Mexico a Failed state? Former Ambassador Tony Garza says no.

Antonio Garza Jr. urges Obama to prioritize US-Mexico relationship

By Antonio Garza Jr. March 4, 2009 - 00:26

Former US Ambassador to Mexico Antonio Garza Jr. writes in The Dallas Morning News:

Unfortunately, talk of Mexico in the United States has turned increasingly to a debate over our neighbor's viability as a nation. By doing so, we fuel a perception that is neither accurate nor constructive.

Failed states do not have functioning executive, legislative and judicial branches. They do not boast the world's 12th-largest economy. They do not trade with the United States at a pace of more than $1 billion a day. And failed states do not demonstrate – as President Felipe Calderon has done – the political will to take on the transnational cartels that threaten the region's security and the courage to sustain that fight until victory is secured.

President Barack Obama should prioritize the U.S.-Mexico relationship and place a premium on bolstering our already strong partnership with the Mexican government and its people.

The United States must recognize the truism that our own security and economic strength is intrinsically tied to a stable and prosperous Mexico.

These are difficult times in Mexico with transnational cartel violence at unprecedented levels, but Calderon's commitment to fight and win this war is unwavering. So should be the United States' support of that fight.

Mexico is working aggressively to reassert control over areas hardest hit by cartel violence and dominion, deploying more than 25,000 troops to more than a dozen Mexican states. The government also has demonstrated its muscle with dramatic increases in spending to more than $2.5 billion in 2007 and more than $4 billion in 2008 to improve public security and counter the cartel-led violence. We've also seen the Mexican government extradite a record number of cartel leaders and criminals to the U.S. to stand trial.

There is an unfortunate reality in the Mexican government's increased commitment to rid the nation of cartels, drugs and corruption. More than 5,500 innocent lives were lost last year in cartel-related violence, and our U.S. border states have seen the war spill into our communities. We cannot shy away from the fight because the level of violence is fast becoming tragic in its scope and size, especially when our nation plays a pivotal role in Mexico's crisis.

Mexico would not be the center of cartel activity or experience this level of violence were the United States not the largest consumer of illicit drugs and the main supplier of weapons to the cartels. We have a responsibility to fight this war together, or we fail together.

The Merida Initiative, a $1.4 billion U.S. commitment to Mexico, ushered in a new era of cooperation on security issues between the nations. This landmark bilateral initiative will strengthen existing law enforcement cooperation and intelligence sharing and provide new equipment for Mexican forces to use to better confront the common threat of drug trafficking and other transnational organized crime.

But the Merida Initiative must be fully funded by Congress. And at a time when our own economic woes beg for federal action, we should not and cannot cast aside the Merida Initiative as a policy distraction or budget extravagance. To the contrary, it is a necessity for the region. Our leaders must provide full funding quickly and move law enforcement tools into the field immediately to win this war.

Instead of buying into those in the United States who are quick to suggest Mexico is a failed state, Obama should forcefully lead and imbue the relationship with his trademark hope and with action indicative of a partner in a war that we must fight and win together.

Antonio O. Garza Jr. is the former US ambassador to Mexico and may be reached through
tonygarza.com.

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Submitted by simon on March 8, 2009 - 14:35.

Finally someone who is actually talking some sense rather than jumping on the bandwagon of sensationalism that is the American media right now. You get the feeling that the mainstream American media is looking for a scape goat whilst their economy hits rock bottom...Mexico makes an easy target.

Submitted by ulyssesdlt on March 8, 2009 - 20:28.

Of course it makes sense. It’s also painfully predictable and typical of Garza rhetoric in that it states the obvious and you walk away thinking that of course he’s going to take this position, because what other position would he take? Totally predictable, and totally what is to be expected of diplomats. I have yet to ever hear Tony Garza say anything remotely newsworthy, compelling, novel, insightful, controversial or otherwise generally new or unexpected.

