Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Hillary Says Insatiable Demand Fuels Drug Trade

I wholeheartedly agree with Hillary and I'm so pleased that she said it outright. Indirectly, the U.S. is responsible for the beheadings and the other dastardly methods used by the Mexican drug cartels to maintain their markets.
I'm sure it frustrates Mexico that we blame them for bringing drugs across our border but where there is demand, there is supply, and Mexico is fulfilling our demand.
Admitting that our demand is too high is a great step to help solve the problem. It also helps better relations with Mexico.
Hillary is in Mexico today and tomorrow. Read about Obama's recently announced strategy here. Hillary makes headlines (good ones) in Mexico. Read Homeland secretary Janet Napolitano's testimony on border violence here
MEXICO CITY — Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton arrived here Wednesday with the clearest acknowledgment yet from a senior Obama administration official of the role the United States plays in the violent drug trade racking Mexico.

“Our insatiable demand for illegal drugs fuels the drug trade,” she said, using unusually blunt language. “Our inability to prevent weapons from being illegally smuggled across the border to arm these criminals causes the deaths of police officers, soldiers and civilians.”

Since last year, drug-related killings and battles between law enforcement authorities and the cartels have resulted in more than 7,200 deaths in Mexico, and raised doubts about the country’s stability. The violence has begun spilling across the border.

Senior officials said Mrs. Clinton would press the Mexican president, Felipe Calderon, to redouble his government’s effort to root out corruption in the police force and the courts.

“His commitment to the struggle for security and judicial reform, and the other elements of his agenda, to deal with lawlessness in Mexico, is full-speed-ahead,” she said. “I’m very impressed with his attention to these problems.” NYT
7,000 murders within the last 15 months