Combating Mexican drug cartels: Is there a military solution?

Net Assessment

In this show, Chris, Melanie, and Zack consider the different military options being considered to combat Mexican drug cartels. Are the cartels that manufacture and distribute drugs that kill Americans, particularly fentanyl, a threat to US national security? If so, is military action, with or without the approval of the Mexican government, a viable solution? And if a military operation isn’t a great idea, are there other ways to stop the tens of thousands of fentanyl and other drug-related deaths that occur in the United States every year? Melanie remembers Andrew Schwartz, a force of nature at CSIS who passed away earlier this month. The crew has shout outs for Ukraine’s drone manufacturers and researchers Jessica Batke and Laura Edelson on “The Locknet,” regarding China’s control of the Internet. Grievances for the Trump administration’s handling of staff cuts at the State Department, and for strong-arming allies regarding a hypothetical conflict with China over Taiwan.

Show Links:

• Dan DePetris and Chris McCallion, “No GWOT-NARCO: The Perils of Making War on Cartels,” Defense Priorities, July 2, 2025

• Simon Shuster, “The Hidden War Over Ukraine’s Lost Children,” Time, July 17, 2025

• Caitlin Doombos, Ronny Reyes, “Trump Discussing Drone ‘Mega Deal’ with Ukraine—As US Tech Lags Behind Adversaries,” New York Post, July 17, 2025

• Neal Urwitz, “Andrew Schwartz Must be Remembered,” National Security Journal, July 18, 2025

• Christopher Preble, “A Credible Grand Strategy: The Urgent Need to Set Priorities,” Stimson Center, January 25, 2024

• Demetri Sevastopulo, “US demands to know what allies would do in event of war over Taiwan,” Financial Times, July 12, 2025

• Jessica Batke and Laura Edelson, “The Locknet: How China Controls Its Internet and Why It Matters,” ChinaFile, June 30, 2025

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