DRUG WAR ALLIES

Mexico Deserves U.S. Help Against the Cartels

Mexico's new president, Felipe Calderon, is waging a courageous
battle against his country's drug cartels, a transnational menace to
Mexico and the United States alike. Calderon is quietly asking the
Bush administration for help in this desperate struggle. He should
get it, and quickly.

The case for a stronger U.S.-Mexico alliance against the drug
traffickers is self-evident.

Mexico's six major drug cartels are responsible for an estimated 90
percent of all cocaine entering the United States, plus a steadily
growing volume of methamphetamines, marijuana and heroin. In Mexico,
violence linked directly to the cartels has killed 1,500 people so
far this year, a 50-percent increase already over the toll of murders
for all of last year. In addition, the Mexican cartels represent a
direct challenge to the rule of law in Mexico. Left unchecked, they
might ultimately threaten Mexico's political stability, economic
growth, modernization and continuing democratization.

These are huge national security and law enforcement stakes for both
countries. Accordingly, there is every reason for the United States
and Mexico to join forces in an ever-closer alliance against the
narco-trafficking syndicates.

To their mutual credit, the Bush and Calderon administrations
recognize that the best strategy against Mexico's narco-trafficking
cartels is the closest possible U.S.-Mexico cooperation. The United
States can provide intelligence, counter-narcotics surveillance
technology, some law enforcement hardware plus professional training
for Mexico's police and special counter-narcotics units. For its
part, Mexico can significantly expand its cooperation with U.S. law
enforcement, notably including the Drug Enforcement Administration,
the front-line agency against the flood of illicit narcotics entering
the United States. Mexico can also work with the United States on
ways to purge Mexico's police of the drug-cartel corruption that saps
their effectiveness.

Calderon's government can also inflict grievous damage on the cartels
by extraditing major drug figures wanted for trial in the United
States. Until last January when Calderon's government extradited a
dozen major drug traffickers to the United States, extradition of any
significant narco-traffickers from Mexico was a rare event. Turning
extradition from rare to routine would send a powerful message to
Mexico's traffickers: The days of immunity from the long arm of U.S.
justice are over.

Specifically, Calderon could follow up on his January extraditions by
delivering more leaders of the Tijuana-based Arellano Felix
Organization cartel now in custody in Mexico. These extraditions,
long sought by the United States, should begin with cartel leader
Benjamin Arellano Felix and AFO partner Jesus Labra Aviles.

The Bush and Calderon administrations are currently negotiating a
U.S. aid package that could run to several hundred million dollars
for Mexico's counter-narcotics forces. Reportedly, Mexico wants
high-tech surveillance technology, search aircraft, perhaps
helicopters, more sophisticated police weaponry and professional
training (conducted outside Mexico).

The Bush administration appears favorably disposed, as it certainly
should be, to these requests in exchange for greatly expanded
counter-narcotics cooperation from Mexico. For Calderon and Bush, the
time to act is now.