blog 10- Mexican War on Drugs

In recent news, the Mexico continues to battle it out with drug cartels over the illegal monopolization of cities all throughout the country. For decades, the United States has backed Mexico during their struggle against the cartels for several reasons, one of these reasons is because drug violence is channeled through Mexico across the border and effects the lives of many US citizens dwelling close to the Mexican border. The basic strategy for the Mexican government to eliminate this heinous social issue is simple, eliminate trafficking.

                The issue with this plan, regardless of the help from the United States, is that it is often difficult to know your enemy. The men and women in charge of the movement of large quantities of narcotics across borders are in very elusive disguises. They appear as everyday fathers, mothers, sister, priests, government officials, and honest workers. The hardest moral dilemma for the Mexican government is how to fend off such cartels without racking up an astronomical body count of both police and civilians. Thus far, over 63,000 are dead due to cartel activity across the country.

                According to the New York Times article, cartels are actually seen to choose peace over war making such aggressive efforts from neighboring forces even more difficult. Cartels have been witnessed to “pick their own wars” on multiple occasions. For example, cartels battle cartels, not the US or Mexican government. The illusive nature of their illegal activity is no doubt a cesspool of violence and destruction, destruction in both forms—destruction from warlike initiatives as well as in the form of societal destruction from the use of narcotics. 

http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013-04-12/opinions/38492205_1_cartels-drug-violence-trafficking 

Nathaniel Funkhouser

04/19/2013

3:46pm

Blog 9- Threats from North Korea

         In recent news regarding the tensions between North Korea and the world, it seems as though the North Korea has sent a warning to those in the South who are able to leave the peninsula to do so because, according to propaganda efforts on behalf of the north, the two sides are on the brink of a nuclear war. This threat of a “nuclear standoff” is nothing new for the citizens of South Korea. In fact, as stated in a previous blog of mine, many South Korean citizens have become all too familiar with the threat of violence and destruction from the North and claim that if tensions do warrant war, they are prepared to fight back.

            South Korean military/government officials have little faith in the stability of North Korea’s new and young leader, Kim-Jung Un. In fact, some South Korean officials think that these violent threats are nothing more than childish threats to instil fear in other nations as well as an initiative to insight another nuclear arms race. In response to the threats from Kim-Jung Un, several nations have committed to withhold trading and “concession” with the north. As for the United States, efforts have been made not to feed into the antagonizing efforts of North Korea in an attempt to halt any further escalation in tensions. This is a rather new strategy for the United States, historically.

            The next couple of months shall no doubt be an interesting time in regards to this new call-to-action initiated by Kim-Jung Un. Will nations rise up against the imposing dangers of a nuclear standoff with North Korea? Or, will North Korea’s leader, Kim-Jung Un, eventually “cool off?” The answer is hard to fathom, not to mention a bit nauseating when contemplating the possible outcome of such an engagement. You and I, along with the rest of the world, shall wait and see. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/10/world/asia/south-korean-leader-seeks-to-end-vicious-cycle-with-north.html?pagewanted=all 

Nathaniel Funkhouser 

04/12/2013

2:37pm

Blog 8- Threats from North Korea

    In rather recent new, Kim Jong-Il’s air to the throne, Kim Jung-Un, has spoken out about possible threats against China, South Korea, and the United States claiming that a “state of war” exists on the Korean Peninsula.  For decades, the world has watched as the former dictator of North Korea stockpiled some rather potent and massive weaponry. Now that the throne has been taken over by Kim Jung-Un, the world continues to witness the instability of this powerful situation.

            In recent weeks, the world has watched as North Korea’s leader has threatened the use of a nuclear attack on South Korea and the United States. In response to these threats, South Korea’s leader, Park Geun-hye, has ordered her generals to “strike back” if provoked—a very bold statement and precursor to what may become of this situation.

                These impending dangers rise few concerns for those South Korean citizens dwelling just below the border of North Korea. Interestingly enough, panic is at a low. One South Korean citizen states, “Korea is the most dangerous place in the world, but we are numb to it. If something happens, we will all die together, so I don’t really think about it.” Many of the citizens of South Korea plan to migrate closer to the center of the country if the threat of war becomes too high. Despite the dangers of a possible nuclear attack, South Korean citizens continue their lives in an orderly fashion. If need be, South Korea is prepared to fight back against their neighboring North. One South Korean woman states, If this is just going to continue until we give aid, then let’s just give them some aid, Then they’ll be quiet, and leave us in peace.” 

 http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/06/world/asia/south-koreans-at-norths-edge-cope-with-threat-of-war.html?_r=0 

Nathaniel Funkhouser

04/05/2013

2:27pm