Michelle Malkin reports on a reader request about a White House plan to provide $1.4 billion in 'security' aid to the Mexican government:
The plan is called "The Merida Initiative." Seems that the White House has had this plan in the works for nearly a year with little congressional input on either side of the border.
We can't finish our own border fence, properly supply our immigration agents and border patrol with all the equipment and resources they need, or get our house in order. Yet, the Bush administration wants to fork over $1.4 billion to Mexico and Central America–with much of it going into the hands of corrupt law enforcement officials and government bureaucrats who have worked tirelessly to undermine our immigration laws. The funding is tucked into the 2008 supplemental budget.
Naturally, the State Department has taken a lead role. They've held meetings in secret and cut out members of Congress from discussion. You'll love the explanation for the secrecy: Mexico is "sensitive," you see. Also, according to one expert, "Mexico is very protective of its sovereignty and very worried about any incursion of U.S. security forces or private contractors—like Blackwater—coming in to train Mexicans." Yeah, they're worried about incursions and sovereignty.
Apparently there was a hearing about this funding, and the only opposition at all to it was voiced (mildly) by a Democrat. Excuse me?? Where are the Republicans on this no-brainer issue?
How hard is this to understand? Mexico has zero interest in protecting their border - they have government agencies actively helping Mexicans illegally cross into the U.S.! Their second largest industry is Mexicans in America sending money home! Why we are even contemplating giving money to corrupt Mexican politicians to 'stop' this is so far beyond me that I can't even see straight! Not only is this not going to help our situation, but it is actually funding the problem!
Call your Senators and Reps, and demand they get involved in this and STOP IT!!! We need real border security, not this!
There's my two cents.
1 comment:
***********Immediate Release March 21, 2008**************
Secret Documents Released
Murdered Journalist Network Denounces Military Reward for Impunity
Contacts: http://friendsofbradwill.org
The international network demanding accountability for the murder of US journalist Brad Will released secret documents detailing proposed military support for Mexican security forces implicated in murder, torture and continuing arbitrary detentions.
"Finally we were able to obtain these documents, which even Members of Congress have yet to see. We hope that by releasing them to the public we will be able to better make our case for withholding hundreds of millions of dollars in military subsidies to the Mexican military. The murderers of Brad and many others in Oaxaca and Atenco and Chiapas must be brought to justice if U.S. support for human rights is to mean anything." said Harry Bubbins, of Friends of Brad Will. Over 70% of the proposed $1.5 billion would entail lethal aid analysts revealed.
Friends of Brad Will is with a widespread coalition of labor and human rights advocates urging House Speaker Pelosi and Eliot Engels, the Chair of the Western Hemispheric affairs subcommittee to oppose U.S. support for Mexican military and police forces. Mr. Will, the 36 year old reporter, was murdered in Oaxaca, Mexico on October 27th, 2006. Witnesses and photographic evidence implicate members of the Mexican government, including a police chief in his death that day.
President Bush announced a $1.5 billion dollar “security cooperation initiative” proposal for Mexico that the President is trying to bury into the Iraq supplemental spending package submitted to Congress. The initiative allows sharing of U.S. military intelligence information with Mexican military counterparts and provides weaponry and training with the notoriously corrupt and brutal Mexican military and police.
Brad Will’s family and friends denounced plans to fund a “Plan Mexico” that would be more costly than the controversial “Plan Colombia”. They pointed to the lack of any credible investigation into the murder of the U.S. journalist, who was in Mexico
covering the protests of a popular movement of teachers and their supporters facing paramilitary violence deployed by the Mexican government and the governor of Oaxaca, Ulises Ruiz Ortiz.
“We are confident that Congress will not just rubber stamp this ill-advised military aid package in Bush's waning days that would lead to further human rights abuses for decades to come.” stated Robert Jereski, a Congressional liaison for Friends of Brad Will.
SECRET DOCUMENTS AT:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/protectrandallsislandandmore/sets/72157600222165326/
PARTIAL HELICOPTER OUTLAYS PROPOSED:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/protectrandallsislandandmore/2349516939/in/set-72157600222165326/
SUMMARY SHEET 1 of 4
http://www.flickr.com/photos/protectrandallsislandandmore/2349507881/in/set-72157600222165326/
By Friends of Brad Will
http://friendsofbradwill.org
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