CHEAT SHEET
TOP 10 RIGHT NOW
The drug war has embarrassed Mexico's army, showing the 50,000 troops deployed by President Felipe Calderon to be unprepared and outmatched. The army has struggled in its attempts at unconventional warfare, and it’s been criticized by the U.S. as "virtually blind." To cover its failings, the army is often forced to use its size instead of intelligence or set up highway check points, which are only so effective against drug trafficking. Mexico’s army has also faced a serious of accusations related to human rights violations, including shooting civilians. American fears over the army's failures were laid bare in recently uncovered diplomatic cables.