Trump wanted to bomb Mexico

[Res Ipsa]

Missiles and bombs don’t have a culture. Doing what you propose will inevitably kill innocent Mexican civilians, including children. Not only that, the strategy of destroying marijuana and poppy fields has been tried for decades without effect. It’s a failed strategy. Doubling down on a failed strategy is rarely successful.

Boots on the ground. Why is sending troops to some areas a bad idea? I don't think normal people in Mexico would try to fight the US military.

The easiest way to take the profit out of the drug trade is to remove the thing that made drugs so profitable in the first place. Legalize them. That’s certain to have secondary effects, like increased usage. But, as the price falls, the need for users to commit crimes To be able to afford them falls.

Then, take the money we are spending on our failed war on drugs and invest it in science based treatment for addicts.

I agree legalizing all drugs would be a huge blow to the drug cartels, but is it possible to convince US legislators to legalize all drugs? And if it ever happens, the business of child sex trafficking would still continue. Did you watch the video? https://youtu.be/SyuUGY4OlbE?t=630

Reducing poverty would also help.

It would, but there is too much corruption in Mexico. A lot of Mexican politicians work for the cartels.

Maybe you hadn't noticed, but invading other countries generally starts wars. Boots on the ground does not prevent the killing and wounding of civilians. Civilians will be killed, including children, a substantial percentage of Mexican citizens will get pissed off about that, terrorists (or heroes, depends on your point of view) will kill and maim American soldiers. And, based on history, there is absolutely no reason to believe that we could shut down the Cartels. An army isn't a magic problem solving tool. Do you see how many functional democracies we created in the middle east in 20 years with our military? That's not a knock on our military. It's a knock on people who won't learn from history and try to use the military for things it's not designed and trained to do.

[doubtingthomas]

The easiest way to take the profit out of the drug trade is to remove the thing that made drugs so profitable in the first place. Legalize them.

Frankly, it won't happen anytime soon. It would be much easier to convince politicians to send troops to Mexico.

So if the US government never legalizes all drugs, then what would the next solution be?

It's a knock on people who won't learn from history and try to use the military for things it's not designed and trained to do.

According to one poll, twenty-eight percent of Mexicans want the U.S. military to intervene on Mexican soil. Don't you think the US could easily create a campaign to convince most Mexicans that US military intervention is necessary?

Normal Mexican citizens wouldn't see the US military as an aggressor. The Mexican military sometimes fights cartels, what would be the difference if it's US military?

Civilians will be killed, including children, a substantial percentage of Mexican citizens

I am not saying the US military should blow up buildings in Mexico.

Do you see how many functional democracies we created in the middle east in 20 years with our military?

Mexico is not the middle east.

[doubtingthomas]

Maybe you hadn't noticed, but invading other countries generally starts wars.

And I don't think the Mexican military would dare to attack the US military. The Mexican military sometimes runs away from cartel members.

[Res Ipsa]

DT, I've done these never ending arguments with you enough that I think you are fully capable of reading materials to actually learn about topic instead of the cherry picked snippets you present her to support your motivated reasoning.

Step 1: Stop doing Dunning Kruger and admit that you don't know crap about the use of the military in the drug war, how the Mexican Army would respond to the U.S. invasion, how the rest of the world would respond to a U.S. invasion, how the Mexican people would respond to the U.S. invasion, how the Cartels would respond to a U.S. invasion, what armies are and are not capable of doing, etc. Having had a Mexican girlfriend and reading a couple of articles does not make you an expert on the military or Mexico.

Step 2: Research and read. Read about the Vietnam War and the Iraq/Afghanistan was and pseudo occupations. Read about past efforts to fight the drug war using military forces. Read about the consequences of invading other countries. Read about the whole history of the drug war. And do it from the stance that everything you think you know about these topics now is utter nonsense.

Step 3: Approach your own proposal with as much skepticism as you can muster. Figure out all the arguments for why this proposal you're in love with is a terrible idea. Take them seriously.

Step 4: Come back and we'll talk. You'll have the advantage, as you'll be a hell of a lot more educated than I am in the relevant fields.

You're simply being intellectually lazy here, and demanding that others do what you should have already done.

I'm out.

[Morley]

Not true.

Yes Morley, not true.

The Wired article isn't 10 years old, it is 10 years and 6 days old. Also, the Dallas Morning News poll (conducted by a person with a BA in Journalism) that it is based on was published two days prior to that. So, the poll conducted by a local news outlet was actually published 10 years and 8 days ago. Double fail on your part.

Damn. I almost got away with it.

[Res Ipsa]

Yes Morley, not true.

The Wired article isn't 10 years old, it is 10 years and 6 days old. Also, the Dallas Morning News poll (conducted by a person with a BA in Journalism) that it is based on was published two days prior to that. So, the poll conducted by a local news outlet was actually published 10 years and 8 days ago. Double fail on your part.

Damn. I almost got away with it.

And you would have gotten away with it if it weren't for those meddling kids Steusses.

[doubtingthomas]

Damn. I almost got away with it.

Apparently you did.

[doubtingthomas]

Step 1: Stop doing Dunning Kruger and admit that you don't know crap about the use of the military in the drug war, how the Mexican Army would respond to the U.S. invasion, how the rest of the world would respond to a U.S. invasion, how the Mexican people would respond to the U.S. invasion, how the Cartels would respond to a U.S. invasion, what armies are and are not capable of doing, etc.
I'm out.

I don't claim to be an expert, you said, " Such an attack at the request of the Mexican government would be an entirely different matter." So why can't the US military help the Mexican military?

The US is capable of forcing Mexico to ask for help, it's called sanctions. The US could be like: We help you fight the cartels or we sanction you.

I'm out.

Cartel members are kidnapping and killing thousands of children, but looks like you don't care. Or the fact that drugs are killing thousands of Americans.

Read something recent about Mexican cartels.

Na, it was many years ago when I first read about the Mexican cartels.

[Morley]

Normal Mexican citizens wouldn't see the US military as the aggressor.

Arizona, California, New Mexico, Texas, Nevada, Utah, and part of Colorado.

[doubtingthomas]

Step 3: Approach your own proposal with as much skepticism as you can muster. Figure out all the arguments for why this proposal you're in love with is a terrible idea. Take them seriously.

Okay fine, I won't argue with you. It would be very helpful if you answer my question.

If the US government never legalizes all drugs, then what would the next solution be?