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Tipping Point? Girls Playing in Yard Killed in Drug Related Shooting

Tipping Point?  Girls Playing in Yard Killed in Drive-by Shooting

24Feb11- Three teenage girls were murdered in a drive-by shooting as they were playing in the yard of a home in Ciudad Juarez.  Two of the girls were sisters, one was a friend.

Government officials stated the murderers were targeting the father of the girls over a possible “low-level drug” deal.  

In a separate incident, three other early teenage children were wounded in a shooting on a vehicle in Ciudad Juarez.  The three adults in the vehicle were murdered.

Comment/Thoughts:

1.       This is the kind of incident the Mexican news media should be leveraging to address the residual impacts of a society that becomes apathetic to cartel activities.  No, the killings were not known to be tied to a cartel, but the fact Mexican society has become apathetic towards crime in general means society is breaking down within the town.  Ciudad Juarez is a fiefdom outside the control of the Mexican government.  Ciudad Juarez is a failed town run by criminal insurgents.  Ciudad Jaurez is North America’s Fallujah and ar Ramadi, Iraq.  Only a surge, combined with a local citizen movement is going to change things around.  Killing innocent children should be a battle cry to fight the cartels and any similar activities.

2.      How many orphans does Mexico have a result of this drug war?  What is happening to them?  Are they being recycled into the fight?  What is the government of Mexico doing for them?  This generation of orphans represents to possible future challenges to the state of Mexico, if not dealt with properly.

3.      This report, along with similar reports, should be played by both the US Government and the Government of Mexico over and over.  It needs to be included in a strategic communications campaign effort. 

4.      This is exactly the kind of activity US citizens do not want bleeding over into the US, especially from the town of Ciudad Juarez which borders the US.

Source:  3 young girls killed in Mexico border attack

The Associated Press

Police attack Mayor Near Monterrey, MX

Garcia, Mexico's Mayor Jaime Rodriguez Calderon stated he was attacked by police colluding with the drug cartel Los Zetas.

Just hours previously, cartel gunmen muredered a former deputy police chief in an area within Monterrey.

Monterrey is stated to be in the middle of a tug of war between Los Zetas and Gulf drug cartels. 

Fed Case Clearly Connects the Dots Between Baltimore and Mexico’s Cartels

Fed Case Clearly Connects the Dots Between Baltimore and Mexico’s Cartels

Article addresses cartel running from Texas to Baltimore, Maryland. Recognition features are noted...features that can be reported to the police if you notice them.

Guardsman Arrested As Part of Cartel Roundup

Guardsman Arrested As Part of Cartel Roundup

US National Guardsman is arrested for ties to Mexican drug runners.

Soft Kill 2 – The Cartel Way

Soft Kill 2 – The Cartel Way

The last post “Soft Killing a DTO” addressed the importance of separating the Mexican population from the cartels. 

This piece is about how the cartels separate the population from the Mexican government, and US laws.   While this effort may not directly be the narcos fault due to media and movie industry efforts to profit from current events, cartels are known to hire bands to sing ballads about their exploits.  That said, it is reasonable to believe Drug Trafficking Organizations (DTOs) may have supporters in the movie industry.

Music, media and religion not only represent culture, they shape and reinforce culture.  Culture helps set social mores/standards/rules, beliefs and practices acceptable by society at large. 

This article Narco culture glamorizes violent lifestyle in Mexico and in Texas shows exactly what ‘Antonio’ claimed is luring Mexicans into the cartel way of life. 

Warring drug cartels fighting for turf in Mexico, especially near the border, seem to be winning a battle for the hearts and minds of many young people enticed by the power, money and flashy images that glamorize the narco lifestyle.

The key points of this article by Angela Kocherga are:

• Songs and movies of the cartels glorify cartel criminal activity
• Traffickers and hit men post videos of their criminal activities online,  along with music
• University of Texas at El Paso professor, Howard Campbell, calls it "a counterculture of criminality." Campbell is an anthropologist and the author of  "Drug War Zone: Frontline Dispatches from the Streets of El Paso and Juarez." 
• These activities are luring Mexicans into a life of crime, “especially the young” due to the façade of easy money, women and glory.
• There is also reportedly a growing spiritual element to the narco culture in the form of giving reverence to Santa Muerte, Saint Death.  Coincidentally the largest shrine to this saint lies in the black market area of the Tepito section of Mexico City.  Reverence in the form of offerings is also given to the criminal Saint Malverde.  Both Saints have been claimed to be associated with people with ties to the criminal world.  The Catholic Church is having problems disrupting this activity.
• Candles venerating both saints can be found in stores around the US.  Some candles have been found in areas considered somewhat rural like Fredericksburg, Virginia as of late 2010.

Dominate or be dominated. 

 Posting Source:  Narco culture glamorizes violent lifestyle in Mexico and in Texas

  

Soft Killing a DTO

Soft Killing a DTO

While we hear much in the local media about the power of Drug Trafficking Organizations (DTOs), we hear very little about the regrets some of its members may have; this is one such article by Brownsville, Texas’s , “The Herald”.

