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on the border line between the US and Mexico
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Wednesday, July 16, 2014

US is Expanding Training of Mexican Military Forces

The United States is quietly expanding its training of Mexico's armed forces, helping to reverse decades of mistrust that made Mexico's military reluctant to cooperate with its northern neighbor.

The amount the Pentagon spent on training Mexico's armed forces, though small, increased to more than $15 million last year, up from about $3 million in 2009, according to U.S. Northern Command, which oversees U.S. military contacts with Mexico.

The training comes as Mexico's armed forces have been drawn deeper into the country's war on drugs and organized crime.

"For decades, Mexico's military tried to remain autonomous from the U.S. military," said David Shirk, a fellow at the Wilson Center.

U.S. military officials are reluctant to discuss the relationship openly because of sensitivities in Mexico about appearing dependent on American help. In a statement, the Pentagon said the U.S. military participated in 150 "engagements" with Mexican troops on both sides of the border, "sharing training opportunities with more than 3,000 Mexican soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines."

The statement said the Pentagon's "interactions" with Mexico's military have expanded over the past three years. Mexican government officials declined to speak on the record about the training.

The Mexican navy and marine corps have been particularly receptive, allowing the United States to expand its training with Mexico's armed forces and build trust.

"Our security agencies have focused heavily on cooperation with the navy and marines," said George Grayson, a professor at William and Mary who has written a book about Mexican drug cartels.

By contrast, the army is a more "insular" institution less willing to cooperate with foreign military forces, Shirk said.
"The navy has earned a tremendous amount of trust from American authorities," Shirk said.
The army is more susceptible to corruption, since its soldiers have been deployed throughout the country in fixed locations, where there are more opportunities to be bribed. They have direct contact with drugs through eradication efforts.

The Mexican marines are used only for targeted raids and are more insulated from bribes or intimidation, Shirk said.

Grayson said the navy and marines were used for one of the first times when they launched a raid in 2009 that killed Arturo Beltrán Leyva, the leader of a major cartel in Cuernevaca.

The forces used in the raid received extensive training from the United States, according to a classified U.S. Embassy message that was released by WikiLeaks.

The U.S. government initially provided intelligence to the army on the whereabouts of Beltrán Leyva but was reluctant to act, the message said.

"Its success puts the Army in the difficult position of explaining why it has been reluctant to act on good intelligence and conduct operations against high-level targets," the embassy cable said, according to WikiLeaks.

The success of that raid led to a heavier reliance on the Mexican navy and marines. Of 22 raids on top-level traffickers from 2006 through 2012, seven were conducted by the navy and marines, according to Grayson.

The army was responsible for eight raids during that time, even though it is a much larger force. The federal police conducted eight raids.

Grayson said Mexico's navy is more willing to use modern intelligence methods, such as surveillance drones, to target kingpins. It is learning many of the techniques from Americans.
The U.S. military has provided a range of training for Mexican forces, ranging from small-unit tactics to helicopter maintenance.

The military training is part of a larger program to support Mexico's war on drugs. The cornerstone of that is the Merida initiative, a $2.1 billion program started in 2007. The program has provided equipment and training for Mexico's judiciary and law enforcement agencies.

That program has opened the door to military contacts, Shirk said. "That really was a watershed moment," he said.

source: army times

74 comments:

  1. Here we go again..another US trained hit team, just like the zetas when they started

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    1. My thought exactly. This goes all the way back to the pardoned Nazis who where taken to Central American countries and trained american backed rebels (future leaders) torture methods. Now we sit here and complain about their kids fleeing the monster we helped create. The GAFE where trained in communications and paramilitary, and counter insurgency training. And they taught them to train other men in these fields.When those men became Zetas Look what they did with that training. Lets hope it does not back fire like Operation Fast and Furious, where innocent Americans have died as well as many Mexican civilians and members of police, and armed forces due to what I hope was a sincere lack of competence in behalf if the ATF, and not part of a plan to destabilize México in order to fill the coffers of rich men and empower them further over an already ravaged community. They'll make an Africa out of this great continent yet.

