Afghanistan,

[Hurlshort]

Mexico was in much worse shape twenty years ago. The peso was completely devalued for awhile there in the 80's. Currently their economy is as stable as it has ever been, which is surprising given the current state of the world economy.

 

edit: I realize that doesn't really relate to the drug war per se, but what I'm saying is Mexico isn't close to collapse here. I think I get Wals comparison a bit better, in that the drug war in Mexico is similar to the was in Afghanistan due to the nature of the enemy. I just don't think the countries themselves bear much similarity. Mexico has 16 companies on the Forbes top 100 list, after all. It still has a sickening divide between the rich and the poor, but it isn't a country in ruin.

Edited October 18, 2010 by Hurlshot

[Calax]

Hurl, I think that's closer to 30 years ago.

 

That said, I think Mexico is gonna end up in a position where, nominally, it's controlled by the government but they can't control certain parts of the country because they're kicked out (violently) by the cartels. In order for them to "take back" those sections it's basically gonna have to be an army intervention.

[Hurlshort]

Hurl, I think that's closer to 30 years ago.

 

That said, I think Mexico is gonna end up in a position where, nominally, it's controlled by the government but they can't control certain parts of the country because they're kicked out (violently) by the cartels. In order for them to "take back" those sections it's basically gonna have to be an army intervention.

 

I'm getting old

 

There have always been a few Mexican states that were pretty much out of the reach of the government. It's basically dense jungle in some of these regions. As I said, the US has these areas as well, although the yokels out in the Appalachians aren't quite as well trained as the Zapatistas in Chiapas.

[Monte Carlo]

Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico, 1992. A naval officer in a bar told me on no account to stop for the Federales, "They will steal your car."

 

Oh well, the scenery was nice, the people were great and the beer was cold.

Edited October 18, 2010 by Monte Carlo