Hot on the heels of a visit by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, Defense Secretary Gates and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, this editorial from Mexico’s El Universal expresses hope – but skepticism – that the Obama Administration grasps the seriousness of the Drug War in Mexico, and the threat it poses to the United States. On the other hand, the editorial also makes clear that there is no desire to see U.S. bases or troops on Mexican soil.
The El Universal editorial says in part:
Until a few days ago, Mexico wasn’t so important to the United States. Only after the assassinations of two of its officials on Mexican soil did it understand the gravity of the violence at its door. It remains to be seen if this time, words will become deeds.
A few months after taking office, the Democrat visited Mexico after a “mea culpa” by his secretary of state, Hillary Clinton. For the first time in history, the people of the United States accepted, without restriction, their enormous responsibility for drug consumption and arms trafficking. But subsequent actions didn’t reflect this supposed concern. The budget for the Merida Initiative was reduced by so much that it now only represents the equivalent of what the U.S. spends in Iraq in a single day. Moreover, there hasn’t been a single change in policy designed to prevent addiction among the U.S. population, nor has anything changed with regard to arms trafficking.
The United States must understand that its level of integration with Mexico shouldn’t be measured in miles – but in time. Our commercial, cultural and even blood ties grow deeper every day – but convergence cannot mean fusion. The limit is the presence of foreign troops and military bases on Mexican soil.
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