Benjamin Gilman: “recent news reports out of Mexico indicate that a counter-drug radar surveillance site in southern Mexico monitoring…”

“recent news reports out of Mexico indicate that a counter-drug radar surveillance site in southern Mexico monitoring drug-laden flights from Colombia into Mexico may have actually been a nest of drug support, not drug suppression. All the Mexican officials at the site were arrested for drug trafficking related offenses. The Mexican radar base was part of the Mexican attorney general's anti-drug operations to stem the flow of more than 70 percent of the drugs entering the United States, much of it from Colombia. Our DEA's concern about no one to deal with in confidence in Mexico was more fully illustrated by these latest arrests. Mexico's own DEA leader himself was arrested earlier this year. The Clinton administration reported to Congress this week on Mexico's, and I quote, ``improved'' performance fighting drugs, a promised report used to respond to congressional efforts to decertify last March. Congress did not buy the administration's earlier ``fully cooperating'' drug rating given Mexico, and will not buy more fluff this time either. The contrast last March was especially vivid in light of the decertification of Colombia, whose real, incorruptible antidrug cops, fighting and dying in the war on drugs, actually took down the powerful Cali and Medellin cartels, and are not helping move drugs north.”