Money Wrong Solution to Drug Cartels

CNN is in the middle of a four part feature on drug cartels. Monday's story helped put how much death and money is involved in this border crisis. The fear that this violence will start spreading into states along the Mexican border is real, however the real impact has yet to be seen. Below are a couple of excerpts from the story.

So far, the U.S. has largely been spared the violence seen in Mexico, where the cartels' running gunbattles with police, the military and each other claimed about 6,500 lives last year. It was a sharp spike from the 2,600 deaths attributed to cartel violence in 2007.

Once again, drug war casualties are mounting on the Mexican side at a record pace in 2009 -- more than 1,000 during the first three months of the year, Arabit said.

I don't believe America can solve this crisis by throwing more money at the problem. When will people start to understand that money can't solve every problem? Our government is burning their money with this increases. It's frustrating to admit, but I think doubling the amount of troops will only increase in the amount of American bloodshed. A DEA agent comments to CNN about the violence spilling over and effecting innocent American lives.

"It's coming. I guarantee, it's coming," said Michael Sanders, a DEA spokesman in Washington.

Sinaloa cartel leader Guzman's shoot-to-kill instructions aren't limited to Mexican authorities and cartel rivals; they also include U.S. law enforcement officials, the Los Angeles Times reported, citing sources and intelligence memos. The move is seen as dangerously brazen, the newspaper reported. In the past, the cartels have tried to avoid direct confrontation with U.S. law enforcement.

U.S. officials are trying to stop the violence from crossing the border.The Obama administration committed to spending an additional $700 million to help Mexico fight the cartels and agreed to double the number of U.S. agents working the border.