Mexico at the Precipice: Are Lessons from Plan Colombia Operationally Relevant to United States Northern Command?

• Main Author: Dolby, John E.
• Other Authors: NAVAL WAR COLL NEWPORT RI JOINT MILITARY OPERATIONS DEPT
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2009
• Subjects: Sociology and Law; Unconventional Warfare; *DRUG SMUGGLING; *COUNTERINSURGENCY; *MEXICO; *COLOMBIA; LAW ENFORCEMENT; NARCOTICS; BOUNDARIES; THREATS; NATIONAL SECURITY; UNITED STATES; COOPERATION; DRUG WARS; DRUG CARTELS; MERIDA INITIATIVE; *DRUG TRAFFICKING; NORTHCOM
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA503220; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA503220

The violence from Mexico's ongoing fight against narcotraffickers has reached astounding proportions and poses a national security threat to the United States. There is currently a lack of a unified coarse of action for United States Northern Command (NORTHCOM) with respect to Mexico. United States Southern Command's (SOUTHCOM) experience during Plan Colombia can provide insight into how NORTHCOM might proceed through an integrated approach to counterinsurgency (COIN)training, border security and increased military to military cooperation. This paper will examine the history of the drug conflicts in both Mexico and Colombia and will look specifically at the Merida Initiative and Plan Colombia. It will discuss similarities and differences between the situations in Mexico and Colombia and discuss some possible scenarios for NORTHCOM to engage Mexico. Finally, it will make recommendations for NORTHCOM to move forward.