Mexico Welcomes Approval of US Drug Aid Package

[High Plains]

Source: Associated Press

1 hour ago

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexican officials say they welcome the U.S. Senate's approval of a $400 million anti-drug aid package that drops restrictive conditions attached to previous proposals.

Mexican Interior Secretary Juan Camilo Mourino says the few remaining conditions on the aid, known as the Merida Initiative, are respectful of Mexican sovereignty and don't require any legal changes.

Mourino says "the approval by the U.S. Congress of funds for the Merida Initiative is a testament to the level of maturity that dialogue between Mexico and the United States has reached, and the mutual trust we have achieved." He spoke on Friday.

An earlier version of the bill would have required Mexico to change the way it handles allegations of human rights abuses by the military.


Read more: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gkBdj_xGMcamL5edKZ-tN7da7GDwD91IH1I80

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This is the first installment in what is supposed to be a $1.6 billion, three-year package that will supply the Mexican military with shiny new helicopters and other toys to fight the cartels.

The Senate thoughtfully removed language inserted in the House demanding that Mexico deal with a rising wave of human rights complaints in response to its militarization of its drug war. More than 4,000 people, including about 500 cops and soldiers, have been killed since Calderon called out the troops at the beginning of 2007.

Of course, this is all a huge waste of money. If you liked Plan Colombia, you'll love Plan Merida.

[Warpy]

1. Ending the drug war would be cheaper and more sensible on

our side of the border. However, the cartels and the corruption they've brought have created a horror show of violence on their side of the border.

While I don't think violence stops anything, the presence of shiny new choppers in the air might make the thugs reconsider shootouts on the crowded streets of Nuevo Laredo and Ciudad Juarez.

But yes, until we end the drug war, nothing will change and the cartels will be rolling in dough and weapons and civilians who are in the way will continue to be slaughtered.

[High Plains]

2. The army had choppers flying over Culiacan when I was there last month.

Didn't stop the narcos from gunning down eight cops in one night.

Didn't stop the narcos from traveling in convoys of a dozen SUVs full of gun-toting hit-men.

But the soldiers did manage to kill three guys at a checkpoint who were neither armed nor narcos...although they were driving an SUV.

[balantz]

3. Sounds like an invitation for one of our private armies to set up camp in Mexico.

After they fully take over the drug distribution channels there they can set their sights further south.

[liberal1973]

4. This is crap

These funds will to other corrupt conservative political people in Mexico.

"the U.S. Senate's approval of a $400 million anti-drug aid package that drops restrictive conditions attached to previous proposals."

[carlyhippy]

5. ,

C

[a la izquierda]

6. Ugh, this won't do anything.

As someone I know put it, Calderon opened a huge can of worms by going after the narcos, akin to the FBI taking out the mafia. When you remove upper and mid-level leaders, there is of course a scramble to replace them, but at the same time a backlash against the police (or whatever bureau is doing the "taking out"). It's a double-edged sword that Calderon has to deal with, of course (I'm not advocating doing nothing, but the violence has had a sharp up-tick since he initiated this program).

I'm not looking forward to telling my parents that I'll be down there for 8 months. My mom's not going to be happy at all.