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AP - A cast of senior U.S. security officials pledged long-term support for Mexico's drug war while acknowledging Tuesday that an insatiable U.S. appetite for illegal narcotics is at the core of the problem.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, who led the U.S. delegation, told the meeting that the drug cartels responsible for increasing violence in the border region are fighting not just Mexican military and law enforcement forces but also the United States.

"There is no question that they are fighting against both of our governments," she said, according to a copy of her closed-door remarks. "Tragically, that fact was underscored on March 13th," with the murders of two Americans and a Mexican affiliated with the U.S. consulate in Ciudad Juarez, Clinton said.

Clinton pledged U.S. efforts with Mexico and at home to reduce demand for drugs in the United States and the flow of guns and drug proceeds to Mexico.

To send a message that the U.S. was serious about its pledge, it sent the Obama administration's most senior deputies — including Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen.

"Sending a delegation of this stature to Mexico shows our level of commitment to working with the Mexican government to help them combat this threat within their midst, and one that ultimately permeates into our country and becomes a threat to our citizens as well," said Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell.

U.S. officials see a strategic problem with their neighbor's surging violence and unstable judicial and law enforcement systems. Mexican officials blame that instability on the insatiable U.S. demand for lucrative and illegal narcotics.

The U.S. has sent helicopters, x-ray vans and sniffer dogs to help Mexico tackle drug cartels, but Mexican leaders attending the one-day session with the visiting U.S. officials say that to really help, the Americans must tackle their problem of drug consumption.

Both presidents Barack Obama and Felipe Calderon have repeatedly stressed that theirs is a "cooperative effort" to disrupt Mexico's powerful drug cartels, whose power struggles with each other and authorities have led to the killings of 17,900 people since Calderon took office in late 2006.

Clinton was scheduled to meet separately with President Felipe Calderon before returning to Washington.

Attending with Clinton were Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Joint Chiefs chairman Adm. Mike Mullen, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair and John Brennan, President Barack Obama's counterterrorism and homeland security adviser. Senior officials from the departments of Justice and Treasury also participated, along with officials from the Drug Enforcement Agency and the Office of National Drug Control Policy.

The Mexican delegation was led by Foreign Secretary Patricia Espinosa.

Napolitano said the U.S. shares blame for the enormity of the drug violence problem.

"We need to keep focusing on that drug demand reduction issue," she told reporters aboard the U.S. government jet that ferried her, Clinton and other senior officials from Washington.

In the Ciudad Juarez attacks, an American who worked at the consulate and her American husband, as well as a Mexican national employee of the consulate, were gunned down in separate vehicles after leaving a children's party. U.S. officials say it appears unlikely that the victims were targeted as U.S. diplomats, but the circumstances of the shootings are still under investigation.

Napolitano said Calderon made the right decision to use military force against the drug organizations, but in the U.S. view it will take a broader effort, to include more civilian law enforcement agencies and deeper U.S. assistance, to prevail in the long run.

As a reminder of the scope of the problem of drug-related violence, Mexican authorities arranged outside Tuesday's meeting room a table full of weapons that had been smuggled through the U.S. and confiscated from drug cartels in Mexico. They included dozens of pistols and automatic rifles, including gold-plated AK-47s.

To improve cooperation and coordination between Washington and Mexico City, the Bush administration in 2008 promised $1.3 billion in aid under the Merida Initiative. But with just $128 million delivered so far, Tuesday's meeting was designed to discuss ways to refocus some of that spending in more effective ways.

"This new agenda expands our focus beyond disrupting drug trafficking organizations - which will remain a core element of our cooperation," Clinton told the group.

The administration's 2011 budget request includes about $330 million for Merida projects.

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has 10 border enforcement teams along the southwest frontier working with U.S. and Mexican law enforcement to slow the smuggling of firearms, ammunition and explosives into Mexico. Napolitano said that effort will be reinforced as the Mexican government develops its own customs and border patrol services to perform more sophisticated checking of vehicle movements into Mexico.

Tuesday's meetings were focusing on strategies for breaking the power of the drug trafficking organizations, creating a more secure and flexible border, strengthening communities in the border region and building more effective law enforcement institutions.



