Nearly 10,000 people in Mexico have died in drug-related violence since January 2007. Who or what is to blame? Some say it is America's insatiable consumer demand for illicit drugs and the constant flow of our guns, which arm the cartels. Others believe that Mexico's own government is ineffective in controlling the trade of the drug cartels because of rampant corruption in law enforcement in the country. The US Congress, unable to ignore the rising violence spilling over the border, has approved $700 million in security aid for Mexico, and has promised hundreds of federal agents and intelligence analysts devoted to the problem. Officials on both sides wonder whether this will make a dent in the problem. Has our own "war on drugs" been ineffective, or even counterproductive? Should Mexico's government take full responsibility for what goes on within its own borders? Should the very idea of criminalization of drugs be re-examined?

For the motion: Andrés Martinez, Jeffrey A. Miron, and Fareed Zakaria.

Against the Motion: Jorge Castaneda. Chris W. Cox, and Asa Hutchinson.

Moderator: John Donvan