Fleeing residents of Buner in Pakistan’s troubled valley of Swat look at destruction caused during fighting between government security forces and Taliban militants, on Monday, May 11, 2009. Pakistani warplanes bombed suspected militant positions in a stronghold close to the capital Monday, pressing ahead with a fierce offensive that has driven hundreds of thousands from their homes, many into crowded refugee camps. The government claimed 700 insurgents had died and the Taliban were on the run. (AP)
On one hand we have our friends in Pakistan, the country we basically pay to defend itself (Wait? How did that happen again?), on the other we have our neighbor to the south, Mexico who had to send their military to the border to fight drug lords.
The military.
More after the jump.
A woman, hiding his face from the camera, walks past a military vehicle at the crime scene where a man was killed in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, Wednesday, April 15, 2009. Drug violence has spiked since Mexico’s President Felipe Calderon began a national crackdown on organized crime in 2006. Battles among cartels, their rivals and soldiers have led to nearly 9,000 deaths and a cross-border crime spillover. (AP)
This would be like having the National Guard in central Los Angeles, everyday, duking it out with the Bloods, Crips and various Mexican-American gangs. Since there usually has to be a complete local government collapse (see Katrina) for us to send our military into an American city, I’m going to go with the shit must be dire in border towns. Violence is actually up in spite of the military being there and it doesn’t hurt that Mexican gangs are able to get access to guns better than what the military is packing through our much more lax gun laws up north.
Two children relax as others queue for food at a refugee camp near Mardan, in northwest Pakistan, Monday, May 11, 2009. Pakistani warplanes bombed suspected militant positions in a stronghold close to the capital Monday, pressing ahead with a fierce offensive that has driven hundreds of thousands from their homes, many into crowded refugee camps. (AP)
Things must also be pretty gnarly in Pakistan right now if the Pakistani government is actually conceding that having Taliban in their country stirring up trouble might … I don’t know … be a big deal. They’re not willing to go as far as many Americans have stated in their fear that the Taliban could topple their fragile regime and be a bigger threat than say, India, who despite being their natural enemy actually gains nothing from a full-out war with them. Now along with the Taliban being an Afghan problem they’ve taken to wanting to turn Pakistan into a fundamentalist free haven and since last year or longer have gobbled up territories small and large, rural and urban working their way to Islamabad.
But DON’T WORRY! I’m sure they’ve got it all under control!
Or you could worry.
Coffins containing the remains of police officers killed Monday sit during a funeral service in Tijuana, Mexico, Thursday, April 30, 2009. Seven police officers were assassinated in about an hour’s time in what authorities said Tuesday was a coordinated effort that followed months of relative calm in a border city stricken by drug-fueled violence. (AP)
Worst case scenario with Mexico is a governmental collapse that leads to desperate, war torn border town folks (and even folks further inland) flooding our border to escape the chaos, upsetting the balance of money and resources here in El Norte.
Worst case scenario with Pakistan is the Taliban will have the bomb. And the Taliban no-likey … anyone. Especially us. I mean, people always talked like self-preservation artists Saddam Hussien and Kim Jong-Il were/are mad men when in reality they were thugs who just wanted to stay in power no matter what. Possibly unwinable war would go against their nature as they were constantly in fear of being toppled or assassinated if there was any ounce of uncertainty in the air. The Taliban, on the other hand, doesn’t give a crap because they believe God has completely approved their views and they’re all for the notion of completely blowing themselves up (and you in the process) just to make a point.
Great.
So who are you more concerned about? The fact that the Mexican military is having to duke it out with drug lords who make Tony Montana look like your small time crack dealer on the corner OR are you more concerned about Pakistan’s history of an inability to keep its potential and/or current heads of state from being assassinated? Because, you know, that really doesn’t help when you have an insurgency running around in the Northwest territories stirring up trouble.
The Snob, right now, is somewhat more concerned about Mexico because if Mexico starts to fall apart we’ll feel the effect almost instantaneously at home. We’re already getting a taste of the action now, with the violence popping up in many American cities. Pakistan is HIGHLY troublesome, but they do have this gigantic military just lying around. I have hopes they can get trained in counter insurgency and handle their business. But I don’t know how you cure North America of its addiction to drugs and its status as the no. 1 most lucrative drug market in the world. Every time you roll up a joint you’re basically supporting various merchants of death.
Who do you see as the bigger potential problem?
Live Your Best Life. 
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