Should the U.S. Engage in Direct Action Against the Cartels?
BY Herschel Smith
At one time the cartels made most of their money from drugs. Today, it’s people. This video breaks some ground concerning things on the table for the cartels.
There is also this video that may be of benefit.
When I posed this question earlier, I don’t think most readers are considering the depths of the problem, how far the roots go, the interconnectedness of the world economy today, or how difficult and intransigent this problem is.
For the record, I agree with the commentator above. If the U.S. sends “The Unit” in direct action military action against cartel targets, the notion that any target will escape with their lives is beyond ludicrous. It’s not going to happen. I’d say the same thing if we sent MARSOC, approximately so.
Because we can and would win each individual engagement, does that mean we should? Well, no, not necessarily so. But as I said above, this will prove to be an intransigent problem.
The comments on my earlier post remained stateside and focused on drone warfare. Well, the cartels have drones too, and have sanctioned the use of them against ICE agents. Drones fighting drones and retaliatory strikes after retaliatory strike isn’t a viable option. Neither is shutting down the border never to trade with any other country again. You want watch this video to understand what I’m saying. I can’t embed it – you’ll have to click away to watch it.
The U.S. is one of the largest oil producers in the world. We don’t use a drop of the oil we produce, nor can we. Our refineries are outfitted to produce another type of oil that can be used for transportation. Refitting our refineries to produce the oil we use would cost billions upon billions of dollars and likely bankrupt the oil companies, and certainly wouldn’t happen in time to prevent a complete and comprehensive shutdown of all traffic in America, every truck and car, coming from everywhere and going to everywhere.
Furthermore, simply engaging in combat across the border will invoke nation on nation warfare. The cartels are shooting on border and ICE agents as we speak. So the notion that we can avoid near peer conflict and achieve an adequate resolution is already off the table. It was never on the table. You can cross that option off of your list. It’s not viable.
Then there is the issue that law enforcement isn’t going fast enough or engaging in operations far-reaching enough to have the necessary impact. There are protests across America, probably funded by Soros and his organizations. There was one a few miles down the road from me this weekend.
NEW: Group of protesters waving Mexican flags harass a man flying an American flag on his truck in Idaho Falls, Idaho.
Only in America.
The incident happened as several hundred people gathered near the Broadway Bridge to pledge their support for Mexico as they protested… pic.twitter.com/qiCGIRw4rQ
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) February 2, 2025
Salem, Ore. — A @SalemPoliceDept officer was surrounded by Mexican nationalists at a protest on Feb. 1 against the U.S. for deporting illegal foreign nationals. After getting back in the car to drive away, they beat on his windows. Video by @davidmedinapdx:pic.twitter.com/QPyBs9CI71
— Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) February 2, 2025
Blocking traffic, and disorderly conduct. And the officer just drove away as they beat on his car.
NOW: Anti-ICE protesters are blocking both sides of the 101 Freeway near the Alameda Street exit in DTLA. The CHP has since closed that portion of the freeway. Read more: https://t.co/K60ImdzmDi pic.twitter.com/iO5ARSTyTL
— KTLA (@KTLA) February 2, 2025
“Whose streets? Our streets!” chants as anti-ICE and pro-immigrant demonstrators march in downtown Dallas, Texas pic.twitter.com/C2A5QnlV8z
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) February 2, 2025
It’s not like the enemy is outside the gates and all we have to do is keep the gate intact. The gate has been broken for decades. To them, they are “La Raza.” The Nation. And this is their land, so they see it. They won’t give it up without a fight.
So call in the militia. Or not. Will the government do that? Probably not, and neither could you indemnify yourselves from actions you would take as a militia member.
We are more intertwined with this problem than we ever were in Iraq or Afghanistan. It’s not even close, and nothing we did there would be of any benefit to us. We have no largesse to spread. There isn’t enough money to go around to stop this conflict, especially when we are enacting tariffs on Mexico (as we probably should).
I’m not making recommendations for action of any sort, nor am I recommending against actions of any sort. What I’m saying is that the comments to the previous post don’t even come close to recognizing the depths of the problems we face with La Raza, the cartels, the human trafficking problem, or a near peer enemy on our southern border.
On February 2, 2025 at 9:35 pm, Ozark Redneck said:
Well, I still think drones should be a big part of the picture. I am talking about Reaper drones that killed Soleimani from Iran. I think it should be a coordinated effort where in a weekend, we kill all the leadership, head guy, next in line etc. Then destroy the fentanyl factories with cruise missiles, sink the boats that brought the fentanyl precursors, and destroy the docks that they docked at. Perhaps, we would give the clueless president of Mexico a warning, don’t let these ships dock, or bad things will happen in the future. But, as far as I know all the politicians are ‘on the take’, so that won’t happen.. I read in the comments of your video you posted, that we should hire the Colombian army to help do the ground work. I have also read we should hire the US contractors who served in GWOT, and saw on X that Erik Prince already volunteered. Not sure about the ground troops, that could get messy… As far as the drones the cartel are using on each other, from my research this is commercial drones modified for ‘death from above’ yes, a danger to Border Patrol, but not on the level of a Reaper…
On February 2, 2025 at 11:25 pm, Chas said:
I’m thinking a suppressed .22 rifle from a concealed position would have a serious impact on these protests… Just a thought…
On February 3, 2025 at 8:04 pm, Bradley Graham said:
Stay away from crowds and have a backup plan.The military won’t protect you nor will the police.
