Narcosurgents: Applying Counterinsurgency Lessons in Mexico

Based on Fort Bliss, Texas, Joint Task Force North (JTF-N) is a joint service command comprised of active-duty and reserve component soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, coast guardsmen, Department of Defense (DoD) civilian employees, and contracted support personnel. JTF-N is the DoD organization tasked to support our nation’s federal law enforcement agencies in the identification and interdiction of suspected transnational criminal organizations’ activities conducted within and along the approaches to the continental United States.

For this project, the Capstone team has been asked to explore how the financial linkages of the Mexican cartels are self-sustaining, including understanding how groups are using the US economy and weapons to harm US relations and domestic security. Students will also look at the diplomatic angle– what are the ways in which the US can work through bilateral cooperation in law enforcement, financial institutions, and diplomacy  to lessen the power of the cartels in Mexico? What is the policy space that would enable those conversations considering a broad range of actions?