The Moment

3|25|09: Mexico

It is a convenient and long-standing tradition in Mexico to blame its problems on the U.S.--and one that's now finding agreement from surprising quarters. "Our insatiable demand for illegal drugs fuels the drug trade," declared U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton en route to Mexico on March 25. "Our inability to prevent weapons from being illegally smuggled across the border ... causes the deaths of police officers, soldiers and civilians." Mexico has seen more than 7,000 drug-related killings since early 2008, and the violence now threatening to spill north hasn't escaped attention. Late last year, somewhat hyperbolically, a Pentagon study lumped...

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