Newspaper: Mexican media defenseless against gangs | ajc.com

Newspaper: Mexican media defenseless against gangs  ajc.com

We've already mentioned in prior postings that insurgents and organized criminal elements require 'psychological dominance' over their battlespace to succeed. This influence is needed to keep people in line. This influence erodes the people's confidence in its own government's ability to provide safety and security to the people.  This sustained activity of targeting journalists also counters the Mexican government's claim noted in my last posting that it claims to be winning the drug war.

This type of fighting is about perception folks.  Perception creates reality, at the local level first, then it spreads, or maybe boxed in by other prevailing realities and seen as an exception.

Additionally, this piece seems to highlight that some victims of cartel killings ARE NOT criminals.

What will be the local government response to this act? Will the crime be investigated? Will the killers be prosecuted? What is the local government doing to calm its population?  What is the local government doing to ensure it controls/influences the psyche of the people?

I highlight the term local government because insurgents and organized criminals do not have to overthrow a state to be effective. They do, however, need to influence subordinate elements of the state to meet their objectives...this means buying local politicians, economic leaders, police and security representatives.

Here's a thought for the day from the late counterinsurgent theorist David Galula. 

"The insurgent has to destroy all bridges linking the population with the

counterinsurgent and his potential allies. Among these, people (generally

the liberal-minded) inclined to seek a compromise with the insurgents will

be targets of terrorist attacks."

Galula, page 44 of COUNTERINSURGENCY WARFARE Theory and Practice

The Mexican cartels, insurgents, are severing any relationships between the indigenous population and the government of Mexico.  Additionally, the second line of the paragraph brings into question of legalizing marijuana...just a couple extra thoughts.