Synopses & Reviews
The drug war has claimed thousands of lives in Mexico and now the violence has crossed the border into the United States. Nearly 40,000 people have already lost their lives south of the border, and now the cartels have moved their operations north and into our cities. Having followed Mexicos cartels for years, security expert Sylvia Longmire takes us deep into the heart of their world to witness a dangerous underground where people will do whatever it takes to deliver drugs to willing American consumers, including using armies of submarines that transport narcotics along the Central American coast, a network of secret tunnels used to smuggle tons of illegal drugs north, a no-fail system of transporting high-powered assault weapons south, marijuana farms inside our national parks, and meth houses in the Midwest. Drawing on her vast expertise in national security, Longmire offers real solutions to the critical problems facing Mexico and the United States, including programs to deter youths in Mexico from joining the cartels and changes that should be made to drug laws on both sides of the border. This is an important look at how Mexicos drug wars are compromising our national security, and a pressing call to rethink our relationship with our southern neighbor.
Review
"Longmire offers fresh insights into almost every facet of the war on drugs . . . One-stop shopping for basic knowledge about U.S.-Mexican narcotics diplomacy." -- Kirkus Reviews
"In Cartel Sylvia Longmire furthers our understanding of a very complex health and national security issue south of the border and within the United States itself."--Malcolm Beith, author of The Last Narco
“Cartel is a well-balanced blend of organized crime 101 and thought-provoking analysis of the current violence in Mexico. Its an important addition to the current body of work on the criminal underworld that continues to spread its presence and influence north of the border into the United States. Readers will find themselves on the front line of this decades-old drug war that has finally crossed our border--Samuel Logan, author of This is for Mara Salvatrucha
"There's a real need for an easy-to-read, one-stop-shopping overview of the myriad issues facing us from Mexico's cartels. Longmire allows people to finally have the context to make sense of the drug war."--Nicholas Stein, Series Producer, National Geographics Border Wars"Longmire's hard hitting, law enforcement-centered view of the situation on our border with Mexico is valuable and timely. Her up-to-the-minute, fact based account provides a much needed perspective on a problem that has been hijacked by exaggeration, and hyperbole and outright misinformation. It should be required reading for all who care about making our borders more secure."--Terry Goddard, former Arizona Attorney General 2003-2011
“From an experienced cartel analyst and special agent, this is a powerful and very comprehensive look into the broad scope of Mexican drug violence and its impact on the security of our nation. One of the best books I've seen to understand Mexican cartels, border violence, drug trafficking and the ramifications of spill-over crime into America. I encourage you to read this book.”--Fred Burton, VP Intelligence, Stratfor, and author of Chasing Shadows
“The insights here are invaluable—and essential. Longmire's depth of knowledge and analysis come in well-crafted prose thats as thrilling to read as any novel and compelling for even the most casual reader.”--David Silverberg, Editor, Homeland Security Today
Synopsis
One-stop shopping for basic knowledge about U.S.-Mexican narcotics diplomacy."--Kirkus Reviews
About the Author
Sylvia Longmire served as senior intelligence analyst on drug trafficking and border violence for California. She has been interviewed on Geraldo at Large, CNN and CNN International, and BBC World Radio, and her writing is regularly featured in Homeland Security Today magazine. Currently, Longmire is an independent consultant and testifies as an expert witness on US asylum cases.
Table of Contents
Author's Note
Introduction
The War Inside Mexico
Drug Trafficking in the Twenty-First Century
From Mexico to Main Street: An Illegal Drug's Journey into America
The Biggest Armed Force South of the Border
The Second-Biggest Moneymaker for Cartels: Kidnapping
The Mexican People
Felipe Calderón's Plan to Save Mexico
The Fight to Stop Cartels North of the Border
Marijuana Growers in the United States
Restoring Faith and Taking Mexico Back from the Narcos
Improving Security Along the Border and Beyond
Conclusions: Managing a War That Can't Be Won
Bibliography
Notes