Richard Grabman wrote another informative post, this time on El Barbie (Eddie Valdez), the drug trade and US policy. Read it. My only comments:
-- The US "war" on drugs (and Mexico): Could it be driven by less remunerative contracts in Iraq and the need to keep what's left of the US economy going by maintaining spending for the US economy in the military-industrial complex via a transfer (to also cover a cut in Mexico) to the narco "war?"
-- Mr. Grabman seems to assume less "business" is done in US prisons with the outside world than in Mexico. I challenge this.
-- Maybe we should keep drugs illegal. The entrepreneurial spirit among Mexican Mafia types will redirect economic activities if the drugs are legalized, as can be seen in the recent slaughter of immigrants who apparently turned down employment opportunities with said Mafia. The Mafia's branching out from drugs might hurt more innocent people.
--La Barbie should definitely be kept in Mexico.