By Colonel Kenneth Allard (U.S. Army, Ret) ~

The place where American military forces are most needed is neither Iraq nor Afghanistan, but on our overrun border with Mexico.

Like other national security problems, this one smoldered for a long time before becoming exponentially worse over the past two months. Now there are only two realistic alternatives: Either fix border security or else reap the whirlwind. The effort needs to begin by mobilizing the National Guard and deploying it along the southern border, where only half of supposedly sovereign U.S. territory is actively controlled.

Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar, who grew up along the Texas-Mexico border in Laredo, understands its nuances and contradictions. His well-earned reputation for candor has often offended those who prefer their illusions, whether Republican or Democrat. Lately, he has been in the headlines for being among the first to recognize that the surge in…