The only time diplomats ever make the news are when they get appointed and when they do something seriously out of the ordinary. Joseph Plame-Wilson would be exhibit A, exhibit B the US foreign service officers who resigned in 2003 to protest against invading Iraq. I suppose marrying the wealthiest woman in the country you are the ambassador to could be exhibit C.

Submitted by aran on March 9, 2009 - 09:22.

Here is some additional info on Ambassador Garza that may be of interest: His farewell address is here: http://mexidata.info/id2137.html An interesting article here in the New York Times, describing just how sensitive Mexico is regarding Ambassador statements: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/20/international/americas/20mexico.html And, here, his bio as it appears on wikipedia.org: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Garza

Submitted by ulyssesdlt on March 10, 2009 - 09:06.

And Exhibit D would be the NY Times article just posted. I actually do remember now when Garza made that statement about border violence getting out of hand and I remember thinking at the time that the Mexicans were behaving like a bunch of pansies for effectively shooting the messenger. And this would be one of many reasons I am not a diplomat today.

Submitted by Olegna Joven on March 24, 2009 - 05:54.

This is an old, cyclical story. It used to be that the Mexico bashing would rise and fall with each annual Certification Process. (Does the US still certify Mexico's war-on-drugs efforts on an annual basis?) The right-wing peanut gallery tends to spearhead these periodic screeds. Plus, every few years some military man in the US publishes a series of fantasy scenarios for future, hypothetical US military interventions -- Mexico is often one of those scenarios where some "scholar of war" fantasizes about Mexico becoming a narco-state, and how the US military would then have to roll tanks down to Monterrey -- or some such nonsense. This reminds me of when Ronald Reagan used scare tactics in his defense of his tyrannical and subversive Central American policy in the 80s by scaring Americans with images of Russian tanks rolling over the Rio Grande. LOL! I'm glad a former Mexican ambassador come out in defense of Mexico, but it's preposterous that anyone is talking about whether Mexico is a failed state or not. These folks could use a walk through a Oaxacan market, but then they'd probably be afraid to drink the atole :)

Submitted by mariofrog101750 on April 1, 2009 - 07:19.

While I wholeheartedly agree that Mexico is by far not a "Failed State", as shown in this article

http://www.securitycornermexico.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=vi...

and MANY more in my Travel Section

http://www.securitycornermexico.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=ca...

President Barack Obama appears to contradict this article:

http://www.securitycornermexico.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=vi...

Also, the Family of Mr. Jose Esparza of United Airlines, San Antonio, Texas ..

http://www.securitycornermexico.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=vi...

Legal U.S. Arms Exports May Be Source of Narco Syndicates Rising Firepower

http://www.securitycornermexico.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=vi...

I've told Mr. Esparza that while attending school in Los Angeles area in the late 60s and early 70s three times was the victim of violent crime, last time got stabbed in a gas station's hold up. I'd invite readers to pay a nightly visit to places such as Compton City (have an associate in science degree from Compton Junior College), Whittier, Watts in L. A. or nearby Logan Street in San Diego to attest that urban violence in the United States thanks to gangs has trully gone OUT OF CONTROL. Having attended a Chiefs of Police Convention in Jackson, MS. about 15 years ago was enough evidence that police in the US do not respond as shown in Hollywood or TV series to emergency calls via 911 if the problem area is a Barrio, ghetto or poor ethnic commmunity. Also, should they enter a "no man's zone" they come in police motorcades, armed to their teeth, using armored vests and leave as soon as they can. So, the situation in Durango, while unacceptable is really no proof we have in Mexico (yet) what you'll see here..

http://www.streetgangs.com/

Or HERE ..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gqShQTSDCM

More REFERENCES, here

http://www.securitycornermexico.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=vi...

What do YOU .. think?

Best Regards

Mario González-Román
President
Culture of Safe Travel, Crime and Loss Prevention in Mexico
www.securitycornermexico.com (SCM)

SCM is a free, independent information resource for the International Community. Most input comes from actual travelers.

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Mexico a Failed state? Former Ambassador Tony Garza says no.

Antonio Garza Jr. urges Obama to prioritize US-Mexico relationship

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