Ray Walser discusses the Latin American drug debate on PBS. …
Testimony before the Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism of the United States Senate July 19, 2011 Introduction …
Abstract: Over the past 10 years, traversing the U.S.–Mexico border illegally has become increasingly dangerous for would-be immigrants. Illegal immigrants face kidnapping, murder, and rape at the hands of violent drug cartels and ever more ruthless human smugglers. Crossing treacherous desert areas exposes the…
President Obama undertakes his March 19–23 trip to Latin America at a time when the international scene is in enormous flux. In three stops—Brazil, Chile, and El Salvador—the President will send an upbeat message of equal partnership and offer broader U.S. engagement in Latin America. President…
When Mexico’s President Felipe Calderon meets President Obama in Washington on March 3, the atmosphere will be tense. Even White House media management cannot camouflage gathering tensions in the U.S.–Mexican relationship. Mexico’s bloody battle with drug cartels and criminal violence dominates media headlines and fuels growing uncertainty…
When Secretary of State Hillary Clinton meets with her Mexican counterpart in Guanajuato, Mexico, on January 24, the high-level encounter will focus on topics of great importance to the U.S. and Mexico. Topping the agenda will be Mexico’s deadly narco-conflict. Last year was a somber one for Mexico, one in…
Advocates of legalizing marijuana have been blowing a lot of smoke in the debate over California's Proposition 19. For starters, there's the fiction that marijuana is no different from alcohol. Indeed, the difference in health effects is striking. The benefits of moderate…
Abstract: This November, California voters will consider a ballot initiative, the Regulate, Control and Tax Cannabis Act of 2010. Scientific research is clear that marijuana is addictive and that its use significantly impairs bodily and mental functions. Even…
Cully Stimson comments on differing punishments for possession of crack and cocaine. …
Abstract: The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) has repeatedly adapted to meet a range of national security concerns. First created to confront the growing Soviet bomber threat, NORAD’s mission has been expanded to provide aerospace and maritime warning for North America. However, U.S.…
Abstract: Mexican drug cartels virtually rule large parts of Mexico, with violence and murder spilling across the U.S. border. In 2009, the death toll reached a high of more than 9,000. While…
This report is currently available only in PDF format. …
He invited drug addicts into his home. So reads the obituary of Pastor Freddie Garcia, one of the great lights that left us in 2009 after nearly 40 years of ministry showing others the way. In the 1960s, Garcia was a heroin addict living…
Mexican President Felipe Calderón’s visit to Washington on May 19–20 highlights the complex nature of America’s critical relationship with its southern neighbor. President Obama will honor Calderón with a lavish state dinner, and the Mexican leader will address the U.S. Congress. The visit will set the tone for…
In a lengthy piece on December 13, the New York Times reported on the role Western Hemisphere drug trafficking plays in...…
The record will show that the May 9 extradition by Colombia of Walid Makled Garcia to Venezuela constitutes a major lost...…
The “readout” from Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano’s November 30 visit to Mexico City constitutes a...…
After a major foreign policy speech, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was asked to comment on the drug violence in...…
Senior Policy Analyst