Pubdate: Fri, 27 Mar 2009 Source: Macon Telegraph (GA) Copyright: 2009 The Macon Telegraph Publishing Company Contact: http://www.macontelegraph.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/667 Author: Charles E. Richardson, for the Editorial Board OLD SUPPLY AND DEMAND RULE AT WORK ON OUR SOUTHERN BORDER The United States standard of living, even in these tough economic times, sets the pace for the rest of the world. We drive bigger cars, live in larger houses and spend more money per person than any country on Earth, and there are, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, more than 306 million of us. We are the envy of the other 6.4 billion people inhabiting this planet. We are also the consumers who support the economies of several countries, and some of that consumerism is in the illegal drug trade. Just like Japan exports Toyotas and Hondas to satiate our appetite for vehicles, Mexican drug cartels will stop short of nothing to meet the American demand for illicit drugs. With any product that sells well there is natural competition in the supply chain. Everyone wants to corner the market. In Mexico, rival drug cartels are at war, all wanting to control the American drug market. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is in Mexico this week and has caught some flak for admitting U.S. complicity in the drug war along our border with Mexico. All Clinton was referring to is the oldest rule of commerce: Supply meets demand. The casualties in the border drug war has cost more lives, 7,200, in a year, almost 20 per day and, so far, it's been one-sided. Killing is just another part of conducting a business that rakes in $15 billion annually. Since Felipe Calderon, the Mexican president, took office and declared war on the cartels, the attacks have become more brazen. Last May, Mexico City's top cop was ambushed and killed in Culiacan. Just last month Police Chief Roberto Orduna of Ciudad Juarez, one of Mexico's most violent cities, quit. Drug gangs threatened to kill a police officer every 48 hours until he stepped down. It was no bluff, They had already killed the deputy police chief and more than 50 officers last year. President Calderon mobilized more than 45,000 troops to throttle down the cartels and the U.S. is providing financial, intelligence and tactical aid. Secretary Clinton is seeking to supply Mexico with three Black Hawk helicopters to help in the war effort, and there is a possibility President Barack Obama would put National Guard troops along the border. That would certainly slow down the drug trade, however, the Mexican government doesn't like that idea. In 2006, Mexicans sent $23 billion back home. After oil, money sent home by immigrants, legal and not, is Mexico's second-largest source of foreign income. No matter what America does to close off the border with Mexico, illegal immigration and drugs will continue to be vexing problems until demand falls off. So far, the trend lines would make any businessman happy. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom