Cartels’ Advanced Technology a Growing Threat to US

Christopher Holton, senior analyst at the Center for Security Policy think tank, told The Epoch Times that the United States is facing an adversary in the cartels that rivals terrorists such as the ISIS terrorist group in the Middle East.

The cartels pioneered the use of drones by non-state actors as weapons. They armed them with grenades and rocket-propelled grenade warheads to attack their rivals, he said.

And while the U.S. military has advanced intelligence-gathering aircraft, such as MQ-9 Reaper drones and Boeing P-8 Poseidon aircraft, Holton said one disadvantage the U.S. military faces with the Mexican cartels is that it would almost certainly need permission from Mexico to engage them in battle.

For that reason, he said, he does not foresee U.S. airstrikes or drone strikes targeting the cartels.

The U.S. military also has superior capabilities for monitoring and tracking cellular communications, he said.

Holton said even if the Mexican government agreed to U.S. strikes, the cartels have infiltrated every aspect of Mexican society, including the government, meaning the cartels would likely be tipped off to a strike.

He said the Mexican cartels act as a “shadow government” operating behind the official one.

According to him, the most likely military scenario would be a covert special operations campaign to take down the cartels.

“One of the great advantages of special operations forces [is] the ability to bring firepower to bear on the enemy,” Holton said.

“Four special operators with a radio can do a lot more damage than a whole platoon or company of soldiers just armed with rifles and machine guns and things like that.”

Whatever happens, he said, the United States needs an endgame.

“What does victory look like?” he asked.

“We have to have a road map to victory. We have to have a situation where we know when and how we’re going to win.”

Read the whole report HERE.