Mexico's Problem With Drug Cartel Warrants United States Military Intervention

Thank you for another very well organized and thought out rebuttal. I now will provide my response: Con points out from my last round, "He draws a really good example regarding prohibition, however it is turned to my side. Consider that since alcohol is now legal the black maret for it no longer exists." Moonshine is still bootlegged today as most of the United States regulates the percentage (proof) of alcohol. There are many strands of marijuana all of different potencies which the government would regulate much like they have done with alcohol. In turn, this would leave a black market for stronger and more natural marijuana. Again, con points out, "He makes another good argument about how prescription medication causes more deaths. However if you read his card, it only specifies abuse of perscription drugs (which is illegal) so the advantage is turned to my side." This helps to clarify my point regarding prescription drugs as we have failed to control them. Prescription drugs are commonly find their way in the wrong hands or are abused by those they are prescribed to leading to overdoses. This "historical precedent" shows that the same will likely be true if current drugs deemed illicit were to be legalized. Con suggests, "Pro argues that the drug cartels are involved in other crimes as well . Granted, but what kind of impact does this have? I mean obviously the drug cartels specialize n drug crime, so the majority of their crime would go away. " Their other crimes include extortion and kidnapping. As mentioned in the previous round in Phoenix, AZ alone there were 700 kidnappings from affiliates of the cartel in a two year period. Con writes, "Advantage one: Crime Down" I would like to thank con for the rebuttal on this as he so eloquently pointed out in his con position for the debate "The US Should Legalize all drugs" from 9/11/11: "...argument that crime will decrease due to legalization can be shown as false on many accounts. For one thing, there is a solid correlation between drugs and crime. The National Center for Victims of Crime[3] reports: 'In the 2004 Survey of Inmates in State and Federal Correction Facilities, 32% of State prisoners and 26% of Federal prisoners said they had committed their current offense while under the influence of drugs. Among State prisoners, drug offenders (44%) and property offenders (39%) reported the highest incidence of drug use at the time of the offense. Among Federal prisoners, drug offenders (32%) and violent offenders (24%) were the most likely to report drug use at the time of their crimes. ' Nearly 1/4th of violent offenses were committed under the influence. That is no coincidence. Drugs increase the probability of a person making an irrational decision including a crime, so logic shows us that drugs are a primary component in many crimes." Con points out in my 2nd round the following, " Pro Argues: 'our resources are not and should not be tied down in searching and destroying nuclear material.' --> What? We shouldn't spend our resources preventing a deadly nuclear attack, but we should spend them invading a sovereign nation over different types of herbs?" As I'm sure you, the voter, read before I stated, " Yes, nuclear war is bad; however, all of our resources are not and should not be tied down in searching and destroying nuclear material." " Border Fence Pro only argues that people can tunnel under the fence." Con must not have read my whole rebuttal to the border fence as I pointed out, " A border fence is not going to stop the illegal drugs that come through by vehicles, through the air, or by sea which is is how the majority of the drugs from Mexico find their way into the United States. Additionally, the border fence has failed to stop the drugs and immigrants that are tunneling their way under the fence." As for why we need intervention, which I supported in the violence that has effected America, I will elaborate further at the request of con. According to the State Department [4]: " No one can say for certain how many Americans have been killed in the escalating Mexican drug violence in the past several years, but the closest thing to an official list—the U.S. State Department's database of deaths of U.S. citizens abroad by non-natural causes—indicates that the number has been steadily increasing. At least 106 U.S. residents were victims of "executions" or "homicides" directly related to drug battles in Mexico in 2010, compared to 79 in 2009 and 35 in 2007, according to the State Department figures. Many deaths, disappearances aren't tallied. And experts—and the State Department itself—say the number is certainly much higher. For example, the State Department doesn't list several recent high-profile deaths that have been publicly linked to the drug cartels or cases in which Americans have vanished or been killed in the U.S. by Mexican drug gangs." This report goes on to state, "The cartels are pushing new boundaries when it comes to targeting Americans. Recent law enforcement bulletins have stated that cartels have instructed members to shoot and kill American border agents using AK-47 assault rifles, according to testimony presented March 31 at a hearing before the House Subcommittee on Homeland Security. 'The shooting of special agents Zapata and Avila is a game changer which alters the landscape of the involvement of the United States in Mexico's war against the drug cartels,' said U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, chairman of the subcommittee. 'For the first time in 25 years, the cartels are now targeting American law enforcement.' Gonzalez, the Texas sheriff, whose department sits on the other side of the Rio Grande from Mexico, said his officers have long seen evidence that the violence doesn't respect borders. 'The feds say our side of the border is safe,' he said, 'but we have bullet holes in our schools and businesses that say otherwise.'" According to Sheriff Paul Babeu in Arizona [5], " 'Mexican drug cartels literally do control parts of Arizona,' he said. 'They literally have scouts on the high points in the mountains and in the hills and they literally control movement. They have radios, they have optics, they have night-vision goggles as good as anything law enforcement has. This is going on here in Arizona,' he said. 'This is 70 to 80 miles from the border - 30 miles from the fifth-largest city in the United States."' It is evident that we are falling victim to these ruthless cartels as a result of the Mexican Govt allowing them to have free reign in their country as they make their way across our border. How long do we wait until we intervene with our military? I say we have waited long enough which is why I believe we use our military to put an end to these ruthless cartels, take back our border and country, and protect the citizens of the United States of America. 3. http://www.ncvc.org... 4. http://www.amren.com... 5. http://www.examiner.com...