement at the border is maybe just a small first step.
Just saying – be prepared. The next U.S. military deployment may be south of the border.
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AFP
