Pubdate: Tue, 13 Jan 2009
Source: El Paso Times (TX)
Copyright: 2009 El Paso Times
Contact: http://www.elpasotimes.com/formnewsroom
Website: http://www.elpasotimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/829

DRUG TALKS: PRESIDENTS MUST SHOW RESOLVE

We've obviously reached the stage where only the highest of 
government leaders -- presidents themselves -- can loosen the drug 
cartels' hold on the people of Mexico and the United States.

Little, if anything, else has worked going on four decades now.

It was good, then, that U.S. President-elect Barack Obama met with 
Mexico President Felipe Calderon on Monday and discussed what can be 
mutual plans to fight the cartels. What's left to see, however, is 
just how far these two powerful heads of state are willing to go.

We've already committed to send Mexico more than $1 billion in money 
and technology to fight the drug cartels. Mexico has sent its army 
into battle against these military-style gangs that now control 
entire cities, including Juarez. The money and technology aren't 
working and the army is not strong enough to take back control of cities.

U.S. citizens buy and use the illegal drugs, and sell sophisticated 
weaponry to the drug cartels.

Drug cartels produce the drugs and reap the billions and billions of 
dollars U.S. citizens pay to purchase the drugs.

There is no doubt the issue is complicated and the drug business is 
interwoven into both our societies. It's interwoven into 
manufacturing, usage and the business enterprises that knowingly or 
unknowingly have drug money in their systems.

Calderon has made fighting the cartels his chief initiative as 
president of Mexico. But his army has only pushed cartels around from 
one haven to another.

On our side, we've been fighting to keep our children and adults off 
illegal drugs since President Nixon officially declared the "war on 
drugs" in the 1970s. "Just say no" is a common phrase we use to 
educate against illegal drug use.

Now we need a "just say yes" when it comes to a mutual game plan 
orchestrated by two presidents.

How much do the two presidents want to end illegal drugs, the 
existence of the powerful drug cartels and the multitude of 
gangland-style killings that have the good people of Mexico hiding in 
fear and many people in the U.S. empowering the cartels by using 
their products?

How much?

And how far are they willing to go to stop it?
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom