America’s missing drug war aid

For all the talk of whether the U.S. should be supporting Mexico’s effort in its war on drugs, it turns out that the U.S. is actually barely in the fight. A State Department official leaked the following numbers to the AP: The records show that in the third year of what was to be a ...

By , a former associate editor at Foreign Policy.

For all the talk of whether the U.S. should be supporting Mexico's effort in its war on drugs, it turns out that the U.S. is actually barely in the fight. A State Department official leaked the following numbers to the AP:

For all the talk of whether the U.S. should be supporting Mexico’s effort in its war on drugs, it turns out that the U.S. is actually barely in the fight. A State Department official leaked the following numbers to the AP:

The records show that in the third year of what was to be a three-year program, Washington is just starting to help Mexico fund its bloody battle. After bureaucratic tie-ups limited spending to $26 million in two years, cash began to flow this year, with $235 million projected by year end, and at least $331 million expected in 2011.

"The leaders of the Mexican military made the point (that) the house is on fire now," U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said recently after meeting with military counterparts in Mexico. "Having the fire trucks show up in 2012 is not going to be particularly helpful." […]

Administration leaders often talk about how the U.S. has sent $1 billion to help Mexico.

Calderon told reporters this week: "We have received about $400 million."

In fact, it’s $161 million.

Joshua Keating was an associate editor at Foreign Policy. Twitter: @joshuakeating

Tag: War

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