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  2. FREE DR.MIRELES ***

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  3. Wat mexico is going to do just rape the system use the u.s just like they bin doing since day! This us all a plan mex is cleaning house taking out all the small cartels that's giving the mex government headache and leaving everything ready for a capo the choose to run one big cartel like it was back in the day quintero who knows????

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    1. Mexico never was run by one cartel u dumbass

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  4. Usa always trying to get credit were they don't deserve it they can't even stop the drug trade inside the usa I see nothing but dope dealers and drug addicts in the usa

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    1. nobody cares about dope dealers and drug addicts.its the kidnapping and extortion of the civilians that causes the bosses to get took out.

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    2. Not one country on this earth can stop the drug trade. Not even god can stop the drug trade for that matter. Get off your high horse and STFU!!!!

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    3. Well, you can go back to México or Guatemala any time. Atte. P@RR@ND3R@.

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    4. That's cu they don't want to stop it

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    5. Your right, who would want to live here.....except any hard working mexican who doesn't want to deal with extortion from the cartel or even it's own government.

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    6. Ever cross your mind that stopping the flow would effect the street dealers.....

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    7. We don't have cartels slaughtering whole towns n states. We don't have mass amounts of kidnappings and video taped executions and dismemberments. U idiot. We have some small discreet dealers n organizations that don't battle it out in the streets. Ppl like u need to open ur eyes n stop blaming the usa cuz when it comes down to it u probably live here n the USA

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    8. Pssst oye buey, who finances the cartel? NOT EPN!

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    9. And tax payers dumping money to foreign countries (Mexico)

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    10. And mexico doest have a drug problem? Shiiiiiiit!

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    11. I live in the USA can I say it's beyond shity here in Detroit lol

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  5. more force for PRI to oppress the citizens, like in Michoacan.

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  6. More training then more weapons then more violence. The US is always so creative when it comes to solving problems.

    There is only one way to end this war:

    L E G A L I Z E I T !!!!

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    1. No, we can not legalize it, because then the whole USA pooulation is going to move to México because we have better prices here.

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  7. Great!!!!! So now they're going to be much better at robbing, raping, and murdering the innocent Mexican people than they already were.

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    1. So what you are saying is that Mexico is just fine and it doesn't need any help? Please. For every one corrupt cop there are 50 sicarios with no training. Don't believe the hype. Not all cops are bad. -El Nemesis

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    2. I smell some bullshit. Give anybody a gun and see how much balls he gets. Imperialism is F everybody, who cares as long as I have $$$

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  8. I felt that there are differences between the Navy and Army in terms of dealing with the narco cartels. Now it was explained pretty well !

    "The army is more susceptible to corruption, since its soldiers have been deployed throughout the country in fixed locations, where there are more opportunities to be bribed. They have direct contact with drugs through eradication efforts.
    The Mexican marines are used only for targeted raids and are more insulated from bribes or intimidation, Shirk said."

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  9. The U.S. just want to train more soldiers so another zeta cartel starts and more inocent killings of civilians happen in mexico.
    Remember, The only reason the U.S. helps is for their own benifit.
    And its not to stop the drug flow.

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    1. You are entirely correct. Tis quite sad.

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  10. one big capo...yeah,like what chapo was SUPPSOE ,to be!!!!!!!1 we all know he and his snitch cartel failed that! not even with thousands of help where they able to even take over ciuda juarez!!!!! what a shame ,being that he was ,supposedly,the tough cartel,NOT!,tough cartel seems its the juarez cartel,but anyways,who knows...maybe that one big capo is ,VICENTE CARRILLO FUENTES...state facts? ok,i will...AFTRE YEARS OF BATTLE AND MUCH BLOODSHED THE SINALO CARTEL DID NOT BEAT THE JUAREZ CARTEL...OH YEAH...WHERE ALL YOU CHAPO LOVERS NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  11. @11:36 you don't know what your talking about the U.S. goverment is one of the most currupted organizations in these world that is a fact just look at the middle east

