Caribbean asks US to expand anti-drug Merida plan

Source: AP


.
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – Caribbean leaders said they have asked the U.S. to expand a $1.4 billion program to help Mexico and Central America fight drug trafficking and organized crime to include aid for their island nations.

The so-called Merida Initiative should include funding for Caribbean countries where drug-related gun deaths are rising, Guyanese President Bharrat Jagdeo said after Caribbean leaders met with U.S. congressmen Saturday.

Jagdeo said Caribbean presidents and prime ministers told U.S. lawmakers that a crackdown in Mexico could push drug traffickers into the Caribbean, which lies directly between the South American source of many illegal drugs and the U.S., the world's top consumer.

"We have to spend resources that we do not have on interdiction," Barbados Prime Minister David Thompson added, stressing how hard it is to fight trafficking with many island's poorly funded police and limited armies

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090419/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/cb_summit_obama_caribbean;_ylt=AkwFEronWTVqelU4AP4WOBa3IxIF

same old BS

We need your money!..We need your money!Do you suppose we could expand that to 3.4 billion?We've got government officials here that just can't make it on 1.4b...thats like a wage cut for us.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8005455.stm


Interesting side note.I clicked a link on the above BBC news link yesterday that was headed "Philippine Rebels release hostage".That link was up for about two hours,and was then changed to "Philippines police rescue hostage".I'll bet President Arroyo got really pissed off when she saw the chance to grab some glory slip thru her fingers.Wonder how long it took Arroyo to pressure the BBC to change the headline?Gotta prove you are being effective in the various "Wars" if you are going to receive more funding from the US....

aggressive military and intelligence agencies actions. This is counter to our national interest.

What is so sad is that even after centuries of abuse of native peoples -- now in clear poltical accendency -- they are still willing to be friends and neighbors if the USA is reasonable. The pics of POTUS Obama and the Latin/America leaders made me grin and tear.

The litmus test is pot. If pot is a target, the policy is bullshit.

No black market no black market crime. Decriminalize. Treatment on demand. End the madness.