One former Zeta under the pseudonym “Antonio” gives article readers and video watchers insights into the culture, modus operandi and life of a narco-insurgent.  He notes how one DTO uses imagery to infiltrate and subvert men’s souls into a life of bloodshed.

This video, and article, is a tool that should be used by Mexican and US law enforcement authorities to disrupt the image and narrative presented by DTOs by exposing the realities and costs of living that lifestyle.  It should be followed with a program to aid members wanting out with a transition program to lure them out from their former life of crime.  The video serves as a potential soft power tool; many more should be made and widely propagated.

“Antonio” now advises young people, the target recruits, to avoid shortcuts and misperceptions of the easy and glorious life by focusing on getting a good education and living close to God.   

Below are a number of interesting elements of the article:

Modus Operandi

·    Targeted killings involved the use of photos for identification, as details leading to the target.  If the wrong targets are killed, violators were reportedly punished by getting beat with a piece of wood.

·    Hugs were used to lure one to their execution.

·    The DTO maintained a variety of uniforms and vehicles to facilitate the hits.

·    It was customary to draw up pseudo courage before they would go on missions.  They would drink “Buchanan’s whiskey” and/or use some cocaine to get them through a mission and not feel guilt.

Life

·    “Antonio” left los Zetas in 2006 before things really began to get bad.  Before that he served as a policeman where he notes the police were heavily infiltrated and used to conduct or facilitate DTO operations.

·    He was once a purported senior ranking member of Los Zetas.  “Antonio” claims to have killed 32 people;  his past actions haunt him today.

·    He was initially lured into los Zetas in order to make more money to support his family, but later noted the alluring image of money, women and splendor were all a façade.  This image is reinforced via the use of “narcocorridos”, musical ballads.

  

Reality

·    If you don’t follow orders, you die.

·   You constantly fear for the safety and security of your family.

·    Deceased targets were later moved for dismemberment and/or burial.

·    “The way out of the organization included a number of tasks that the former gunman refuses to talk about. He did say he had to turn over all his properties, his cars, his money and his weapons.” Remember this was 2006.

·    “Antonio” continues to live in constant fear for his life.

Culture

Some DTO’s appear to have a spiritual aspect to them.   One noted academic noted the only way most members leave the organization is by death.  “Antonio” is appears was given a ceremonial death.

Take Away

Law Enforcement and Security Organizations need to prosecute an overt information awareness campaign highlighting dangers associated with supporting DTOs.  This is something the US Department of Homeland Security, US Department of State and Mexican authorities should target.  For only by disrupting the cartel’s psychological dominance over the population will Mexico have a chance to survive.  Until this dominance is disrupted or broken, Mexico DOES NOT HAVE A CHANCE to survive as a fully functioning state.

Source:  The Brownsville Herald. 2011.  Zeta recalls his life, warns against it. http://www.themonitor.com/articles/-47256--.html (accessed 20 February 2011).

English Version of Video


Spanish Version of Video

The Mask of Subversion - A Snap Shot

20 February 2011

Note:  The purpose of this piece is to introduce readers to the issue of subversion and its impacts on social stability and instability.  Infiltration and subversion are key elements of irregular warfare, formerly known as low-intensity conflict.  Infiltration and subversion is a thinking man’s game as the subversive is often materially weaker than his opponent.  His survival and success is based on his ability to infiltrate, position, deceive/manipulate/shape the environment, maneuver, set and execute an ambush.

The Masks and Impacts of Subversion – A Snapshot

Subversion is a means used by various actors to undermine the sovereignty and stability of a locality or state for profit or geopolitical gain. The act of subversion may be intentional or consequential, but the victims under both circumstances are the civilian populace as society and stability are altered or destroyed. Governmental, security and financial voids result, and whichever actor is quicker and best organized can exploit this to their benefit in order to control desired territory, or even a state. Thus subversion may start in a local community, but later develop into a regional problem. The repercussions of subversion highlight the interconnections of subversive actors and their impacts in the international system. Three examples are Mexico, Lebanon and possibly Egypt.

What is Subversion?

Subversion is defined as “a systematic attempt to overthrow or undermine a government or political system by persons working secretly from within” (Merriam-Websters, n.d.). Once can go further and say this can include any organization, not just a government or political system.  Such efforts may be deliberate or consequential. With regards to the state, a systematic effort may be in the form of a campaign plan in order to take full control of a locality, a nation-state and its people. In a consequential sense, organized criminal elements, driven by profit, may only be concerned with disrupting government control over key territory or related mechanisms in order to continue their trade. However, states consist of a system of systems that affect the whole body. Thus if one town is subverted, the resulting social and economic impacts may destabilize other areas leading up to the state. Simply said, if a neighborhood has problems, the wake of its damage may resonate to city, county, state and then nation until the whole country finds itself weak and left exploitable by opportunists with nefarious objectives.

