Part 7/12:
The Strategic Outlook
While these covert operations have resulted in key captures and disruptions, their ultimate impact on stopping the flow of drugs and violence is uncertain. Overdose deaths in the U.S. remain at alarming levels, and violence in Mexico shows no signs of abating.
Experts caution that a military approach alone cannot resolve the root causes, which include money laundering, precursor shipments, and a compromised Mexican state that often resists or obstructs efforts at reform. The fight against cartels is ongoing, complex, and far from over.