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  12. lebanon a country the size of tlaxcala was given 3 billion dollars tto defend itself from "syrian agression", the money was given to france by saudi arabia to transmogrificate into weapons.
    --mexico was given 1.5 billion as a result of CIA airplanes getting caught loaded with tons of cocaine, during operation mayan jaguar in the yucatan peninsula, money stolen by US middlemen and genaro garcia luna, who got asylum and impunity as a resident of the US to enjoy the good life.
    --the US protects corrupt mexican government elements even when they have detailed records and proof of their dirty shenanigans.
    --the US satraps only help the mexican military to corrupt them into bending over backwards to please themselves, killing the indians, the small drug traffickers, the pickpockets, rape the poor mexican women, intimidate those who fight the humble fights of the poor by conducting false arrests under false pretenses, to plant evidence, to further antagonize the mexican peoples with their potent weapons, training for the "highly trained" gorillas that will conduct the dirty business of today's narcs as soon as possible...
    --chivis i don't know if this report is paid propaganda, but it smells to high heaven, and looks like US government contractors got themselves a contract on mexico again, for another billion, and then for another 15 million that i'm sure pena nieto has put safely on some foreign bank account as usual.
    --no report on how much a little decency towards the mexican people would cost.
    --no report on how much a little decency towards the latin american people would cost either...
    --all over the world the US is picking on the poor and the downtrodden to steal the people's patrimonies on the sole strenght of their malinches and gorillas, and some medical attention for the victims of the wars the are pushing down their throats...
    --not the ALLIANCE FOR PROGRESS President Kennedy envisioned, from any angle chivis...
    --maybe you need to put "advertisement" on top of posts like this in the name of the lord and personal integrity and journalistic ethics...
    --releasing Dr Mireles and the other political prisoners including his AD would not cost much, and withdrawing the good for nothing army and federal police would be much cheaper, but of course it would hurt the fucking pri and the bush crime family in the pocket including the "next president of the US jeb bush", the florida drug trafficker, brother of the texas drug trafficker george and the arizona savings and loan fraudster neil, all of them children of CIA owner george hw bush, murderer of more kennedys than old joe fathered.
    --and don't forget that the AD were cleaning house without the help of the armed forces federal or state, without the help of any gorilla or money from the US government.
    FREE DR MIRELES!!!

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  13. When will USA learn when u finish training them they will join a cartel and use the training to protect cartel members and guess who pays for that training Obama pa pendejo no se estudia

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    1. The Mexican government does everything they can to hide the truth to those outside of their borders. Does Obama know the truth about what really goes on in Mexico? I say no. It's your country take control of your destiny. The US Government is corrupt just like any other government but at least it's low key and not obvious.

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    2. Wrong!! Its the. NORTH AMERICAN UNION one military,one police force,one economy.get used to it!!

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  14. @11:13 - Amen, brother. My thoughts exactly.

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  15. Quien save mas de la captura del comandante Aleman en RioBravo?

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  16. http://www.valorxtamaulipas.com/2014/07/alminuto-cae-comandante-aleman-llegan.html?m=1

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  17. I hate to break it to you USA haters but if it wasn't for your neighbor to the north Mexico would be a wasteland. The Central and South American countries that work well wiith the US typically get a lot of positive benefits. Countries like Costa Rica and Panama rely heavily on the US and are compensated in many different ways. Ever since the fall of Manuel Noriega the violent crime rate is down dramatically in Panama . Tourism is at a all time high in those two countries. The one thing I can't understand is how some of you on BB get upset because you say the US isn't doing enough to help Mexico. Some say we don't need your help and the rest don't want to give the US any credit at all when there is a joint effort between the two. Which way do you want it???? Help, no help or in between? What if the Republican Party gets what they want one day and they build the American version of the "great wall" on the border. What then? Will that make things better or worse? I guess I just don't get it and I never will.

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    1. Greed and war is not an American trait it's human nature. We are born and bred to destroy each other. To say the world is corrupt because of the US is greedy and likes war is pretty naive. The reality is that as long as there are drugs to sell there will be people who buy them. It's as simple as that. It seem there a lot of delusional citizens in Mexico.

