**U.S. Declares War on Iranian Threats and Launches Military Coalition Against Latin American Drug Cartels**
*CHICAGO (WLS) –* The U.S. is officially at war with Iran, amid new warnings from the FBI about potential Iranian retaliatory attacks on the homeland. In a new development, President Donald Trump is calling for the use of increased lethal military force, this time targeting transnational drug cartels.
However, cartel experts caution that without effective “coercive diplomacy,” this approach could lead to much more bloodshed. ABC7 Chicago is now streaming coverage 24/7. [Click here to watch](#).
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### The Shield of the Americas: A New Military Coalition
President Trump has introduced the “Shield of the Americas,” a military coalition led by the United States that includes over a dozen Latin American countries. The coalition’s mission is to dismantle drug cartels and terrorist networks across the Western Hemisphere.
“The heart of our agreement is a commitment to using lethal military force to destroy the sinister cartels and terrorist networks once and for all,” Trump declared.
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### Expert Insight: The Complexity of Fighting Cartels with Military Force
Benjamin Lessing, a University of Chicago political science professor and author, has extensively studied cartel wars and the impact of military interventions. He shared his view with the I-Team, expressing cautious optimism about the strategy.
“My sort of limited optimism around this flows from the fact that we need to move from a brute force approach to fighting the drug war to a more coercive approach,” Lessing explained. “At present, this approach is politically toxic and possibly unthinkable. But Trump is a specialist in making the politically unthinkable thinkable, and he’s also a specialist in the coercive use of force.”
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### Mexico’s Stance and the Challenges Ahead
Notably missing from the coalition is Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, who has consistently rejected any U.S. military intervention in Mexico despite ongoing threats from Trump.
“The Mexican cartels are fueling and orchestrating much of the bloodshed and chaos in this hemisphere, and the United States government will do whatever is necessary to defend our national security,” Trump stated firmly.
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### The Risks of Brute Force: Lessons from History
Lessing warns that employing brute military force against all cartels without a strategic approach could result in disastrous consequences.
“Brute force essentially creates a world where the way to succeed in the drug business is to accumulate military force,” he said. “Over the long run, you get a drug trade that’s more militarized, more violent, and more brazen.”
He cited the early 2000s as an example when Mexico launched a military offensive against cartels. The cartels fought back by splintering, with only the most brutal, violent, and well-armed factions surviving. This period saw the rise of the most powerful cartel today: CJNG, led until recently by “El Mencho,” who was killed by Mexican special forces.
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### A Proposed Alternative: Coercive Diplomacy and Focused Deterrence
Lessing suggests a more prudent course of action: coercive diplomacy paired with focused deterrence.
“The coercive strategy that most immediately strikes me as one that would appeal to Trump, would benefit the American people, and could potentially work, is one that deliberately punishes cartels for trafficking fentanyl but does not apply that additional punishment when they’re only trafficking marijuana and cocaine,” he explained.
This approach would give cartels a clear choice: either play by these new rules and police themselves, or face obliteration.
“That is intended to push them toward a more peaceful, less violent, and less damaging approach,” Lessing added.
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### The Role of the U.S. in Coalition Decision-Making
Lessing also highlighted the potential benefits of having the U.S. as a central decision-maker in this coalition. For smaller member countries, which may lack extensive military capabilities, U.S. leadership could help apply more effective pressure on bad actors.
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*As the U.S. gears up for coordinated action against both foreign and domestic threats, the success of these strategies will depend on a carefully balanced approach—one that weighs military might against diplomatic strategy to avoid escalating violence further.*
https://abc7chicago.com/post/team-investigates-shield-americas-donald-trumps-new-plan-attack-drug-cartels-military-force/18722527/
