Is The U.S. Boosting Funding To Aid Mexico's Drug Cartel War, Or Is It Withholding Millions To Aid Mexico's Drug War

Photo: Mexican soldiers stand next to weapons seized at a warehouse Thursday after a gunfight that killed 25 suspected drug cartel members. (Tomas Bravo/Reuters)

U.S. May Drastically Boost Funding To Aid Mexico's War On Drug Gangs -- L.A. Times

Obama administration officials say they continue to examine their approach toward an issue they consider to be a top priority.

Reporting from Washington — The Obama administration is considering a substantial spending increase on the Mexican drug war, the latest sign of its growing concern about the rampant violence incited by narcotics cartels in Mexico.

Administration officials said internal debate on the issue continues, and they are not yet at a point where they can estimate how much of an increase may be requested. But they said the matter is considered urgent even at a time when the White House is struggling with costly wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

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The Mexican army drug raid took place in rural north-east Mexico.
Photograph: Tomas Bravo/Reuters

U.S. Withholds Millions in Mexico Antidrug Aid -- New York Times

MEXICO CITY — The United States will withhold about $26 million promised for Mexico’s drug war because of concerns that the country has not done enough to protect its people from police and military abuse.

It is the first time that the United States, citing human rights concerns, has held back a portion of the financing for Mexico under the Merida Initiative, a three-year-old, $1.4 billion effort to help Mexico and Central American nations fight drug trafficking organizations.

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My Comment: It appears that the left hand does not know what the right hand is doing. But what is troublesome about this, is that the Mexican cartels understand the politics behind this contradiction, and are exploiting it to their advantage.