Pubdate: Mon, 29 Oct 2007
Source: San Francisco Chronicle (CA)
Page: B - 4
Copyright: 2007 Hearst Communications Inc.
Contact:  http://www.sfgate.com/chronicle/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/388
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/opinion.htm (Opinion)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/area/Mexico (Mexico)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/people/Felipe+Calderon
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

A COMPACT WITH MEXICO

A White House pledge of $1.4 billion to Mexico to stem the northward 
flood of drugs comes loaded with problems and doubts. But on one 
score the package succeeds: The two countries are at last cooperating 
on a serious subject.

Illegal immigration and trade are far bigger concerns and remain 
radioactive, too hot for Washington to touch. But drugs are a close 
third in importance, and the surge in trafficking has never gotten 
the attention it deserves. Both sides prefer easy stereotypes of each 
other: Mexico is hopelessly corrupt and the U.S. is obsessed with 
immigration only.

The aid agreement could produce a thaw in these frozen positions. The 
three-year package includes planes, speedboats and helicopters to 
hunt shipments, police training and tech hardware to search cargo for 
hidden drugs. It will allow Mexico's president Felipe Calderon to 
further a high-profile drive against narco-gangs blamed for 2,000 
killings last year and spreading drug use.

For President Bush, it's a chance to re-start relations on tough 
topic. After warm moments in the opening days of his first term, 
cross-border relations have steadily chilled culminating with this 
summer's failed immigration reforms.

The anti-drug aid is already labeled by doubters as Plan Mexico, a 
mocking title comparing it to Plan Colombia, a similar effort which 
has cost $5 billion over seven years and brought in U.S. advisers. 
That initiative shored up a weak government facing civil war but did 
little to stem cocaine exports. The Mexico package won't include the 
U.S. military and comes with a smaller price tag.

There are other doubts. When pressure's applied, drug channels have a 
nasty habit of finding new routes to U.S. cities. Also, the aid does 
nothing to diminish this country's appetite for cocaine, heroin and 
methamphetamine. Legislators in both countries are also annoyed at 
being left out of the deal-making.

So what can Yankee dollars do? The money buys time for Mexico's 
Calderon-directed house-cleaning. It tells entrenched gangs that 
their murderous hold on border areas and supply routes won't go unchallenged.

Just as important is the political quotient.

Stamping out a thriving trade may be the long term goal, but there's 
a more immediate reward as well. The aid agreement knits together the 
frayed ties between Washington and Mexico, and that's no small thing.
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake