BajaNomad - NPR reports on Baja violence

NPR reports on Baja violence

thebajarunner - 1-16-2008 at 05:22 PM

NPR had a segment this morning on the continuing violence.

Their conclusion "Its gonna keep going on for a long time"

Those that wanted this to get wide publicity in the US are obviously getting their wish.

Dannyrose - 1-16-2008 at 07:18 PM

Here's the report:

Police Officers Targeted in Tijuana

by Amy Isackson

Listen Now [3 min 41 sec] add to playlist

Mexico's President Felipe Calderon is waging war against drug cartels in Tijuana.
Alexandre Meneghini

Mexico's President Felipe Calderon is waging war against drug cartels in Tijuana and across the Mexico-U.S. border. Calderon is seen in this 2007 file photo. AP

Day to Day, January 16, 2008 · A wave of violence is sweeping through the Mexican border city of Tijuana, which lies just south of San Diego.

Three high-ranking police officers were killed, along with the wife and child of one of the officers.

At a midday press conference at the police station, police officers hid their faces behind black masks and had their machine guns at the ready.

Grim-faced law enforcement officials descended from a parade of black, armored sport utility vehicles. They went inside to face a room that overflowed with reporters.

Tijuana's top security chief Alberto Capella recounted the events.

Officers Killed

Capella said it began with a call at 10:40 p.m. Monday reporting gunfire near one of Tijuana's main traffic arteries.

Officers arrived and found the district's police chief slumped over his steering wheel with half his face shot off. His second-in-command was in the passenger's seat, riddled with bullets.

Another high-ranking police commander was later found shot dead in his bed. His wife and the couple's 11-year-old daughter were also killed. Their 4-year-old daughter was wounded.

Police are tight-lipped about the details and motives for the murders. But Baja California's attorney general believes the case is tied to drug cartels.

Residents Fearful

This wave of violence comes as hundreds of federal police are streaming into Tijuana.

They're the second group of reinforcements Mexican President Felipe Calderon has sent to the city in a year to help tame the drug violence. Local law enforcement officials say the killings may be in retaliation for the crackdown.

Capella said what police are doing is working, but many Tijuana residents are fearful.

"We live with Jesus in our mouth," said Adriana Alvarado, as she pushed a stroller in downtown Tijuana. "Every time we walk out of the house, it's like, 'Oh, God, help us." It's like just saying, 'Hey, we're in your hands.'"

Local human rights activist, Victor Clark, is nearly as fatalistic.

He says the recent violence mocks officials' claims of success and predicts the crime could be long term because law enforcement officials appear powerless.

I didn't see any mention of the 2 cops getting gunned down in GA. USA :?:

bajajazz - 1-17-2008 at 11:43 AM

If it is true, as I have read, that the graft alone paid to Mexican officials at all levels amounts to 6 billion dollars a year -- or any significant portion of that enormous figure -- then it is foolish to think anything effective will ever be done to stem the drug trade in Mexico.

The 'war on drugs' is an obvious sham. It is time to acknowledge that and move to new policies in the USA, e.g., harm reduction (treatment on demand), decriminalization and finally, legalization.

America's experiment with Prohibition lasted from 1920 to 1933. All Prohibition accomplished was to put enormous wealth and power into the hands of the Mafia. Will we never learn?

kimberlee - 1-17-2008 at 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bajajazz
If it is true, as I have read, that the graft alone paid to Mexican officials at all levels amounts to 6 billion dollars a year -- or any significant portion of that enormous figure -- then it is foolish to think anything effective will ever be done to stem the drug trade in Mexico.

The 'war on drugs' is an obvious sham. It is time to acknowledge that and move to new policies in the USA, e.g., harm reduction (treatment on demand), decriminalization and finally, legalization.

America's experiment with Prohibition lasted from 1920 to 1933. All Prohibition accomplished was to put enormous wealth and power into the hands of the Mafia. Will we never learn?

The USA won't learn until these kinds of happenings take place repetedly in the USA. Its only a matter of when at this point.

Hook - 1-17-2008 at 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by kimberlee

Quote:

The USA won't learn until these kinds of happenings take place repetedly in the USA. Its only a matter of when at this point.

I thinking we're actually moving farther away in the US. Better enforcement techniques up here AND the police forces up here are pretty well-paid. Easier to resist the black market dollars.

So, less motivation to turn to the Dark Side. You'll get caught and besides, you're able to support your family on your salary.

Last I heard, there were major drops in gang violence in LA and the state as a whole.

[Edited on 1-18-2008 by Hook]

pappy - 1-20-2008 at 09:40 AM

another shootout that happened thursday was reported in local ventura paper. cops vs bad guys in a neighborhood near border. raided a house. people killed and in the middle of it all, young school children. residents are demanding that a "heavy hand" comes down on all this nonsense....

Runner

Baja Bernie - 1-21-2008 at 09:27 PM

Did you see the latest poll where only 3% of Americans trust NPR............the lowest of all the 'new's' media.

They rate even lower than the congress that keeps them in business and pays them.

I know that is not really funny.............but, hey, I didn't conduct the poll!

capn.sharky - 1-21-2008 at 09:39 PM

"All Prohibition accomplished was to put enormous wealth and power into the hands of the Mafia." Don't forget the Kennedy family. Joseph Kennedy Sr. profited a great deal from running illegal booze in from Canada. Legalize drugs? Isn't that like giving condoms to your teenagers?

motoged - 1-22-2008 at 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by capn.sharky
"..... Legalize drugs? Isn't that like giving condoms to your teenagers?