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    2. US are masters of greed like tibetans are kungfu masters. They're just better at it. Their greedy ways got rid of the native peoples. The only naive people are the american sheeple. I hope you choke on a cheeseburger. You greedy bastards.

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  18. lol what a waste of time and money... more trained thugs and murders.

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  19. If you just see drug dealers and drug users in the USA you must have been hanging out in the wrong places. Because I lived there 55 years and no one associated with me that was a drug dealer or user. In fact the areas I lived in were very nice.
    I did not hang around with or near those people. Lots of them here in Mexico where I live also. They also stay away from me, as I do them.

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  20. North American Union, Anyone?

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  21. For the usa the war on drugs will be won or lost within our borders. Lets not train future generations of druglords or hitmen. Lets not give any money or equipment to a corrupt goverment. I dont understand how the United States goverment can be so fucking stupid

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    1. Hate to point it out but the war on drugs is a losing battle its not going to be won anywhere

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  22. We are easily corrupted and this new army might become what others have said, another Z cartel.

    Also, you guys crack me up. I keep reading comments that say "US should help Mexico, US should do this, do that." and when they do, you guys hate on them.

    /rant

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  23. The drug war has turned USA into a militarized police state. Mexico--you are next.

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    1. We call it the colombianuzation of México. They'll provide tue helicopters we just have to pay them to maintain the equipment and that costs more than the helicopter. Nothing is given, it's all about proffit.

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  24. jul 16 2014 at 11:36am apparently, the appearances seem to appear to matter.
    --if mexico, colombia, bolivia, peru, panama and other partners and accessories appear to be the world's worst traffickers, and full of murderous criminals and social problems and POOR people, would you agree that all the splendour and richess on the US and europe, and england comes from the 90% profits they reap from the drug trade they own and protect?
    the royal parades on england, the royal parades of the trump and mitt romney properties and offshored industries, money and casinos and money laundering machines fully owned by foreign banks and people, should be pointing to you who is "raping the system"...
    --there may be a few hispanic drug traffickers that are rich millionaires, but there is no marihuana or coca or amapola farmer that could quit their trade because they could not take in any more millions of pesos...
    --therefore mister, try and review your apparently flagrant faulty assessment, you appear to have been raped bamboozled misled and brainwashed by the appearances...

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  25. Bla Bla Bla.... What can we do to look valiant in this bogus war on drugs? Our government doesn't want the media in the US to publicize the oppression of Mexico by it's government because US citizens may draw correlation and realize there is peculiar things that are similar going on here in the "land of the free."

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  26. Todos Los de Mexico Morris vengan se pa ka pa USA estasn dejando a todos Los de sur America nomad POR Las pandilla usteds digan que es POR Los carteles ya asta puedes adoptar a Los niños que son de Mexico vengan se raza la puerta esta abireta orita POR nuestra gente

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  27. I have learned in my life through experience that nothing is ever for free, somebody is always profiting!

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  28. This sounds like booshyt. The only military force armed on mexico soil is the French foreign legion for annual memorial services in Veracruz. No other entity can have arms on mexico soil.

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  29. Give a certain somebody 5 gatling guns 45/70 and 45/70 carbine with a force like the magnificent 7. and the criminals will run crying.
    Just like the movie magnificent 7 , Terrorists are terrorizing a Mexican community . Watch the movie its like modern Mexico .

    Giving a corrupt govt. support that allows mayhem will prove nothing.
    The Mexico Govt, has plenty of men power and arms . This is all booshit

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  30. Ladies N gentlemen we all know 4 a fact that the war On drugs is notN but bullshit 30+yrs. N look @ the positivenes that we see here. ....more drugs N better quality plus more rekruits 4 the kartels :)

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  31. Well, everyone knows the Marinas are the only entity in Mexico that can be remotely trusted. Good for them. One never turns down nee tech training.

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    1. Even though the Marina may be the most trusted they still follow political orders regardless! Were they not the major force used behind the arrest of Dr morels and the AD'S ?

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  32. the US gov. is just socializing the mercenary element of the gorilla component of the corrupt mexican narco-government...
    --no schools, no hospitals, no to a better justice system, no to anti-corruption campaigns, no to denouncing corrupt elements like narco-governors, presidents, military or police...
    -- just better survival skills for the whole bunch, billions of dollars on training and equipment to keep the rabble down...
    THANKS, US !!!

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  33. This is the US getting ready to invest in PEMEX sucureing their money thats all !

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  34. USA loves training terrorists...they trained Binladen, Noriega, the Contras in El Salvador, the FARC in Colombia, Kaibiles in Guatemala, Israeli assasins..Helped Sadam Hussein and the Taliban. We sure know how to export killing machines..

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  35. 11:46am... That's why you should get a job
    and get out of the ghetto. Not everybody is
    like you and your neighbors.

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  36. The Mexican Armed Forces will never "trust" or fully work with the U.S.
    All this 'cooperation is based on the money being spent by the U.S. and being given to the Mexican armed forces.
    The Mexican armed forces create a nice payroll, distribute it among themselves and laugh all the way to the bank.
    Somebody in Washington is not getting a clue.

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  37. You hate foreigners and their customs, and traditions. You're xenophobic, that's all. It happened during prohibition. When Italians, Polish and French migrants brought their alcoholic beverages from their homes. Marijuana was supposed to give Mexicans the strength of ten men and white women would be seduced into having sex with black Jazz musicians. But whiskey and tobacco make white men rich and rich white men like whiskey and tobacco. Americans love drugs be they illegally obtained or subscribed by doctors on big pharma's payroll. I know where you have been and your doctor is your drug dealer. He heals you atop your high horse.

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  38. @1:59 p.m nope i dont hate foreigners and i am of native american descent!! I dont take pills or anything but what i do hate is criminals no matter where they come from!!! If ppl just have to do dope thats one thing but quite unnecessary to kill rob and rape innocent ppl is all im saying!!! God dont care what color we are so what makes ppl think they have the right to!!!!

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  39. 12:02 obviously you live on the moon, because down here, we all know US protected "rogue agents" are at the root of all evil that happens on the latin americas, as much as on the US, whose government is ruled by global business satrapies through lobbyists and their corporations, and it is all very documented and very obvious inside the US and outside...

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  40. VIVA LOS ESTADOS UNIDOS AMERICANOS!

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  41. Pff, let me guess your grandma was a quater cherokee. You're native american or you aren't. You hste criminals? What are you 8 years old? Put you cape away keyboard crime fighter. Nobody is talking about fiction, so keep your imaginary friend god out of the discussion. We have the right to judge people because they try to tell us they're decedants from native people to feel like they're entitled. How many timed have I heard it? It's either that or "My forefathers came on the Mayflower". All that tells me is you're ignorant white trash, and that's okay.

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  42. @12:44 p.m that doesnt even deserve a response or opinion!!! GROW UP!

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  43. --is your NORTH AMERICAN UNION ready to pay 100 000 000 million mexicans $8.00 usd an hour? and overtime after 40 hrs a week?
    --then you have the vote, most of them will vote democratic for 2 000 and 2014 results.
    -with illegal immigration and drug trafficking, many americans make a nice way-of-life for themselves by just babystting the prisoneers and detainees.
    --president obama like all the other presidents, doesn't have to know everything about every crime, it's just imposible, the president would not have time left to listening into our phone conversations and those of angela merkel and all those other world leaders, etc etc etc...
    --little rogue agents, serving masters other than the NSA or the CIA, like nra or academi or CCA will keep doing their little tricks of starting fires to get the job of putting them down, like that one in iraq, where we are waaay back to square one, with more conflicts than obama ever wished to blame on the republican chickenhawks who are using the last 2.5 years of obama term to raise hell all over the world to blame him and win the presidency for florida drug trafficker jeb bush, same way as they did to jimmy carter...
    --there is not much new under the sun, maybe someone needs to wake up and smell the horse's ass...
    --i say let's recover the assets extorted from the us government, declare foreign debt null and void, at least if it is not home in the US in 30 days, and stop coddling government contractors and paying them special extra nice and rewarding prices for their LOUSY SERVICES, and get the intelligence contractors in prison, in guantanamo, supervised by those they tortured...

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