U.S. Marine Corp advisor in Colombia
The former Mexican Minister of Foreign Affairs said that without a broad alliance with the United States winning the war on drugs will be impossible.
Mexico's former foreign minister, Jorge Castañeda, said that the country can not win the drug war without a plan like the one implemented in Colombia, which would mean the acceptance of U.S. military advisers on Mexican territory and other conditions such as a major improvement in the human rights records of Mexico’s military and police forces.
Mexico has been traditionally extremely sensitive to the presence of any foreign military or any type of intervention within its borders.
Castañeda participated on Monday with a keynote speech addressing the difficulties of the struggle against organized crime by the Calderon administration at the Binational Forum "The challenges of insecurity and violence Mexico - United States" held in Mexico and attended by officials from both countries.
"If there is no Mexican equivalent to Plan Colombia we can not win the war" he said.
Plan Colombia is the name of the U.S initiative to curb drug trafficking and re-establish the rule of law in Colombia through mainly military and counter-narcotic assistance.
Castañeda noted that U.S. aid, as in the case of Colombia, is subject to certain conditions, including those relating to compliance with human rights standards in military and police operations.
In Colombia, he said, there has been an average of one thousand U.S. advisers in the last ten years. The equivalent number for Mexico in terms of the higher population would be to have three thousand U.S. advisors.
He also noted the vast difference in the flow of resources to both countries to combat organized crime and said the 1.3 billion dollars pledged to Mexico through the Merida initiative is grossly inadequate for the task.
“Plan Colombia has received eight billion dollars in 10 years for a country two and a half times smaller than Mexico” he said.
Not all of the pledged aid promised thru the Merida initiative has been funded by the U.S. Congress due to budgetary problems and also restrictions on some of the aid due to human rights violations by the Mexican military.
"The American condition was that you have to remove the immunity from military justice for violations of human rights”. “Is the army going to accept this condition after what happened in Tamaulipas? " he asked.
I guess this was the plan all along, a foreign power controlling the presidency and military of Mexico. Sound familiar?
ReplyDeleteIts sad but very much neccessary due to lack of control an high levels of corruption in Mexico. The Mexican people should be able to feel safe in their own country instead of being bullied around by greedy an violent drug gangs..
ReplyDeleteYes it is true that the task is so difficult because of the high levels of corruption in Mexico but then why would they ask the US for help. The US advisors do not come from nor fully understand life in a corrupt nation. Mexico should ask Columbia for advice. Columbia had the same level of kidnappings and drug traffic 20 years ago and now it is much subsided. Columbia has a culture (including corruption) much closer to that of Mexico's. And besides, look what "great advice" the US is doling out to Afghanistan and Iraq ... cultures that are foreign in every respect to Americans.
ReplyDeleteI am completely baffled by anyone who would even remotely suggest that we (America) WANT anything to do with "Taking Over" your outhouse. Your current circumstances stem from a variety of things- the unscrupulous nature of hispanics (your culture of corruptness goes back to the days of the Olmecs), you actually have a far higher rate of addiction than the U.S, you think that Americans "owe you". Fact is folks- the only part of Mexico we want is you cuisine! You are your own worst enemy- always have been- always will be.
ReplyDeleteIf we REALLY wanted Mexico- we would have taken it already. You can keep it!
Want to learn more on how Columbia gained better control of the narcos? Read an excellent book called Killing Pablo. Basically a blueprint for Mexico if they were not so corrupt and pathetic.
ReplyDeleteCastaneda is a total whore of the US government, and has been that for some very long time now, and especially since serving as Vicente Fox's Secretary of Foreign Affairs. In fact, to advocate that the US play the same role that is has had in Colombia should be grounds for being lined up against a wall and shot for treason!
ReplyDeleteColombia is not a success case in stopping drugs but rather is a total failure, and the US government and its military is now stuck there like glue. Don't think for a moment that sending in 3,000 US military advisors would be a solution to any of Mexico's problems with drug trafficking. The man is a moron on top of being a traitor to his country.
Ernest
1000 American advisors on the average in Colombia..Does this include contractors such as
ReplyDeleteBlackwater etc.?
We would be talking one MAJOR escalation!
Castaneda and his ivory tower solutions... so out of touch!
ReplyDeleteSo, just to clarify....I am american and I made the "yes it is true..." comment.
ReplyDeleteI was waiting to hear from someone about how mislead Columbia was in their affairs 20 years ago. But then wouldn't the Columbian government, press and Facebook inform the Mexican government, Mexican press and Mexican Facebook of the bad or good advice and support that came from the US?
I was aware of the US financial aid and military support given to Columbia but so are the Mexican journalist. So I imagine they (MX journalists)are now speaking to Columbian journalists. The Columbian ambassadors have been interviewed (this seems obvious, and barring the (likely) possibility that the Columbian ambassador to Mexico is a CIA operative, then MX will get a forthcoming and comprehensive review of US involvement in Columbian affairs
And the discussions are happening and have been happening for months.
If, for the sake of argument, this is all true then the MX government is indeed well informed and moving toward the best possible outcome.
I am not in government or intelligence but this just seems obvious.
If you respond with an anti-US rant I can in no way oppose your argument other than to say that the entire Mexican government, press and people have obviously done their research and have decided to trust the US.
I am NOT an apologist for US transgressions or horrors in South America. I am just ASSuming that the government and press and people of Mexico have been talking to other nations....
Jodie in Dallas
If Mexico cares about their country they will welcome this, the only thing is, they would rather watch their country fail then have to thank the US for saving them. The truth hurts.
ReplyDeleteyou American people are so vane.did you know that most of the drug problem stems from Americans buying & trading arms for the drugs?Canada as well however there are a lot more Americans involved as the whole population of Canada would fit into New York state.Every where that the U.S. has stepped in to help is in worse turmoil now than before,and the only reason you are there is for a gain for your country .I`m not aware of any country in the world that the U.S. has saved,Korea?Viet Nam?Go way back,what was accomplished by you people other than having your own soldiers alienated when they returned think about it,do they really need that.When the U.S. military go in any where there is also major collateral damage.who want to thank anyone for that!!!!!!!!!!!1
ReplyDeletelegalize it and the killings stop period hurt the cartels where it hurts, in their wallets! the only people that dont want this war to end are the cartels, big pharma, and the gov such as the dea. money is always a major factor and the people in power dont want their grant checks pulled as much as the cartels dont want to deal with 76% profit loss over legalization its time to stop locking up our nonviolent american citizens and go after the real criminals prohibition put alcohol in the hands of capone lets tax and regulate and stop the violence it will never be stopped but increasing and increasing the violence peace and free marc emery and give barry cooper his son back
ReplyDelete