If you think you and your family are immune from racial, political or religious violence then you will fail the final test.
There are no victims only volunteers…..
On February 3, 2025 at 10:19 pm, Latigo Morgan said:
It’s not a matter of “if”, it’s a matter of “when”. The conflict is inevitable. Our so-called leaders ignored and profited from the cartels for too long. Getting rid of them is going to be painful.
On February 5, 2025 at 10:06 am, Bill Buppert said:
This talk of taking the war to the cartels in Mexico is imprudent and I have questions:
So how successful have drug interdiction efforts by the DEA and associated agencies and bureaucracies been so far?
We’ll just go back to 1972 to make the history simpler.
Once you eliminate the foreign importers (I am suspending my disbelief), how will this stop domestic production for a very hungry market segment? Will it involve anything that affects everyone’s liberties like surveillance, asset forfeiture & seizure and the militarization of police even further.
Will it require an even deeper surveillance of everyone’s financial transactions? Will it involve the elimination of cash to make surveillance and tracking easier? Will it result in many more SWAT and no-knock raids and the commensurate wrong addresses and and innocents maimed and killed?
Do you think there will be no response or blow-back from the cartels once the kinetic war begins on the cartels which are intimately connected to the Mexican government? Is your assumption that the contiguous border between the two countries is non-porous and there are no action cells sleeping this side of the MX border that can be activated?
Is your assumption there is zero relationship between jihadist sleeper cells in America and the coyote/courier railroad that got them in here undetected? Does the same apply to Chinese national sleepers?
Last, are you assuming that American provision of advanced weapons to Ukraine will not incentivize Russian provision of weapons and technology to the Mexican government and the cartels?
Is anyone in government red teaming these questions left of bang?
SGM Vining would cast doubt too
On February 5, 2025 at 12:46 pm, Herschel Smith said:
@Bill,
“Is anyone in government red teaming these questions left of bang?”
IDK. I’m not on red team.
However, I would reiterate the following observations.
1. I would prefer that we lock down the border like it was the Berlin wall. That’s not going to happen. The global economy is too intertwined today to do that. I am at heart an isolationist. Isolationism will never return.
2. Remember that the main income for the cartels today isn’t drugs. It’s humans. Every human that comes across is yet another drain on our medical system and will eventually crush it lifeless.
3. I would prefer that we export all illegal aliens. That’s not going to happen.
Stay out of crowds. Hope that you and your family don’t have to go to ERs. That’s their main care provider. As is surgery for stabilization. It’s all done on your back.
On February 5, 2025 at 7:53 pm, Gryphon said:
The very First Thing to get a handle on the Problem is Stop ALL ‘Welfare Payments’ to Non-Citizens, whether they are here ‘Legally’ or Not. Just like DOGE shutting down the USAID Scam, loss of Freebies will have a Massive Impact on the Immivaders. The resulting Chaos may be ugly, but it will serve to reveal just how Extensive the Problem is, and maybe a few more ‘normies’ will get a Red-Pill Suppository.
Second, CRUSH the Employers of the illegals. Start with ‘Big Ag’ like Tyson and Hormel, the Meatpacking Plants. JAIL the C-Suite Managers under the existing Laws that prohibit Aiding and Abetting Illegal Aliens. Make it so the Employers Fear to hire even One of them.
Third, Establish English as the Official Language of the Nation and Government at all levels. Prohibit the nonsense of State Motor Vehicle Administrations from issuing a Driver’s License to non-English Speakers. Prohibit all “English as a Second Language” programs in Schools. Teach them English, Period. (My Father was Born in New York City, to (Legal, Green-Card) German Immigrants. He went to a Public School where there were Kids who were from a Dozen or more Nations. A couple of Kids speaking anything but English, even at Recess or the Lunchroom, got SMACKED by the nearest Teacher.)
On February 6, 2025 at 7:11 am, Bill Buppert said:
Herschel, you and I agree on all your points.
The biggest tangle is the chaos swirl of Federal agencies that happen to be on both sides of these drug/human trafficking enterprises doing their Keystone Kops routine. Historically, no intelligence agency on Earth can stay away from large and successful criminal enterprises (non-government) to try to get a vig or use the criminal Rolodex/surveillance files to manipulate politicians and other nations.
Like USAID, those revelations if they see the light of day will rock whatever faith remains in the US Classified Empire in the Intelligence Community.
On February 8, 2025 at 2:02 pm, Grunt said:
Lots of talk about what the US mil will do. Not much about what the cartels will do. An excerpt from a statement by General Grunt;
Toe to Toe we will prevail. They have no depth of fighters, no depth of logistics. No airforce, no attack helicopters. What they do have is terror. Say they start blowing up school buses. Then send an envoy to Big T saying if you don’t back off, we will accelerate our terror against buses. WE WILL KILL YOUR BUSES! Pick your scenario. Then who flinches. Dangerous game we are about to embark on. But as a blowhard general, I must say we will prevail, because after all, ‘Murica.
ps If i do fail against the cartels, there is always a job in the Mil Industrial complex for me.