Subversion involves the use of soft and hard power. Soft power may be in the form of disinformation, propaganda or even humanitarian programs a targeted population may find appealing – a carrot (Nye and Owens, 1996). Hard power comes in the form of cold hard force, lethal force such as murder or torture - coercion- a stick (Nye, 2006).

The use of direct and indirect approaches may also be used by those who employ subversion. Indirect approaches involve the use of covers or fronts to appear legitimate on the surface, yet have nefarious intentions at heart. Subversives therefore attempt to infiltrate a target in order to become a part of the government in order to increase maneuverability for their organizations, but with legitimate protections offered by the state.  Think of water when thinking about indirect approaches. Water travels the path of least resistance, is often subtle- clandestine and exploits whatever gaps left open. Direct approaches may be in the form of targeted kidnappings and or killings- overt.

Subversives may also leverage what one purported former KGB operative called “useful idiots” (Bezmenov, 1985). “Useful Idiots” are ideologues who unwittingly support objectives that run parallel to the interests of the subversive (Bezmenov, 1985). During the Cold War, intellectuals, media and ideologues were molded and influenced a manner to help push Soviet objectives (Bezmenov, 1985).  Like minded infiltrators and subversives may attempt to use similar tactics in the modern age to fell geopolitical opponents in order to shape conditions towards their interests.

Subversives will use all approaches and forms of power to achieve their objectives. Their primary modus operandi to gain power and influence is by infiltration. So, like the devil, subversives will make you feel good, that all is great until the subversive takes possession of your soul. Then the mode changes from carrot to stick is one finds themselves a slave in order to avoid death.

Mexico

Mexico is the perfect example of subversion by consequence. Various drug organizations are competing for key terrain in order to produce and ship their cargo in to consumer states, such as the United States. One Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO) known as La Familia uses a combination of approaches and power to exert force on local governance infrastructures drive a wedge between legitimate governance and the population in order to secure its interests. What often works in favor of the DTOs is that the preexisting governance structures are already weak. Lack of jobs, opportunity and high corruption make the local populace desirous of change. Some opt for supporting the DTOs who fill a void left open by the government of Mexico. The DTOs need support of the population in order to do their business. If they cannot buy local support, they may instill fear in a population so they do not interfere with their operations.

La Familia will provide jobs to the unemployed, offer drug rehabilitation assistance and render them spiritual aid by church.  In exchange for these benefits, the people will traffic, torture and kill for the cartel (Grayson, 2010, III).  DTOs use another soft power tool to expand their control and influence over their areas of interest; they are shaping Mexico’s culture, a culture “of criminality” (Kocherga, 2011).  This is dangerous in that such an effort only perpetuates and sustains instability in the minds and hearts of future Mexican citizens.  Criminal activity becomes socially acceptable.    The government of Mexico is often viewed as corrupt and ineffective due to its inability to provide jobs, education and a future for its current population,  as well as future generations of Mexicans (Kocherga, 2011).   Cartels and the media are able to leverage these failures of effective governance in their favor.  Traffickers are seen with money, women and guns, thus creating a false god for future generations of Mexicans to follow.  So while the cartels may not necessarily be insurgents in the form of wanting to overthrow a constituted government, the continual shaping of perceptions will likely push the population to move into this direction.  

Their [La Familia’s] ruthlessness allows them to have psychological dominance over the population. While they achieve this degree of control via hard power via torture, decapitations and murder, the wake left by these terrorist acts remain as soft power and keep people under control. And while the nation of Mexico has no death penalty, the cartels do. This gives the cartels another psychological advantage over the people. The effects continue however in that if a cartel member is jailed, he will not likely be prosecuted and will return to the street to take revenge against those who put him in jail. Thus the cartels, not the state, control the territory of la Familia (Grayson, 2010, 46).

This [La Familia] is just one organization in one part of Mexico. However there are multiple DTOs that are conducting similar actions in other parts of Mexico. These parts of Mexico have become fiefdoms, where lawlessness pervades and the government is essentially helpless in stopping it. Cartel related deaths have climbed from 2006-2008 at 7,000 lives to just under 36,000 in early 2011 (Córdoba and Luhnow, 2011).

Mexico’s apparent inability to meet the needs of the people through effective governance created voids for DTOs to exploit. This may all lead to a failing state, or at least a state that will always exist in some form of conflict. These continued voids may allow international terrorists, nefarious state actors or other organized criminal elements to create new bases of operation which can then spread into the United States (Rourke and Boyer, 2010, 172). During bad economic times, people will do what they feel necessary to survive and may prostitute themselves to the dollar/dinero. The cartels dominate the hearts and minds of the Mexican people from both the soft power and hard power perspectives.  This is extremely critical as Napoleon once said, “In war, the moral is to the material as three is to one.”  Unless the government of Mexico disrupts this hold, the state has no chance of regaining control over the territories it has already lost.  And, if the government does not meet the needs of its people the subversion will only expand. The potential for further destabilization in the region exists.   

Read the rest...  The Mask of Subversion - A Snap Shot