BajaNomad

War on drugs VS war on terrorists

durrelllrobert - 4-18-2010 at 09:09 AM

The week in Mexico: 4-18-2010

By David Gaddis Smith, UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

Sunday, April 18, 2010 at 12:04 a.m.Drug violence has killed 22,700 since 2006: More than 22,700 people have been killed in Mexico's drug war since a U.S.-backed military crackdown on cartels began more than three years ago. A Mexican government report says 2009 was the deadliest year in the drug war, with 9,635 people killed in violence tied to organized crime. That compares with 2,837 in 2007, the first year of Calderón's military-led offensive. Gang violence has continued surging this year, with 3,365 people killed between January and March, according to the report.

This article does not provide a breakdown between the good guys and the bad guys (or non-combatant civilialns) killed but in comparison with the Iraq and Afghanistan wars the US and allied casualties (combat and non-combat) for the same time periods are as follows:
2007-1,021, 2008-469, 2009- 465 and 2010 (year to date) - 119 for a total of 2,074.

Although the US does not release enemy causualty statistics, most reliable sources put this at 10 to 1 in Iraq and 100 to 1 in Afghanasta for this same period which equates to approximately 13,800 in Iraq and 68,600 in Afghanastan or 82,480 total.

This makes the bad guy to good guy death ratio around 322 to 1. If the same ratio applied to Mexico's war on drug cartels there would only be 571 good guys dead VS 22,129 bad guys which is highly unlikely since the combined "foot solder" total for all 7 cartels is only an estimated 5,000 to 10,000.

Obviously the Mexican military and Federal/ State police just aren't doing as good as the US coalition. Is this because the cartels are better armed and trained than al-quada and the Taliban :?:

Barry A. - 4-18-2010 at 09:51 AM

----------comparing apples with oranges--------the objectives and therefore the practices (or MO) of each terrorist group is vastly different, it seems to me off the top of my head. Armies and Police operate very differently.

Barry

Is this because the cartels are better armed and trained than al-quada and the Taliban :?:

Bajahowodd - 4-18-2010 at 02:24 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Barry A.
----------comparing apples with oranges--------the objectives and therefore the practices (or MO) of each terrorist group is vastly different, it seems to me off the top of my head. Armies and Police operate very differently.

Barry


It's a question of motivation. Both the cartels and al qaeda are motivated by power. However, where they differ is that one is motivated by money and the other by religion.

monoloco - 4-18-2010 at 03:06 PM

There is no way to know how many of those "enemy casualties" were actually enemies, and how many were innocent bystanders, because truth is the first casualty of war.

DianaT - 4-18-2010 at 03:10 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by monoloco
....... truth is the first casualty of war.


:yes::yes::yes:


Like the way you said that, like it a lot!



[Edited on 4-18-2010 by DianaT]

Skeet/Loreto - 4-18-2010 at 03:41 PM

Question!

How many have died from Overdose's, car Accidents, Cancer etc because of DOPERS Drug use in the States by Ameicans Users????????????.

Stop the Use--No more Problems

Bajahowodd - 4-18-2010 at 03:43 PM

Can't really connect the dots on that, Skeet. If all of a sudden everyone stopped using drugs, how would that affect the mission of al qaeda?

Barry A. - 4-18-2010 at 07:08 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Bajahowodd
Can't really connect the dots on that, Skeet. If all of a sudden everyone stopped using drugs, how would that affect the mission of al qaeda?


-----does Al Qaeda derive profits from the opium poppy trade in Afgan to fund their weapons, etc.????? I am betting they do--------no druggies, no profits, no opium poppy production-----everybody is better off------dots connected??:O

Barry