Mexico to file lawsuit against U.S. gun industry

In what’s being characterized as Mexico’s latest attempt to squeeze the United States for more cash, the officials of that corrupt and impoverished country announced yesterday they’ve hired a United States law firm in order to sue the U.S. gun industry. 

 President Felipe Calderon and other Mexican government officials are accusing American manufacturers and retailers of providing the guns that are illegally exported to Mexico by the drug cartels.  

With the Mexican officials admitting that 35,000 people have been killed in Mexico since Calderon became President of Mexico in 2006 at which time he declared all-out war on the drug cartels and their associates, observers believe these officials are seeking to put the blame for the death and violence on their northern neighbor.  

Also, the U.S. Department of State re-issued a travel advisory to Americans about the violence and danger that exists in Mexico, including its resort areas such as Acapulco and Cancun. In Acapulco, police discovered mass graves containing the remains of people allegedly murdered by the cartels such as Los Zetas.   

The latest advisory warns about risks of attack in nearly every part of Mexico. Previous advisories warned of violence in specific parts of Mexico, most notably Juarez, where drug gangs are murdering one another for control of trafficking routes into the U.S.

A federal law enforcement official told the Law Enforcement Examiner  that the U.S. Justice Department is trying to avoid involvement in the Mexican government’s plan to sue gun manufacturers and retailers in American courts. Many Americans have been critical of President Barack Obama for his allowing President Calderon to blame the U.S. for Mexico’s violence and his scolding of Americans who wish tighter border security and tougher sanctions against illegal aliens.  

"Calderon blames the U.S. for his crime, his poverty, his corruption and President Obama stands there as if giving his silent consent. Billions of American dollars pour into Mexico and these corrupt politicians still bellyache," said former New York narcotics enforcement officer  Tom Carbonara. 

    According to critics of the Obama White House, it’s believed such lawsuits represent a total lack of respect by the Mexican government for the Obama Administration.  

"The paradox is that while leaders such as President Calderon like President Obama, they don’t respect him and they certainly don’t fear him," said political consultant Mike Baker. "These same leaders despised President George W. Bush, but they did respect or fear him."  

The lawsuit by Mexico against U.S. gun sellers it accuses of stirring up its drug war is expected to be filed soon, with officials saying they hired the law firm of Reid, Collins & Tsai.  

The firm’s investigators are reportedly tracing guns seized in Mexico through their serial numbers to distributors in the United States, who are expected to be named in the lawsuit.  

U.S. legal scholars claim  the lawsuit might never see the inside of a courtroom due to the 2005 Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, which protects licensed gun manufacturers and retailers from liability for crimes committed with their products.    

Jim Kouri, CPP, formerly Fifth Vice-President, is currently a Board Member of the National Association of Chiefs of Police, an editor for ConservativeBase.com, and he’s a columnist for Examiner.com.  In addition, he’s a blogger for the Cheyenne, Wyoming Fox News Radio affiliate KGAB (www.kgab.com). Kouri also serves as political advisor for Emmy and Golden Globe winning actor Michael Moriarty. 

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