... AND STRONGER EFFORT ON DRUG SCOURGE

Drug trafficking is prominently on the agenda for today's meeting in Mexico
between President Bush and Mexican President Fox. As well it should be. The
huge traffic in illegal narcotics flowing from and through Mexico into the
United States represents an obvious danger to both countries. What's more,
not enough is being done by either government to combat this deadly, mutual
plague.

Bush can begin what should become a regular dialogue with Fox on the drug
issue by pledging increased emphasis on attacking the demand side of the
narco-trafficking problem. It is, after all, the immense appetite for drugs
in this county that drives the narcotics trade from Mexico. Bush recognizes
that education, prevention and treatment are the best long-range strategy
for reducing the drug trade. Reaffirming a demand-side commitment would
help persuade Fox that Washington is eager to meet Mexico City halfway in
an effective alliance against narco-trafficking.

Bush also can reassure Fox that he is considering alternatives to the
congressionally mandated annual process of certifying whether Mexico is an
ally in good standing against narco-trafficking. Mexicans understandably
regard certification as insulting. Bush and Fox should be looking for a
replacement process, perhaps one that holds Mexico accountable for cracking
down on the drug cartels and grades the United States on demand reduction.

All this said, Bush and Fox could then move on to a discussion of specific
ways to increase law enforcement efforts against the major drug-trafficking
cartels. Two of Mexico's biggest, most violent cartels are camped right
along the border, one in Juarez opposite El Paso and the second in Tijuana.
That geographical proximity should make the Juarez and Tijuana cartels in
particular priority targets for both administrations.

Bush should stress that breaking the cartels requires acting on Mexico's,
and Fox's, stated willingness to extradite drug kingpins wanted in the
United States. Nothing Fox could do would send a clearer message on this
than the prompt extradition of Everardo Arturo Paez Martinez, a top
lieutenant of the Tijuana-based Arellano Felix Organization.

Bush must also find ways to encourage and support Fox's announced drive
against the pervasive corruption, so often by drug traffickers, that
hobbles Mexican law enforcement. That corruption precludes much of the
binational cooperation so desperately needed against the cartels.

Other issues merit inclusion in the Bush-Fox dialogue:

U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents working in Mexico should be
permitted to carry sidearms for their personal protection. The so-called
Brownsville agreement that greatly constrains U.S. anti-drug investigations
in Mexico should be amended if not rescinded. Establishing reliably secure
procedures would permit more sharing of U.S. drug-trafficking intelligence
with Mexico.

Today's Bush-Fox discussion on drugs will be a start on the essential
collaboration between the new administrations. Working together, George
Bush and Vicente Fox could have the best chance yet of breaking the drug
cartels that are a scourge to both countries.