The killing of a Venezuelan gang leader in a US air strike, with the UK’s backing, is a welcome sign that the West is finally waking up to the true nature of the cartel problem. For too long, we have treated these criminal organisations as mere economic nuisances, when in fact they represent a clear and present danger to the very fabric of civilised society. This is not a moral panic; it is a sober realisation that cartels are not unlike the barbarian tribes that pressed against Rome’s borders, but armed with modern logistics and no respect for our laws.
The UK’s support for this action suggests a much-needed shift from our usual posture of hand-wringing and multilateral indecision. Let us hope it is a beginning, not a one-off. The cartels have turned entire nations into failed states.
They do not negotiate; they conquer. And the only language they understand is force. Good riddance to one of their number.
Now, let’s see if we have the stomach to follow through.
