Awful

Slaying of drug war hero's family shocks Mexico

Assailants on Tuesday gunned down the mother, aunt and siblings of a marine killed in a raid that took out one of Mexico's most powerful cartel leaders — sending a chilling message to troops battling the drug war: You go after us, we wipe out your families.

Although the marines do not have identification on their uniforms and are generally not identified in the media, the government had been very open in this case, showing the body of the drug lord and releasing the name of the only marine killed. Unfortunately, the drug cartel's goons used that information to send a message to the government and its troops that their families are not safe if they participate in raids.

This is so senseless. I know there is crime here, and drugs, and the like, but at least I have some hope that my government will protect me or at least track someone down for the crime. We had an era of the War on Drugs here in the States; in Mexico it truly is a war, and a bitter one at that. My thoughts are with the marine's two small children, who have had so much of their family wiped out in the violence and who themselves are targets of the cartel and need protection.