Ahoy, Matey....
And did you wait until you were in your 20's and married? :lol:

Condoms reduce the transmission of disease and the occurance of pregnancies...as if that's news.
Sexual activity is recognized as a healthy and normal behaviour for the adolescent phase of human development....pretending they shouldn't "do it" is feeble approach to teaching responsibility.

"Just say no" is a marooonic management strategy more often as not....especially with adolescent behaviour.

Harm reduction, while anathema to 12-steppers, has its place in some situations...prohibition made the bootleggers rich....and the cartels what they are.

Legalize some drugs and tax the bejeezuz out of it.....

Barry A. - 1-22-2008 at 02:24 PM

You said, "Ahoy, Matey....
And did you wait until you were in your 20's and married?"

------and the answer is-----Yes, and No, but I married her later when she came up pregnant, and the marriage lasted for 24 years.

It is called, "the responsible thing to do"----period! Jeeeeezs!!

backninedan - 1-22-2008 at 02:32 PM

Barry, what color is the sky in your world??

Barry A. - 1-22-2008 at 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Baja Bernie
Did you see the latest poll where only 3% of Americans trust NPR............the lowest of all the 'new's' media.

They rate even lower than the congress that keeps them in business and pays them.

I know that is not really funny.............but, hey, I didn't conduct the poll!

NPR-----tho it certainly "tends" to report from a "left point of view", I, as a Conservative Republican, appreciate them and listen to them during the day, and support them financially. You just have to pay attention, and realize their prejudices. I think they have improved dramatically in the past year, tho, and are now more fair and balanced----and they play great music between news broadcasts. :lol:

Barry A. - 1-22-2008 at 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by backninedan
Barry, what color is the sky in your world??

Blue, right now, but earlier it was gray. Why??? :no:

Hi Bernie,

djh - 1-22-2008 at 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Baja Bernie
Did you see the latest poll where only 3% of Americans trust NPR............the lowest of all the 'new's' media.

I always enjoy your stories!
Where did you get these statistics?

djh

djh - 1-22-2008 at 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Barry A.
I, as a Conservative Republican, appreciate them and listen to them during the day, and support them financially.

I have always understood and worked well with CONSERVATIVE Republicans OR CONSERVATIVE Democrats.... (fiscally conservative especially, eh?)

But what do you call this current administration.... (besides a bunch of looters)... It is anything BUT conservative....

And I wonder if ANY of those jockeying for position are any better..... Seems to me that the whole political system is no more than a corrupted "Encumbancy Protection System" . . .

And on another point.... Teenagers will, and do have sixx... Amazing, but many teens in this neck of the woods are out in the school parking lot (or across the street, etc.) performing "oral favors" while abstinence is being taught in the classroom..... (The amazing part: 1. The teens don't consider it "real" sex, and 2. Those pushing abstinence only curriculum think it is working...!)

Anyone seen my soapbox ? ?

DENNIS - 1-22-2008 at 05:06 PM

I'd respond to you, djh but, your freakin avatar drives me nuts.

Barry A. - 1-22-2008 at 05:38 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by djh

Quote:

Originally posted by Barry A.
I, as a Conservative Republican, appreciate them and listen to them during the day, and support them financially.

I am not going near the political stuff!!!

----but on the abstinance story----if the kids are not having "real sex" (within view of you) then they are not producing babies, and abstinance IS working, it seems to me. The kids in your neighborhood have actually "learned" something. (last time I checked, oral sex does not produce babies----and that is good). :smug:

mtgoat666 - 1-22-2008 at 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Baja Bernie
Did you see the latest poll where only 3% of Americans trust NPR............the lowest of all the 'new's' media.

All depends on who the polster was... here is a somewhat unbiased poll:

Public broadcasting’s news is the most trusted in the land, according to a new Harris telephone survey commissioned by the Public Relations Society of America, writes Broadcasting & Cable. The study showed that 61 percent of the general public trusted PBS and NPR over Fox News Channel, CNN, the broadcast network news operations, and major newspapers. 56 percent trusted top papers like the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, or the New York Times, and 53 percent trusted commercial broadcast and cable news.

Conservative radio talk show hosts were near the bottom of the trust list with 35 percent, followed by liberal talk radio show hosts at 31 percent.

The “trust” category actually combined three levels of trust: trust, trust completely, and trust somewhat. No medium got high numbers for “trust completely,” with newspapers topping that category at 13 percent.

bajadock - 1-22-2008 at 06:31 PM

Insightful thread on Baja violence, thanks.

Woooosh - 1-22-2008 at 07:26 PM

Quote:

The San Diego Union Tribune reported that the former TJ Chief of Police was getting $500K USD PER MONTH from the narcos. The levels below got less. Huge money.

Barry A. - 1-22-2008 at 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bajadock
Insightful thread on Baja violence, thanks.

What we have here is a 50% hyjack. :lol:

Woooosh - 1-22-2008 at 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by pappy
another shootout that happened thursday was reported in local ventura paper. cops vs bad guys in a neighborhood near border. raided a house. people killed and in the middle of it all, young school children. residents are demanding that a "heavy hand" comes down on all this nonsense....

Old news. Full story posted on anthoer thread. What is interesting though is that the Army chose shool hours to raid the narco safe house- contributing to the slaiughter of the children. Did Barney Fife do their SWAT training? No wonder the people hide.