Shootout kills 16 in Mexico's Acapulco resort

[Old Coot]

Source: Associated Press

ACAPULCO, Mexico – Soldiers fought for two hours with armed men apparently holding police hostage at a house in Acapulco, leaving one soldier and 15 gunmen dead, a military official said Sunday.

Three soldiers and three Mexican bystanders were wounded. Several Mexican tourists were evacuated from small hotels in the old Acapulco neighborhood, which was once popular with Hollywood stars but has since become run-down.

The gunbattle erupted Saturday night when soldiers received a tip about the presence of armed men at a gated house, said an army colonel who led the operation and spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons.

The gunmen opened fire and hurled some 50 grenades at soldiers who arrived at the house, according to the colonel, who wore a ski mask as he led reporters through the scene.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090607/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/lt_drug_war_mexico

[pitchforksandtorches]

1. Everyone in Mexico should be given a machine gun and a helicopter -

if they do not already have one or the other.

[a la izquierda]

2. What the hell for?

[pitchforksandtorches]

3. For awhile.

[saigon68]

8. according to the colonel, who wore a ski mask as

LOL

cue the Thugs in ballet slippers and TuTus

[a la izquierda]

11. I have no clue what you're talking about.

And I bet you don't have a clue about ANYTHING on the ground in Mexico. The disparaging comments about Mexico that appear from time to time on DU are astounding and incredibly ignorant.

[pscot]

4. 18 killed in Acapulco shootout

Source: Washington Post


ACAPULCO, Mexico (Reuters) - Eighteen people were killed in a shootout between drug gangs and soldiers in the Mexican beach resort of Acapulco, the army said on Sunday.

The gun battle, near tourist hotels in the Pacific Ocean resort, was a further blow to Mexico's tourism industry, already reeling from cancellations by foreigners scared away by the swine flu epidemic.

Gunmen battled troops from a cartel safe house, throwing hand grenades at soldiers who had surrounded them and spraying gunfire into military vehicles and nearby homes. The shooting began late on Saturday and went on until after midnight.

"There were grenade and rocket explosions, and weapons like AK-47s," said an employee of a neighboring hotel. "The fight lasted almost two hours."

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/07/AR2009060701099.html?nav=hcmoduletmv

[ecstatic]

5. I guess swine flu should be the least of our concerns

when vacationing in Mexico. :eyes: It's kind of hard to spin that one...

[madrchsod]

6. "...the streets are lined with bricks of acapulco gold..."

this is`t the first time there`s been a war in acapulco region of mexico. there was a similar war around 15 or so years ago.that fight was over the control of the "acapulco gold" marijuana..some of the finest smoke in the world.

[ohio2007]

7. "....gunmen opened fire and hurled some 50 grenades" ..... nt

[saigon68]

9. They obviously were bad shots

And their grenade throwing skills apparently leave a lot to be desired

Too bad they didn't have a Few RPGs, those things really "kick ass"

</sarcasm> NOTE: for those who are dense.

[ohio2007]

10. And here I thought it was all part of the "Dinner and a show" tour package. nt

[saigon68]

14. A Show to be remembered

One would need body armor to attend

[friendly_iconoclast]

12. I grew up in South Florida during the "cocaine cowboy" era...

...and all I can say is:

Dayum!

[cslinger59]

13. Take the profit out of running drugs.......

Cut the legs out from under the cartels.

I have never ingested an illegal narcotic, except drinking like a fish before 21. That being said if we ended or at least rolled back the drug war, legalized at least the more natural drugs (Mary Jane, Cocaine etc.) and simply regulated / taxed them you would likely cut a huge amount of profit out of the drug war, no profit, no desire to get yourself killed over running it.

These folks are not religious fanatics or programmed mass murderers or crazy. They are no different then pirates, there is a huge amount of money to be made that mitigates the risks of basically waging war. If you take the paycheck out of it or drastically reduce it then suddenly getting shot at loses its allure.

Now are there certain drugs that probably should be prohibited? Well there are rarely happy endings with Meth. I dunno. Heck at the end of the day if nothing more then pot were made legal then my guess is the levels of violence would drop considerably.

Think prohibition and something about not learning history, doomed to repeat it or some such nonsense.

All that being said strict punishments should be in place for using irresponsibly such as driving while under the influence. Punish those who would put society at risk by breaking laws not the item.

Hell I have NO desire to do ANY drugs short of a good cigar once or twice a year yet I have read my history......

Chris