Violence

Mexican authorities recovered the bodies of five men who were dumped on the side of road in the northern state of Zacatecas. The deaths raised to 41 the number of people killed over the weekend due to drug prohibition violence.

Undersecretary of the Army Joseph Westphal, the second-highest ranking civilian official in the U.S. Army, described the situation in Mexico created by drug prohibition as an insurgency and fretted over a scenario in which armed U.S. soldiers could be called to the border and/or into Mexico. Westphal is the most senior U.S. official to publicly compare Mexico’s drug cartels to an insurgency since Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made a similar assessment last September. Westfall — who said he was expressing a personal opinion, but one he had shared with the White House — said he didn’t want to ever see a situation in which "armed and fighting" American soldiers are sent to combat an insurgency "on our border, in violation of our Constitution, or to have to send them across the border."

At least 17 people -- including three young students -- were killed due to drug prohibition violence in northern Mexico this weekend.

Officials are warning U.S. citizens not to drive at night in parts of the western Mexican city of Guadalajara after suspected drug trafficking organizations burned vehicles and blocked streets there.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano issued her now famous warning to drug trafficking organizations, saying: "Don't even think about bringing your violence and tactics across this border. You will be met by an overwhelming response." Dave Gibson opines that prohibition-created drug trafficking organizations have already been bringing their tactics across the border. For instance, seven months ago, Nogales, Arizona Police Chief Jeff Kirkham announced that his department had been warned by a Mexican drug traffickers that his officers would be targeted for murder if they carry out another off-duty drug bust. Chief Kirkham said, "The warning was...that the officers, if they are off duty, are to look the other way and ignore any drug trafficking loads that are coming across the border, otherwise they will be targeted."

A retired army general who took over a month ago as police chief of the drug prohibition violence-wracked Mexican border city of Nuevo Laredo has been shot to death along with two of his bodyguards.

Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu said that a showdown with drug trafficking organizations is just around the corner. "We're going out to directly meet these cartels. We're saying this is coming through our county and we've had enough," he said. The sheriff has recently purchased 130 new semi-automatic rifles and night vision goggles. In Pinal County, they're holding an offensive position to counter the members of drug trafficking organizations and the bandits looking to steal drugs in the desert.

A series of high-profile murders of U.S. citizens along the border with Mexico has raised fears about drug prohibition violence spilling over into the United States.

Suspected drug trafficking organization gunmen hurled grenades, burned vehicles and blocked streets in a rapid series of attacks in Mexico's second-largest city. The seven attacks within two hours appear to have been coordinated. A policeman and two transportation workers were injured in the attacks.

The LPGA has canceled the $1.3 million Tres Marias Championship in Mexico due to concerns over drug prohibition violence.