thedrifter
01-29-09, 08:51 AM
Web Posted: 01/29/2009 12:00 CST
Commander tells Marines ailing Mexico 'off limits'
Express-News -
As the Mexican government pushes back against the drug cartels, the nation is virtually under siege, with both citizens and officials terrorized by the increasingly desperate criminals.
The alarm is seeping over to this side of the border.
In California, a Marine commander has made Tijuana, along with nearby beaches, off-limits for the 44,000 members of his unit, USA Today reported recently.
The area, traditionally, has been a popular spot for Marines seeking R & R, but those days have disappeared amid the crime spree plaguing the border from Nuevo Laredo to Tijuana.
Citing the wave of violence in Mexico, Lt. Gen. Samuel Helland, who heads the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Pendleton, has extended indefinitely the order he issued during the Christmas holidays.
“The situation in Mexico is now more dangerous than usual,” Mike Alvarez, the civilian public information officer for the unit at Camp Pendleton, said. “The intent is just to look out for the Marines' safety and wellbeing.”
Aside from Juaréz, where more than 1,600 people died in drug-related violence last year, Tijuana has been the border city hardest hit by the cartels. More than 840 people were killed last year, compared with about 330 the year before. It was the bloodiest year ever in the border town about 30 miles from San Diego.
Violators could face a court martial — a harsh but necessary measure. Marines are trained for emergencies, but the situation in Mexico is no less dire for a soldier than it is for a tourist. The State Department has issued a travel alert for Americans going to Mexico.
As a manifestation of the menace spreading across the border, the travel restriction for the Marines may seem inconsequential. It is not. When a branch of the military feels threatened, we should all be alarmed.
Ellie
Commander tells Marines ailing Mexico 'off limits'
Express-News -
As the Mexican government pushes back against the drug cartels, the nation is virtually under siege, with both citizens and officials terrorized by the increasingly desperate criminals.
The alarm is seeping over to this side of the border.
In California, a Marine commander has made Tijuana, along with nearby beaches, off-limits for the 44,000 members of his unit, USA Today reported recently.
The area, traditionally, has been a popular spot for Marines seeking R & R, but those days have disappeared amid the crime spree plaguing the border from Nuevo Laredo to Tijuana.
Citing the wave of violence in Mexico, Lt. Gen. Samuel Helland, who heads the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Pendleton, has extended indefinitely the order he issued during the Christmas holidays.
“The situation in Mexico is now more dangerous than usual,” Mike Alvarez, the civilian public information officer for the unit at Camp Pendleton, said. “The intent is just to look out for the Marines' safety and wellbeing.”
Aside from Juaréz, where more than 1,600 people died in drug-related violence last year, Tijuana has been the border city hardest hit by the cartels. More than 840 people were killed last year, compared with about 330 the year before. It was the bloodiest year ever in the border town about 30 miles from San Diego.
Violators could face a court martial — a harsh but necessary measure. Marines are trained for emergencies, but the situation in Mexico is no less dire for a soldier than it is for a tourist. The State Department has issued a travel alert for Americans going to Mexico.
As a manifestation of the menace spreading across the border, the travel restriction for the Marines may seem inconsequential. It is not. When a branch of the military feels threatened, we should all be alarmed.
Ellie