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Yada , yada, yada. Without wishing to get into the history or the fundamentals, this isn't something that is going to solved or eradicated by fiat. It goes into the fundamental sociologic idea that people need to get high. I'm thinking that it's in our DNA. If that upsets some folks, dunno what to say. Just seems to me that we've trampled this territory so many times, but nothing has changed. And, I do not do drugs, of any kind, with the exception of a high blood pressure medication. That's it.

Must agree... our species has been brewing beer, taking drugs of some form since forever... think it's has to do with basic metabolism and/or the environmental stimuli ...... just like the "flight or fight" response of most all animals... it a desire of the specie to feel good... as opposed to feeling bad....

If one is functional within their environment without the use of any "drugs" congratulations.. as you and I must take medications.... had never taken any medications in my life until I got into my 60's then all of a sudden, I have various conditions developing from old age.. and a number of surgery's that I had to under go.... it's that simple

If you are lucky enough to not have to take drugs.... good for you... if you do.. don't feel bad.. be thankful that nature and/or science has been able to develop these "substances" which makes life live-able for some of us...

Only down side to this.. all my medication tells me not to drink, and to stay out of the sun... now what's up with that...

Yesterday, my wife took me out and I had my first Cadillac Margrita .... very good and that's very bad!!

And now.....looks like a ballot initiative legalizing marijuana is qualifying for the November ballot, while at the same time, polls show it would be passed, if the vote was today. Much attributed to the fiscal crisis in the state. I guess money talks, eh?

California may vote on legalizing pot - latimes.com

Now this may really help the economy... grow shops, Home Depot, Commercial office space, computers, office supplies.. the list goes on, perhaps the next bubble... growing pot for profit ..... and decreasing violence!!!

Now this is just plain common sense... hope they work it out at the border.. think they could help with our down economy ... or is it, what Arnold wants Arnold gets...

It could get interesting. Take the scenario where Pot passes in California. The Feds have a slightly different take on the weed. So, even where a state that has more than 10% of the nation's population passes such a measure, what are the feds gonna do?

Originally Posted by Bajahowodd

, what are the feds gonna do?

Realize laws don't mean much if you can't/don't enforce 'em? nah...too much to hope for.

'cept the feds have been regularly busting medical pot dispensaries. That would be rendered child's play if California passes that initiative. Gotta believe that tons of money will be spent by right wing and religious groups to defeat it.

Perhaps there's another perspective. If the feds don't try to enforce their law possibly it weakens the stance of Federal law supremacy over state law....and with the trend what it is in Washington, these days, that could present quite a conundrum.

You can't tax something that is illegal, at least the last time I looked... Arnie see light at the end of the "tunnel" which is coming up in June for the State of California... where is the "beef".. with legal pot, with taxes.. OH BOY!!!

Plus we will need another Agency, and..........

and let's not forget if it goes nation wide.... oh, my ALL the Sates... interstate transport..the FEDS will want some of this money too... and we will need another agency to over see the States... as the Fed's will have to change in Law...

Be interesting to see if folks will get out and vote for it... not sure they have much else to "vote" for... for real..

Originally Posted by dusty

Perhaps there's another perspective. If the feds don't try to enforce their law possibly it weakens the stance of Federal law supremacy over state law....and with the trend what it is in Washington, these days, that could present quite a conundrum.

The more I think about this... the more interesting the political possibilities are...

Originally Posted by Bajahowodd

It could get interesting. Take the scenario where Pot passes in California. The Feds have a slightly different take on the weed. So, even where a state that has more than 10% of the nation's population passes such a measure, what are the feds gonna do?

The Feds don't even want to pay border states/counties for the immigrants they insist we incarcerate. I hope they don't spend even more money on yet another morality issue.
Wouldn't it be nice to have our city, county, state and federal elected leaders start purging archaic and unenforced laws?

Oh, stop making sense!!!

Originally Posted by soulpatch

The Feds don't even want to pay border states/counties for the immigrants they insist we incarcerate. I hope they don't spend even more money on yet another morality issue.
Wouldn't it be nice to have our city, county, state and federal elected leaders start purging archaic and unenforced laws?

The passage of the initiative is far from assured. Already, there are organized groups raising money to fight the passage. And I just read that Barbara Boxer of all people has come out against it. That said, if this thing should pass, the only thing the feds would have to do is to withhold funds from the State involving any number of programs. It's been done, or threatened in the past in such circumstances as the 55mph speed limit and the 18 year old drinking age issue.