Pubdate: Sat, 21 Mar 2009
Source: Athens Banner-Herald (GA)
Copyright: 2009 Athens Newspapers Inc
Contact:  http://www.onlineathens.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1535
Author: John C. Bersia
Note: John C. Bersia, who won a Pulitzer Prize in editorial writing 
for the Orlando Sentinel in 2000, is the special assistant to the 
president for global perspectives at the University of Central Florida.
Bookmark: http://mapinc.org/area/Mexico

ADDRESS DRUG PROBLEM NOW

When the intense violence of illegal drug trafficking was causing a 
commotion in places such as Colombia, Americans were not terribly 
concerned. But now that it's killing about 100 people a week in 
Mexico, spilling over the U.S. border with that country, being 
branded a top national-security threat and disrupting vacation plans, 
they are paying closer attention. Indeed, they are scared.

They should be. At any moment - particularly in Arizona, California, 
New Mexico and Texas - Americans could come face to face with 
narco-trafficking's wanton ugliness, including savage gunfights by 
drug gangs battling for control. As they look to the Obama 
administration for protection and hope, Americans must prepare 
themselves: It is not enough simply to combat illegal drugs in the 
production and smuggling dimensions. It's also necessary to combat 
them on the demand side - that is, right here in the United States.

After receiving a briefing on the subject recently, President Obama 
reportedly asked how the United States could do more to help. The 
best approach, according to former U.S. Ambassador Myles Frechette, 
who has served in Colombia and other Latin American countries, is for 
Obama to look at the facts, ignore shrill voices warning that the sky 
is falling and embrace constructive possibilities.

Frechette acknowledges Mexico has had to use troops because of 
corruption, intimidation and the fact police are outgunned. Those 
developments have tempted some to dig up former Secretary of Defense 
Caspar Weinberger's scenario, which had Mexico tumbling into 
lawlessness and chaos because of the influence of narco-traffickers.

In fact, the "failed state" label has begun circulating in some 
quarters. But Mexico is hardly that, Frechette argues, adding such 
epithets are "needlessly insulting and undercut opportunities for 
cooperation." Actually, Mexico has a large, strong central 
government, and is "here to stay, not teetering at the brink," he contends.

Washington should take advantage of an unusual moment in U.S.-Mexican 
relations, realizing that the best time to combat narco-trafficking 
is now, Frechette advises. Mexican President Felipe Calderon has 
signaled his country is absolutely committed to confronting this 
scourge. "He has asked for more U.S. help. We should take the opening 
and run with it. Calderon is our best chance," Frechette insists.

It's also vitally important to accelerate joint efforts, from 
information-sharing and training to reducing the flow of assault 
rifles and other weapons from the United States into Mexico. The 
latter problem causes the level of violence to escalate and 
eventually could come back to harm us, Frechette says.

Finally, as part of a long-term solution to the threat, he recommends 
that we put an end to complacency, as well as to the tired approaches 
used with limited success for decades. Rather, Frechette offers, the 
Obama administration should develop and adopt a serious 
demand-reduction policy, treat drug addiction as a sickness and 
greatly expand anti-drug education.

It's unfortunate Americans had to wait for the beast to lurk right 
next door to come to their senses. Now that it's arrived, though, we 
should take every reasonable, proactive step to avoid its menacing bite.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom