Team Infidel
Forum Spin Doctor
CNN
April 30, 2008
Lou Dobbs Tonight (CNN), 7:00 PM
LOU DOBBS: The U.S., Mexican and Central American governments are stepping up their efforts to fight the increasingly violent drug cartels of Mexico. Mexican President Felipe Calderon sent 3,000 federal troops into Tijuana yesterday to fight the warring cartels. And the Bush administration is now pressuring Congress to approve a military aid package that would send Mexico nearly one and a half billion U.S. taxpayer dollars.
Casey Wian has our report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) CASEY WIAN: Leaders of the United States and Guatemala, the two nations bordering Mexico and its escalating drug wars met at the White House this week. President Alvaro Colom says the recent arrival of four military helicopters from the United States helped Guatemala seize more drugs.
PRES. ALVARO COLOM, GUATEMALA (through translator): We are working not just with the United States, but also with Mexico and the entire neighborhood in Central America because all of us must be involved in order to combat that scourge at all levels.
WIAN: President Bush again pressed the U.S. Congress to approve the Meridainitiative. It seeks $1.4 billion for military aircraft, technology, and training to help Mexico fight drug cartels.
PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH: We're working hard to reduce the demand for drugs here in America. And at the same time we want to work in conjunction with strong leaders to make sure these drug traffickers don't get a stronghold, and that's why it's very important for Congress to fund the Merida project.
WIAN: But in six months Congress has not acted on Merida.
PROF. GEORGE GRAYSON, COLLEGE OF WILLIAM & MARY: It's important that we symbolically show our cooperation with Mexico in the war against drugs. After all, we consume most of the junk that comes across the border. At the same time, I don't believe the U.S. Congress wants to grapple with this issue before the presidential election.
WIAN: Still, Robert Gates became only the second U.S. defense secretary to visit Mexico Tuesday. He promoted Merida, predicted congressional approval and said he hoped the money would begin flowing to Mexico by Memorial Day. (END VIDEOTAPE)
WIAN: Gates called Merida a wise investment of American money, but some U.S. lawmakers worry about Mexico's history of government corruption and say they fear military hardware intended for Mexican soldiers could be diverted to drug cartels -- Lou.
DOBBS: Well at this point you know why not try it? I mean we are watching an entire generation of young Americans being overwhelmed by addiction of control substances, alcohol. We're watching Mexico continue to send the preponderance of the cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamines and heroin into this country. It's worth a try, in my opinion. I don't want to suggest it's anyone else's opinion. It's mine.
But it's time we did something. And if this might spur the Calderon government to authentic genuine action, it would be ground breaking, historic to have an effective measure taken in the war on drugs. They might even consider securing the border.
WIAN: Right. Well Lou, I got to tell you Secretary Gates sounded very confident in his public comments out of Mexico that Congress would in fact approve this package and approve it soon. That despite the fact that many congressional skeptics remain opposed to giving Mexico any money until they clean up the corruption in government there.
DOBBS: I don't know who those skeptics are, don't want to know, don't care. I'm saying now is the time for this country to get serious about border security, port security, about interdiction of drugs, the war on drugs, the war on addiction in this country and the war on terror and secure those borders and these ports. And it's time for the idiots and the these chimera to just simply disappear. I hope that this administration takes all of them with it when it leaves in January.
Thank you very much, Casey Wian.
Again, I want to repeat, that was my opinion. No one else's, just mine. I hope you share it but it was my opinion. Thank you, Casey.
April 30, 2008
Lou Dobbs Tonight (CNN), 7:00 PM
LOU DOBBS: The U.S., Mexican and Central American governments are stepping up their efforts to fight the increasingly violent drug cartels of Mexico. Mexican President Felipe Calderon sent 3,000 federal troops into Tijuana yesterday to fight the warring cartels. And the Bush administration is now pressuring Congress to approve a military aid package that would send Mexico nearly one and a half billion U.S. taxpayer dollars.
Casey Wian has our report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) CASEY WIAN: Leaders of the United States and Guatemala, the two nations bordering Mexico and its escalating drug wars met at the White House this week. President Alvaro Colom says the recent arrival of four military helicopters from the United States helped Guatemala seize more drugs.
PRES. ALVARO COLOM, GUATEMALA (through translator): We are working not just with the United States, but also with Mexico and the entire neighborhood in Central America because all of us must be involved in order to combat that scourge at all levels.
WIAN: President Bush again pressed the U.S. Congress to approve the Meridainitiative. It seeks $1.4 billion for military aircraft, technology, and training to help Mexico fight drug cartels.
PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH: We're working hard to reduce the demand for drugs here in America. And at the same time we want to work in conjunction with strong leaders to make sure these drug traffickers don't get a stronghold, and that's why it's very important for Congress to fund the Merida project.
WIAN: But in six months Congress has not acted on Merida.
PROF. GEORGE GRAYSON, COLLEGE OF WILLIAM & MARY: It's important that we symbolically show our cooperation with Mexico in the war against drugs. After all, we consume most of the junk that comes across the border. At the same time, I don't believe the U.S. Congress wants to grapple with this issue before the presidential election.
WIAN: Still, Robert Gates became only the second U.S. defense secretary to visit Mexico Tuesday. He promoted Merida, predicted congressional approval and said he hoped the money would begin flowing to Mexico by Memorial Day. (END VIDEOTAPE)
WIAN: Gates called Merida a wise investment of American money, but some U.S. lawmakers worry about Mexico's history of government corruption and say they fear military hardware intended for Mexican soldiers could be diverted to drug cartels -- Lou.
DOBBS: Well at this point you know why not try it? I mean we are watching an entire generation of young Americans being overwhelmed by addiction of control substances, alcohol. We're watching Mexico continue to send the preponderance of the cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamines and heroin into this country. It's worth a try, in my opinion. I don't want to suggest it's anyone else's opinion. It's mine.
But it's time we did something. And if this might spur the Calderon government to authentic genuine action, it would be ground breaking, historic to have an effective measure taken in the war on drugs. They might even consider securing the border.
WIAN: Right. Well Lou, I got to tell you Secretary Gates sounded very confident in his public comments out of Mexico that Congress would in fact approve this package and approve it soon. That despite the fact that many congressional skeptics remain opposed to giving Mexico any money until they clean up the corruption in government there.
DOBBS: I don't know who those skeptics are, don't want to know, don't care. I'm saying now is the time for this country to get serious about border security, port security, about interdiction of drugs, the war on drugs, the war on addiction in this country and the war on terror and secure those borders and these ports. And it's time for the idiots and the these chimera to just simply disappear. I hope that this administration takes all of them with it when it leaves in January.
Thank you very much, Casey Wian.
Again, I want to repeat, that was my opinion. No one else's, just mine. I hope you share it but it was my opinion. Thank you, Casey.