These units would need Rules of Engagement sufficient to defend themselves and to conduct offensive operations against Cartels along the border as well. Another force that can be added to the Light Infantry Divisions' infantry brigades, the US Army could also deploy Mechanized Infantry units. These differ quite a bit from Light Infantry. Mechanized Infantry are meant to travel with Armored forces and fight as a combined arms team, and bring Armored Fighting Vehicles like the Bradley with its armor, ability to carry an entire squad of infantry, and its 25mm light cannon and anti armor guided missiles. A brigade of Mechanized Infantry from the 1st and 3rd Infantry Divisions would not deplete or tie up the entire Division but would provide massive firepower more than capable of dealing with the heavy weaponry of the Cartels. In addition to the mechanized/armor equipment they would provide, they also bring to the fight more Aviation assets in the form of Rotary wing assets like Blackhawks and Apache attack helicopters.

These units could further be supplimented by other force multipliers. Every infantry unit has organic to it Sniper teams which are directly assigned to and report to the Battalion S-2 (intelligence section). They are tailor made for persistent surveillance operations in a covert manner, and intelligence gathering operations as well as interdiction operations.

These forces sound great but this is a large force spread over vast areas, responding to multiple points monitored by a massive field of widely diverse sensors. This means you need a higher headquarters unit stationed somewhere to truly take command and coordinate these operations and units effectively. A Headquarters unit from one of the Mechanized Infantry divisions like the 1st Infantry or 3rd Infantry would be needed. Placement is KEY here.

Arizona and Texas are the front line in the border war, and they provide the answers to this. A unified command under a headquarters unit at Fort Huachuca Arizona would be Ideal. It is home to one of the largets NSA listening posts in the world, and is the home of US Army Intelligence command. It is the ideal location to coordinate US Army, Border Patrol, DEA, FBI, NSA, and CIA efforts to protect the border, like one giant fusion center providing highly advanced C4I capability to the force.

Secondary Command posts in places like Fort Hood, Texas would also be highly advantageous. There are other sites that would also need to be utilized.

To sum up, many have called for actions against the Cartels in the wake of the murder of 9 unarmed American women and children. Several of them, myself included, have called for using JSOC (Joint Special Operations Command), better known as USSOCOM, to actively target and destroy the Narco Terror organizations. I do not back away from this, and i believe this is the ultimate answer. It is not without precedent. In his book 'Killing Pablo', Mark Bowden lays out in great detail how the shadowy Intelligence Support Activity and a fusion unit of the US Intelligence Community codenamed 'Centra Spike' actively tracked and ultimately killed Pablo Escobar, the first violent Narco Terrorist whom the Mexican Cartels model their operations on.

https://www.amazon.com/Killing-Pablo-Worlds-Greatest-Outlaw/dp/0802123783?SubnoscriptionId=AKIAILSHYYTFIVPWUY6Q&tag=duckduckgo-d-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=0802123783

Something similar could be done with respect to the Cartels in mexico. The operations against Bin Laden, Al-Zarqawi, and Al-Baghdadi bear this out. Ultimately i believe this is the answer to the problem. Mexico is a failed state, too corrupt, too overrun to effectively deal with the Cartels. US Intervention will be necessary in the future, as the Narco Terror organizations present a Clear and Present Danger to the National Security of the United States.

But Lt Colonel MacGregor is right: we need to get serious about truly securing our border before any Covert or Overt actions to dismantle the Cartels can be attempted.

Thanks for taking time to read my thoughts on Border Security and Counter Narcotics operations. For further information on the Battle of 73 Eastings, please look here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJNk7DcFIkk

And yes, i wrote that while enjoying an ice-cold *mexican* Coca Cola.

Thread 👇

https://mobile.twitter.com/drawandstrike/status/1192559740339073024

👀👇i have to say i find myself in total agreement with Stu. One additional note: Cuba is close. They can go there and never come back, too

https://twitter.com/STUinSD/status/1192554032201707522

#deepstate #CIA lawyer Mark Zaid, the Obama White House, and the planned #coup attempt to overthrow the incoming president of the united states. The story of #Sedition #seditiousconspiracy & a #coup involving the #CIA the obama white house & connected #leftwingsubversives

https://mobile.twitter.com/TheGeorgianVern/status/1192497241451311105

My President. #maga

https://mobile.twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1192640102943674368

🚨#NATSEC #FISAabuse #abuseofpower #spygate
WATCH. THIS. CAREFULLY. 👇

https://mobile.twitter.com/Techno_Fog/status/1192632302830080001

🤔 #MSM #EnemyOfThePeople

https://mobile.twitter.com/rising_serpent/status/1192652243956314113

This is *exactly* the right question! 👇 #china

https://mobile.twitter.com/rising_serpent/status/1192664012544196609