US readies border surge if Mexico criminal insurgency spills over

Guardian:

Spiralling drug violence in Mexico has prompted US authorities to plan a "surge" of civilian and military action should the mayhem spill across the border between the two countries

The outgoing US homeland security chief, Michael Chertoff, said on Wednesday that plans had been drawn up to deploy aircraft, armoured vehicles and special teams, including military personnel, to trouble spots if civilian agencies were overwhelmed.

"We completed a contingency plan for border violence, so if we did get a significant spillover, we have a surge - if I may use that word - capability to bring in not only our own assets, but even to work with [the defence department]," Chertoff told the New York Times.

A total of 5,500 people have died in Mexico this year in confrontations between rival cartels fighting for control of lucrative smuggling routes into the US. In 2007, 2,300 people were killed in drug-related violence.

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I think the criminal insurgents do not want to have anything to do with the US if they can avoid it. There biggest fear is being captured and shipped to the US for trail where they can't buy their way out of jail.