U.S. military may provide help in Mexico drug war

  It appears the day could come when the militaries of the United States and Mexico cooperate to battle illegal drug gangs in Mexico, especially along the border.

  The escalating drug violence which is filling Mexico morgues with bodies is a matter of growing concern for officials on both sides of the border.

  Mexico's national government sent 5,000 troops this past weekend to Ciudad Juarez across from El Paso, Texas. Hundreds have been killed there -10 a day in February alone. More than 6,000 were killed in Mexico in drug violence in 2008, according to The Associated Press.

   To curtail the violence in Ciudad Juarez, Mexican soldiers are expected to patrol the city for at least several months. The military presence is being described as a "surge" to crack down on drug gangs.

  The reference to the military "surge" tactic used with success by U.S. forces in Baghdad is no accident. It appears that high level military contacts have been taking place between Mexico and the United States.

  The chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Mike Mullen, just returned from Mexico after consulting about the drug violence crisis there and indicated the U.S. military could offer techniques it had learned from fighting terrorist groups in the Middle East.

  U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates echoed those sentiments recently, saying on NBC's "Meet the Press" that the drug violence is a serious problem and that he sees opportunities to provide military training, equipment and other resources.

  "I think we are beginning to be in a position to help the Mexicans more than we have in the past," he said. "Some of the old biases against cooperation ... between our militaries and so, I think, are being set aside."

  Clearly, this level of violence, especially on America's border, is a worrisome security concern. It also destabilizes an otherwise peaceful neighbor.

  If the U.S. military can provide technical and tactic assistance for Mexico's war against its drug cartels, it would be beneficial for both nations.