GOP Eyes 'Going to War' Against Mexico's Cartels Over Fentanyl Crisis

From “cyber warfare” to sending in “special forces” to target cartel leaders in Mexico, prominent Republicans are increasingly embracing the notion that extreme measures must be employed to tackle the raging opioid crisis in the US.

Drug cartels reportedly control upwards of a third of Mexico's territory, and to take them out of the equation would require a lot more than the “weak” border policy espoused by the Biden administration, according to Congressman Mike Waltz (R-Fla.)

“We need to start thinking about these groups more like ISIS* than we do the mafia,” Waltz, said in an interview for US media.

Over 107,000 Americans met an untimely death in 2021 as a result of overdosing either on illicit drugs or prescription opioids. Two-thirds of those fatalities have been attributed to the painkiller fentanyl, which is far more toxic and deadlier than heroin. Judging by data presented by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) in December 2022, “most” of the fentanyl pouring in is being distributed by two Mexican cartels, with the required chemicals “sourced largely from China.”

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Together with Reps. Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas), Waltz earlier introduced a bill that would authorize the use of certain US military capabilities against the drug cartels in Mexico.

“They are defeating the Mexican army. These are paramilitary entities with billions and billions at their disposal,” Waltz stated.

When introducing legislation for creating the Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF), Rep. Crenshaw said:

“The cartels are war with us – poisoning more than 80,000 Americans with fentanyl every year, creating a crisis at our border, and turning Mexico into a failed narco-state. It’s time we directly target them. My legislation will put us at war with the cartels by authorizing the use of military force against the cartels. We cannot allow heavily armed and deadly cartels to destabilize Mexico and import people and drugs into the United States. We must start treating them like ISIS – because that is who they are.”

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Mike McCaul (R-Texas) is reportedly “still evaluating” the AUMF bill, “but has concerns about the immigration implications and the bilateral relationship with Mexico,” a GOP source on the panel was cited as saying.

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Previously Donald Trump, when he was POTUS, mulled placing Mexico's drug cartels on the State Department’s terrorist blacklist. Now, amid his emerging campaign for another term in the White House, Trump has purportedly been deliberating with policy advisers on any military options available to target Mexican drug cartels, according to sources.

In a January video, Trump slammed the cartels that were "waging war on America," adding it was "now time for America to wage war on [the] cartels." He also deplored Joe Biden's open border policies as "a deadly betrayal of our nation."

Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has repeatedly warned that the US would not be allowed to conduct cross-border armed operations, saying in March that, "in addition to being irresponsible, it is an offense to the people of Mexico.”

Amid speculations regarding the possibility of using military force to crack down on the cartels, National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said:

“The administration is not considering military action in Mexico,” “Designating these cartels as foreign terrorist organizations would not grant us any additional authorities that we don’t already have."

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"* Daesh (ISIS/ISIL/"The Islamic State") is a terrorist organization banned in Russia and other countries.