The wars, if I remember correctly, started when _systematic_ & orderly corruption ended. And that may have come from U.S. pressure on the Mexican government to control the trade. When they tried to do so, civil war broke out. I think Bustelo argued persuasively that it should be called civil war -- it is of that magnitude. When the police ceased regulating the trade, the caratels started killing each other also I believe.
One partial 'solution' I imagine would be a return to state 'supervision' of the trade and cessation of attempts to stop it. What many Mexicans want is for the U.S. to legalize drugs.
Carrol
> The rise of enormous heavily-armed drug cartels seems to be much more
> recent, though. I'd be interested in an analysis of how that happened
> and whether it was influenced by US policies, US covert action, and/or
> corruption in client governments. My guess would be yes on all three,
> but I do not actually know.
>