Pubdate: Thu, 18 Aug 2005
Source: Parkersburg News, The (WV)
Copyright: 2005, The Parkersburg News
Contact:  http://www.newsandsentinel.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1648
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

CRACK DOWN ON MEXICAN METH

In the fight against illegal drugs, the government of Mexico for too
long has been all but a bystander. The spreading scourge of
methamphetamine abuse, which unlike previous waves of drug abuse
readily crosses social and economic lines, has changed policymakers'
willingness to tolerate Mexico's indifference.

Legislation rapidly gaining support in Congress would tie foreign aid
to efforts to control distribution of pseudoephedrine, an essential
ingredient of meth. Mexico imports far more of the chemical than
plausibly could be used legitimately, and much of U.S. meth
trafficking is supplied by so-called "superlabs" in Mexico. Under
legislation sponsored by Rep. Mark Kennedy, R-Minn., top importers and
exporters of pseudoephedrine would be subject to extra scrutiny. The
president would have to certify that such countries are taking
adequate measures to fight meth trafficking or else reduce U.S.
foreign aid. In other contexts this might be called "pay for
performance." Want U.S. taxpayers to bankroll subsidies for your
country? Then help us fight meth. The measure was added to the State
Department's budget bill in a lopsided House vote, and it now awaits
Senate action.

With a Senate vote on tough legislation imminent, the State Department
bureaucracy suddenly has bestirred itself to come up with its own
plan, but State wants a one-year reprieve from congressional action.
During that time the department says it would take steps on its own
and collaborate with Congress on a more comprehensive legislative proposal.

Timing is important in the legislative process, and the State
Department's counterproposal looks suspiciously like a delaying tactic
that ultimately would frustrate tying foreign aid to anti-drug
efforts. The State Department historically has opposed all measures
that tie foreign aid to other countries' actions on other issues. The
State Department would have a lot more credibility on this issue if it
had suggested tough diplomatic steps, including reductions in foreign
aid, far sooner - certainly well before the matter came up in the
budget process.

There is broad bipartisan support to take strong action against meth.
Policymakers have an opportunity, because of such strong support, to
take broad, coordinated action that might actually work. Given
Mexico's failure to take steps on its own, and the Mexican
government's openly hostile stance on U.S. border security, Congress
should not let this opportunity pass.

The Senate should approve the State Department budget with Rep.
Kennedy's tough anti-meth measure included.
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MAP posted-by: Derek