this area. are you surprised or are you hardened to the fact that most of america doesn t realize this is going on? you know, it does amaze me, and maybe it s because i m exposed to it so much working on the southwestern border, but we re in a war. we re in an engagement with an enemy that s like no other enemy we ever faced before. you have to combat these people with some of the same tactics that they employ on you. if you asked me ten years ago would we be doing some of the tact ticks and missions we re doing today, i would have said, absolutely not. reporter: since 2004, the state department says 200 americans have been killed in mexico and nearly all caught up in the vicious firefights between rival drug cartels. it is no different even along this peaceful 28-mile long lake straddling the u.s.-mexican border two hours north of mcallen.
it s going under. suspect just about on my side. reporter: inside mexico, the army has visibly taken over much of the security in border towns. local mexican police who are not corrupted by the cartels are targets of them. thousands killed. and americans have been targets, too. you know, i almost think that we re flying over tribal pakistan, the way you describe this area. are you surprised or are you hardened to the fact that most of america doesn t realize this is going on? you know, it does amaze me, and maybe it s because i m exposed to it so much working on the southwestern border, but we re in a war. we re in an engagement with an enemy that s like no other enemy we ever faced before. you have to combat these people with some of the same tactics that they employ on you. if you asked me ten years ago would we be doing some of the
going to do is protect that inventory. it s going under. suspect just about on my side. reporter: inside mexico, the army has visibly taken over much of the security in border towns. local mexican police who are not corrupted by the cartels are targets of them. thousands killed. and americans have been targets, too. you know, i almost think that we re flying over tribal pakistan, the way you describe this area. are you surprised or are you hardened to the fact that most of america doesn t realize this is going on ask. you know, it does amaze me, and maybe it s because i m exposed to it so much work okay the southwestern border, but we re in a war. we re in an engagement with an enemy that s like no other enemy we ever faced before. you have to combat these people with some of the same tactics that they employ on you.
corrupted by the cartels are targets of them. thousands killed. and americans have been targets, too. you know, i almost think that we re flying over tribal pakistan, the way you describe this area. are you surprised or are you hardened to the fact that most of america doesn t realize this is going on ask. you know, it does amaze me, and maybe it s because i m exposed to it so much work okay the southwestern border, but we re in a war. we re in an engagement with an enemy that s like no other enemy we ever faced before. you have to combat these people with some of the same tact ticks that they employ on you. if you asked me ten years ago would we be doing some of the tactics and missions today, i would have said absolutely not. reporter: since 2004, the state department says 200 americans have been killed in mexico and nearly all caught up in the vicious firefights
truck into the river. at the end of the day if they can recover 2,000 pounds of narcotics with an estimated street value between 600 and 800,000 that s what they re going to do is protect that inventory. it s going under. suspect just about on my side. reporter: inside mexico, the army has visibly taken over much of the security in border towns. local mexican police who are not corrupted by the cartels are targets of them. thousands killed. and americans have been targets, too. you know, i almost think that we re flying over tribal pakistan, the way you describe this area. are you surprised or are you hardened to the fact that most of america doesn t realize this is going on? you know, it does amaze me, and maybe it s because i m exposed to it so much working on the southwestern border, but we re in a war. we re in an engagement with an enemy that s like no other enemy we ever faced before. you have to combat these people with some of the same tactics that they employ on you.