I have a better, though perhaps revolutionary idea. Why not save nearly the whole $306 billion by being less of an aggressive warmonger?

In my opinion, the only accurate thing you said is that it's win-win for the US. Zetas absolutely won't cave in to anyone's threat. They will use rubber-hose techniques to get to the originators. Corrupt officials are revealed all the time. They're only replaced some of the time. I don't doubt that at least some Zetas use smartphones or own a computer, but they're generally a SMS and cellphone-call organization. Most members are poor and uneducated. I doubt they have a sophisticated infrastructure using IT. Actually, everyone here seems pretty ignorant of the situation in Mexico. They think that Anon has some advantage because they can release information about one cartel and not care about the consequences. In fact, the Calderon administration has been pursuing exactly this (failed) strategy of destabilization. They have been selectively hitting one cartel after the other. Sorry, this isn't a Hollywood movie where hackers have power. They're just going to get killed by real bullets. PS I am writing from Mexico

Not to mention the safety of the hundreds of thousands of Americans living in Mexico.

I wish Anonymous the best of luck. At best, they can release a few names and cut some heads off the Hydra. They will be replaced by equally corrupted politicians, policemen, journalists, etc. They might even be replaced by people that will refuse to be corrupted, at first, until they are offered the choice of plata o plomo (silver or lead = become corrupted or die). Most likely, though, they will find out which kidnap victim is being referred-to, torture him until he names names, then follow the chain of names, torturing them and their families, and leave them all hanging from bridges. Honestly, I can't see how this could possibly be a good move. The best move is to pay the ransom or forget about your friend, instead of getting him tortured to death.

Ron Paul seems like an intelligent, thoughtful man. Let's avoid a knee-jerk reaction to this "news". Maybe he has an idea to continue providing the core public services of these departments while cutting bureaucratic complexity. I don't think there's enough information here. Then again, it's a lot more fun to get indignant!

Your post could be applied to the USA. There was something once said about a pot and a kettle... Not saying that Iran is doing something good. Just saying they're as evil as the USA. Countries with these kinds of policies will lead to the destruction of civilization, one day.

Anyone who talks about a company "stealing" something as vague as the look-and-feel of an interface has obviously never invented anything. Inventors usually stand on the shoulders of inventors before them, making small improvements and combinations of several existing ideas. It's a much more evolutionary process than a spontaneous leaps-and-bounds process. Example: Does your website use a menu bar on the side or top of the screen, instead of a bunch of hypertext links in the main body of the page? Did you invent that concept, or "steal" it from someone else?

This post is an amazing mash of urban legend, hearsay and anecdotes. Did you do it on purpose? Are you a satirical genius?

eating them is only half the battle