U.S. Military Doing 'Limited' Drug War Work In Mexico, Napolitano Says
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-
way/2010/03/mexico_us_military_drug_war_na.html


"Our military, in certain limited ways, has been working with the Mexican military in
their efforts against the drug cartels" inside Mexico, Homeland Security Secretary
Janet Napolitano told NPR's Robert Siegel this morning. Her comments were among
the most extensive to date from a U.S. official about the U.S. military's role in the
drug war raging across the border.

During a conversation about the visit to Mexico yesterday by Secretary of State Hillary
Rodham Clinton, Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Napolitano and other top U.S.
officials, Robert asked "is there any role, any potential role, for the U.S. military south
of the border in Mexico?'

Napolitano said that since Gates and Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen were
among those in the delegation that went to Mexico yesterday, "you can deduce from
that that there are discussions about the proper role for our military."

As Robert pointed out, having U.S. military personnel in Mexico is a "neuralgic
subject" for many people there.

Napolitano agreed, and then said that "it is only being done at the request of and
with the consultation and cooperation (of) the Mexicans. This is not the United States
unilaterally going in."

"Just to be clear," Robert continued. "Are you saying that (Mexican President Felipe)
Calderon has expressed an openness toward a uniformed, U.S. military presence
within Mexico?"

Napolitano's response:

"Yes. Let me be very, very clear (because) this is a very delicate subject. ... Our
military in certain limited ways has been working with the Mexican military in their
efforts against the drug cartels. But, it is at the request of the Mexican government,
in consultation with the Mexican government. And it is only one part of our overall
efforts with Mexico, which are primarily civilian in nature."

Does this mean the U.S. has advisers on the ground, or "people actually engaged in
operations?" Robert asked.

Napolitano wouldn't go into specifics: "All I'm saying in this interview is; that you can
deduce from the fact that the chair of the Joint Chiefs was at this meeting and the
secretary of Defense was at this meeting that the United States, and its military, are
also and have been offering assistance to Mexico."

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