They’d also cost four million and require 500k maintenance per quarter from a company which will jack up the price every other year

You got it the wrong way round. The Mexican military and navy absolutely has the means to resist in a protracted conflict and even strike back. The reason it doesn’t engage in out and out warfare with cartels is that these are integrated into rural and urban communities, are very decentralized and have no qualms about engaging in acts of terrorism to avoid capture.

Do not fall for the narrative that the cartels are in total control of Mexico, the firepower and manpower available to the state is overwhelmingly superior, but that matters very little when it comes to asymmetrical warfare. The juice ain’t worth the squeeze.

Even if that weren’t the case, narcos would be the first line of offense and sabotage for the US, they’re already terrorizing the Mexican people on a schedule that is eerily convenient to the US and have longstanding close links.

Sure, but almost all of Mexico identifies as Catholic but church going is mostly reserved for special occasions like baptisms and the big religious holidays. You’ll see the crucifixes, the Jesus pictures and whatnot but it’s not like they’re on that annoying protestant bullshit.

Peak Western parliamentary democracy everyone

Surely at some point there’s gonna be retaliation? I get all that might makes right shit but surely they’re not gonna let the US just take everything at anytime completely unopposed just because they keep the finger on the red button

Pablo Escobar was one among many Colombian drug capos, and he had been one in a long list of former CIA operators that were deemed more trouble than they’re worth and had to be put down like the rabid dogs they were handsomely paid to be. The right wing militias that killed Escobar’s men weren’t arming themselves, nor were they getting sponsorships out of the kindness of the US government.

Narcos in all of Latin America are just Operation Gladio with a different coat of paint.