The Effects of and Alternatives to US Funded Militarization of the Mexican Antinarcotics Effort

1
The Effects of and Alternatives to US Funded
Militarization of the Mexican Antinarcotics Effort

• Michael Anderson
• IA 216
• Spring 2009

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Introduction

• Topic Area-
• Given the pervasiveness of narcotics money
  throughout the economy, the Mexican Army, with
  its airplanes and high-tech communications gear,
  may become the worlds most formidable drug
  dealer.
• The police is Mexico are not merely corrupt,
  they are criminals- and thus the symbol of
  Mexicos decaying political system, whatever
  democratic trappings it may claim.
• Research Question-
• Has US support for militarization of Mexican
  antinarcotics efforts increased corruption in
  Mexican security forces?
• If so, would supporting a policy of
  decriminalization in the US and Mexico increase
  or decrease corruption?

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Significance to knowledge
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Literature Review

• Liberalism, in the form of decriminalization, is
  an undeveloped topic in modern international
  relations
• Although they dont say this publicly, quite a
  number of these US officials are opposed to
  much of the US counternarcotics strategy, since
  they believe that drug sales are a crucial
  element in the Mexican national economy and that
  successfully removing that component might
  destabilize Mexico. (Wiarda 181)
• From the drug traffickers point of view, the
  only thing worse than having their shipments
  interdicted is for their merchandise to be
  legalized. (ODay 291 )
• Lack of of constructivist approach (Mexican
  nationalism) to Mexican antinarcotics corruption
• Its influence on Mexican political identity (in
  opposition to US)
• Its effect on US-Mexican antinarcotics
  cooperation

Kaplan, Robert. An Empire Wilderness New York
Random House. 1998. 114
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Methodology-Operationization
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Methodology-Definitions
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Expected Results

• Positive relation between increased
  militarization of AN efforts and corruption
• Negative relation between decriminalization and
  corruption

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Bibliography

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  Foreign Affairds. September/October 2008.
  126-139.
• Dunn, Timothy. Border Militarization Via Drug
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• Isacson, Adam. The US Military and the War on
  Drugs Drugs and Democracy in Latin American The
  Impact of US Policy. London Lynne Rienner
  Publishers. 2005
• Kaplan, Robert. An Empire Wilderness Travels
  Into Americas Future New York Random House.
  1998
• Lloveras, Joaquin. Narcotics Corruption Impact
  of the Drug War on Mexicos Semi-Democracy. San
  Francisco State University. 2002
• McDonough, James. Liberalizing Drug Policies
  Would Increase Crime and Violence Drug
  Legalization. New York Greenhaven Press. 2005
• ODay, Patrick. The Mexican Army as a Cartel
  Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice. August
  2001. 278-295
• Pardo, Rafael. Colombias Two Front War
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• Silvis, Jos. Managing the Drug Problem
  Tolerance or Prohibition? Criminal Justice in
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• Walters, John, Drug Prohibition is Effective
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  2005
• Wiarda, Howard. Beyond the Pale The
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  Mexico World Affairs. Spring 2008. 174-190