Over the last several years, we have witnessed a remarkable, and horrific, increase in the level of drug-related violence in Mexico. In 2008, more than 6,200 people died as a result of drug-related violence. So far this year, more than 1,000 people, including police officers, judges, prosecutors, soldiers, journalists, politicians, and innocent bystanders, have been killed.

This violence is not contained to Mexico. States along the southwestern U.S. border and cities throughout the United States have reported increases in crime and violence that can be traced back to organizations based in Mexico. For example, the Arizona attorney general recently advised that over the last two years, the city of Phoenix has reported more than 700 kidnappings for ransom—more than any other U.S. city—and that the vast majority of these kidnappings were related to the Mexican drug trade. Even more troubling is the fact that Arizona law enforcement agencies believe that twice as many kidnappings went unreported.

This spike in violent activity is a tragic and unacceptable situation that poses profound risks not just to Mexico, but to the United States and countries throughout the region and the world.