New insurgency requires U.S. attention

The United States is worried about the insurgency, with its guerilla tactics, car bombs, grenades and roadside IEDs.

The Obama administration has announced its intention to send millions of dollars to help the beleaguered government deal with the crisis, but no troops -- yet.

Instead, the White House wants to give the national authorities three Black Hawk helicopters worth $80 million and deploy 450 more law enforcement officers at the border to help stop drugs coming into the United States and guns and money into Mexico.

Yes, this insurgency is fueled not by oil money and ideology or religion, but by drugs for U.S. consumers.

Should we be worried?

Last month, a couple of dozen masked gunmen raided the work site of a U.S. company and stole more than 900 pounds of water gel explosives and detonators.

Last year, shootouts between law enforcement and drug cartels resulted in 7,200 deaths in Mexico, and border towns are feeling the effects.

Forbes magazine named Mexican drug lord Joaquin Guzman, also known as El Chapo, to its list of the world's richest people.

Ironically, some U.S. anti-drug efforts have played into the hands of people like Guzman.

Anyone trying to buy decongestants containing pseudoephedrine -- the key ingredient in methamphetamine -- has noticed that it takes a special trip to the pharmacist, the amount that can be purchased is limited and IDs must be shown.

As a result, fewer would-be meth cooks are able to ply their trade. In the first year of the new rules, Nebraska meth lab busts plunged to 21 compared to 228 the year before. The downside, however, is that more of the meth being consumed in the state is now a higher-potency drug produced in industrial-scale labs south of the border, producing more profits for the drug lords.

The mounting crisis in Mexico is all the more reason to end U.S. involvment in Iraq and Afghanistan as soon as possible.