.....So what are the destination countries doing to address the import of small arms into their countries? I can imagine there are a number of strategies to prevent the importation of arms. Well regulated air traffic, surface vessel tracking, and land border surveillance are necessary parts of border control. Perhaps the ATF can consult with destination countries to improve their borders....

Second response – that's what they call a patronising answer from someone who hasn't even got his feet wet. Been there done that, for decades. Read the Wall Street Journal article for a snapshot of the billion dollar drug industry. You have absolutely no idea of the history of these countries. Then look at the BBC documentaries. Ignore the reporter just listen and observe the Hondurans. Then you can tell us what the strategy should be to deal with someone who has a dirty great big wad of cash and as many guns for hire as he needs.

http://www.wsj.com/ad/cocainenomics
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pT4AxQ2YbtQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoEe59hDVfs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3n00dKYEh0

.....There are always issues with criminals that cross borders to avoid law enforcement.

I was initially unsure about whether the linked articles had supported their claims but found further on that there appears to be some foundation. I felt that the linked articles provided were fairly one sided treatments of these complex issues. Of course given the partisan nature of the authors this could be expected.....

I have said before the issue is complex. Feel free to provide a reference for the other side that shows what a great job the US is doing tracking weapons and making it difficult for criminals to access them . You can explain to everybody why the Tiahrt and Dickey amendments are such great pieces of legislation. Excuse me if I state that simply building a wall and blaming everyone south of the border isn't just one-sided, it's plain stupid. Even if we ignore the latest drone technology, people have been tunnelling under, flying over and sailing around that southern border for decades.

I haven't even scratched the surface. All the references you have had so far, are superficial outlines. People have been fighting these wars for decades and dealing with all their social consequences. If the US see the solution as building a wall, then let them totally butt out of the region. Let them deal with the drug problem on their territory. Look on the bright side for the paranoid Right, if the whole of Central and South America becomes a Cartel haven, at least it will be free of Lefties and Islamists!

Unravelled said "that's what they call a patronising answer from someone who hasn't even got his feet wet. Been there done that, for decades. Read the Wall Street Journal article for a snapshot of the billion dollar drug industry. You have absolutely no idea of the history of these countries. Then look at the BBC documentaries. Ignore the reporter just listen and observe the Hondurans. Then you can tell us what the strategy should be to deal with someone who has a dirty great big wad of cash and as many guns for hire as he needs."

Answer- I think most people have some understanding of the power of the drug industry from the history of the golden triangle

Give it away Mad Dog, your initial patronising answer evidently translates your some into minuscule. Then barking up the wrong tree by trying to equate two vastly different drug regions merely emphasises just how minuscule.

Hi there UNRAVEL...

It seems to me the basic tenor of your argument is; where there is an 'industry scale', drug running operation is concerned, so accompanies it with illicit F/A's - Almost as if they're in lockstep as it were. Have I got it right?

You appear to assert the US are the main culprits for supplying illicit weapons south of the Rio Grande. The do contribute no doubt. There's also a burgeoning market available for South America arms manufacturing, and they tend to make quite decent weapons as well. Far removed from your 'Saturday Night Special', handguns that've hitherto emerged from the Republic of the Philippines, ('Squires Bingham' and similar).

Among them is the 'Bersa'; an Argentinian Company, & the 'Taurus'; a Brazilian outfit. Both of whom are tooled up to produce military grade weapons.

UNRAVEL what precisely do you mean by; '...getting your feet wet...' and '...been there done that...'? Are you making admissions you've engaged in the illicit trafficking of F/A and Drugs; or you've been involved in law-enforcement, thus the interdiction process of the same illicit commodities? You'll need to explain it to me simply, because I'm not very smart.

Lastly to employ such a deprecatory remark ('Mad Dog') toward another contributor, is in very poor taste in my opinion. And if repeated face to face, might well involve you own 'unravelling', UNRAVEL?

Is this what you call tag-teaming o sung wu?

Your analysis of my posts is the same as your analysis of Ian Smith. That is, woeful.

Let's start with your last.

“...Lastly to employ such a deprecatory remark ('Mad Dog') toward another contributor, is in very poor taste in my opinion.....”

I'm just responding in kind, “...................Unravelled said "that's.....”

If Bad Dog wants to play games changing Unravel to Unravelled, I'll play too, changing Bad Dog to Mad Dog. So feel free to show off your biased opinion. It just affirms what we already know.

“And if repeated face to face, might well involve you own 'unravelling'.....”,

Is that a threat o sung wu?

“....Almost as if they're in lockstep as it were. Have I got it right?”

Politically you are dead Right, which is why your analysis of what I've posted to date is dead wrong.

“'...getting your feet wet...' and '...been there done that...' ......................... You'll need to explain it to me simply, because I'm not very smart.”

I don't need to explain anything to you. If you choose not to follow the logical flow of what I responded to, that's you making that choice not your intellectual capacity. Take responsibility for your personal choices o sung wu, don't blame your genes, your education or any other factor for that self-loathing of your own intellect. It's dead easy being a cognitive bludger, you've got a brain like everybody else, you just have to take personal responsibility for the reasons you choose not to engage it.