Earlier this month, the White House announced it would consider drone strikes against Mexican drug cartels. Although it is important to keep options open when dealing with viable threats, we must also remember that in military planning, the enemy gets a vote.

Stated plainly: We must consider how the enemy will respond to our actions. In the case of potential drone strikes against the cartels, a predictable response would be that the cartels retaliate with their own version of drone warfare.

Cartels are already using drones daily to track the movements of American law enforcement agents at the border and to transport contraband into our country. We also know that cartels have shown a willingness to weaponize drones and have used them to attack law enforcement, the Mexican National Guard and criminal rivals within Mexico.

Given this, it seems likely the cartels would retaliate with drone strikes of their own, which invites the question: Are we ready for such a scenario?

A similar question was recently raised in a March

© The Hill