Combating Mexican drug cartels: Is there a military solution?

In this show, Chris, Melanie, and Zack consider the different
military options being considered to combat Mexican drug cartels.
Are the cartels that manufacture and distribute drugs that kill
Americans, particularly fentanyl, a threat to US national
security? If so, is military action, with or without the approval
of the Mexican government, a viable solution? And if a military
operation isn’t a great idea, are there other ways to stop the
tens of thousands of fentanyl and other drug-related deaths that
occur in the United States every year? Melanie remembers Andrew
Schwartz, a force of nature at CSIS who passed away earlier this
month. The crew has shout outs for Ukraine’s drone manufacturers
and researchers Jessica Batke and Laura Edelson on “The Locknet,”
regarding China’s control of the Internet. Grievances for the
Trump administration’s handling of staff cuts at the State
Department, and for strong-arming allies regarding a hypothetical
conflict with China over Taiwan.


 
Show Links:



Dan DePetris and Chris McCallion, “No GWOT-NARCO: The Perils
of Making War on Cartels,” Defense Priorities, July 2, 2025




Simon Shuster, “The Hidden War Over Ukraine’s Lost Children,”
Time, July 17, 2025




Caitlin Doombos, Ronny Reyes, “Trump Discussing Drone ‘Mega
Deal’ with Ukraine—As US Tech Lags Behind Adversaries,” New
York Post, July 17, 2025




Neal Urwitz, “Andrew Schwartz Must be Remembered,” National
Security Journal, July 18, 2025 




Christopher Preble, “A Credible Grand Strategy: The Urgent
Need to Set Priorities,” Stimson Center, January 25, 2024




Demetri Sevastopulo, “US demands to know what allies would do
in event of war over Taiwan,” Financial Times, July 12, 2025




Jessica Batke and Laura Edelson, “The Locknet: How China
Controls Its Internet and Why It Matters,” ChinaFile, June
30, 2025




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