Clinton’s U.S. Mea Culpa

Mar 28, 2009 Editorial

Last week, President Jagdeo made his displeasure public about the United States’s seeming penchant for “lecturing” rather than assisting more materially in the fight against drug trafficking from Guyana. It was their insatiable demand for the drugs, he reasoned, that precipitated the supply and transport chains.

But even before the President’s intervention, we had noted in our editorial, “Drugs Policy”: A poor country like ours just does not have the wherewithal, for instance, to cover the thousands of miles of open borders that we share with our neighbours that have contiguous borders with the cocaine producing states.
As the major destination for the drug, it is not unreasonable for our government to expect more assistance from the U.S. in dealing with what is a common problem. There have been many promises about a local DEA office being established but for some reason this has never materialised.”

There have been several critiques of the President’s forthright comments but as should be obvious from the above, we believe that the substance of his charge has merit.
However, some felt that as the leader of a small, impoverished country it might not have been the most diplomatic route to proceed on. Major powers, after all, are rather touchy about criticism on strategic policy issues and there is the matter of a predecessor of the President being assisted from office for voicing analogous criticism on matters of ideology.

Then, lo and behold, came the bombshell that reverberated across the world. On a visit to Mexico connected directly with drug trafficking to the U.S., Secretary of State Hillary Clinton declared flatly: “We know very well that the drug traffickers are motivated by the demand for illegal drugs in the United States and that they are armed by the transport of weapons from the United States.”
While everyone had long known the truth of the assertion, the U.S. had just as long refused to face it for fear of exactly what President Jagdeo had intimated: sharing of responsibility implied sharing of resources for solving the problem.

Clinton’s visit had been preceded by that of high-ranking officials involved in the U.S. anti-drug war and it culminated in a firm commitment to dramatically increase the resources available to Mexico to deal with the traffickers – including Blackhawk helicopters. Ninety percent of drugs into the U.S. pass through Mexico and the gang wars to control that trade have made parts of that country into veritable battle zones. Over nine thousand have been killed in a little over two years, the government has no control over several parts of the country and many fear that Mexico may soon become a failed state.

“This situation is intolerable for honest, law-abiding citizens of Mexico, my country or of anywhere people of conscience live,” said Secretary Clinton. “The United States recognizes that drug trafficking is not only Mexico’s problem. It is also America’s problem.”
We hope that the new rhetoric from the United States signals a willingness to expand their cooperation in the war on drugs to other countries in the frontline such as Guyana.
While Mexico is presently the colossus in drug transshipment to the U.S., the administration would know that any success on that front will simply transfer the traffickers to other transshipment points – such as Guyana.

In the eighties, Florida was the major port of entry for drugs but a well coordinated effort between federal, local and Caribbean jurisdictions brought that situation under control. The operators simply shifted their operations to Mexico and the rest, as they say, is history.
We would not want that history to repeat itself here. The administration has never denied that Guyana is a drug transshipment point. The President reiterated that his government is willing to “collaborate” with any country that will assist in the effort to deal with the problem. The long promised DEA office might be a litmus test of any possible new dispensation from Washington.
If there are any concerns of the U.S. that has constrained its commitment, these ought to be ventilated publicly so that we can move on. Drugs kill countries as well as people.

Latest News

Clinton’s U.S. Mea Culpa

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | December, 2nd, 2024

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

The wait is over, all roads lead to KMTC for their Grand Boxing Day...

Xhiya Hercules – flipping the script towards...

Road Warriors, Bent Street, Team Cruel &...

Deol maiden hundred outshines Matthews’ as...

Moraikobai village two days football competition...

BCB thanks cricket fraternity for strong support...

Features/Columnists

Merry Christmas, Ya Filthy Animals!

Breaking the Chains of Poverty: A need for political will

Christmas – reality and possibility

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]

Clinton’s U.S. Mea Culpa

Share this:

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | December, 2nd, 2024

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]