Plan Mérida: Estados Unidos quiere acelerar el equipamiento del estaod policiaco mexicano, no solo helicópteros sino con equipos de reconocimiento, inteligencia, vigilancia y doctrina.

Dios nos libre, el estado policial mexicano en aumento, lo aterrorizante es que es mediocrón, corrupto, inepto  y estúpido contra la delincuencia pero buenazo para aplastar derechos humanos de la población civil, cual sea, quedó claro que lo mismo de indígena con "gastritis" que "narcomenudista" estudiante de calidad en el ITESM.

Gates, Mullen Report on Merida Summit in Mexico

(Source: U.S Department of Defense; issued March 24, 2010)

WASHINGTON --- Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates assured Mexican military leaders during yesterday’s Cabinet-level visit to Mexico City that he’ll look into ways to speed up equipment deliveries to support their fight against drug cartels.

Testifying today before the House Appropriations Committee, the secretary and Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, called the one-day visit a positive step in advancing the Merida Initiative that helps Mexico combat drug trafficking and related violence by the cartels.

The two were part of a U.S. delegation led by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton that also included Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair.

Gates told the congressional panel today he shares their concern about how long it’s taking to deliver the helicopters and aircraft the United States has committed to Mexico as part of the three-year, $1.6 billion program.

“The leaders of the Mexican military made the point [that] the house is on fire now,” he said. “Having the fire trucks show up in 2012 is not going to be particularly helpful.”

The problem, he told Congress, is a backlog in manufacturing the equipment Mexico is waiting for.

“Helicopters are in demand everywhere around the world,” he said, adding that he had assured his Mexican counterparts he’ll explore temporary solutions until the aircraft are delivered.

Mullen praised the partnership that’s developed between the U.S. and Mexican militaries, and said it’s been strengthened through the Merida Initiative.

“They’re in a very difficult fight,” Mullen said of the Mexican leadership, calling the threat they face their own version of counterinsurgency.

“We’re working with them to generate as much capability as they can in that fight,” he said.

That involves not only helicopters and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets, the chairman explained, but also the ability to fuse the intelligence gathered and the doctrine, training and leadership development required to support drug-fighting initiatives. It also requires interagency cooperation within Mexico to counter the threat, he said.

It’s an “extraordinary, complex challenge,” Mullen conceded, “but one that everybody recognizes is deadly serious [and] that has to continue to be addressed.”

While the United States focuses primarily on Mexico’s northern border, Mullen called its southern border – through which weapons and drugs flow north – an equal concern. “It’s a regional issue that we’ve really got to continue to focus on,” he said.

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Aquí más detalles: http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=4553311&c=AME&s=AIR

U.S. Eyes Possible 'Bridge' Helos To Assist Mexican Drug War
By JOHN T. BENNETT
Published: 24 Mar 2010 16:50

U.S. defense officials are mulling "a bridge of capabilities" for the Mexican government to bolster its fight against drug cartels until a previously planned helicopter package can be delivered.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who was just in Mexico for talks with government leaders, said he is concerned about how long it is taking to get helicopters to America's troubled southern neighbor.


As part of the U.S.-Mexico Merida Initiative, more than $415 million was appropriated under Foreign Military Financing (FMF) accounts in fiscal 2008 and 2009 to purchase "up to eight Bell 412 helicopters, up to five Sikorsky UH-60M helicopters, and also purchase of up to four CASA 235 aircraft, which are fixed-wing naval surveillance and transport aircraft," said Pentagon spokesman Lt. Col. Les Melnyk.

Only a handful of those platforms have been delivered, however.

During a March 24 hearing, House Appropriations defense subcommittee member Rep. Kay Granger, R-Texas, said she had heard accounts that "processes" at U.S. Army's Aviation and Missile Command (AMCOM) are delaying getting the helicopters to Mexico.

Gates said the contractors are pushing out new helicopters as fast as possible but demand is high. And if Congress signs off on the Pentagon's helicopter plans in its fiscal 2011 budget request, the demand will get even higher. The spending plan seeks billions for additional Black Hawk, CH-47 Chinook and MH-60R/S helicopters.

Pentagon officials estimate the increased demand, primarily driven by the Afghanistan conflict, will push the Mexican deliveries to 2012 or 2013.

During the recent meetings with Mexican officials, Gates said the message was clear. He told the subcommittee that the Mexican officials told the U.S. delegation: "The house is on fire now."

Saying he is "sensitive" to the need to help Mexico in its destabilizing struggle against the cartels, Gates said he "will look at all possibilities to get [Mexico] some bridge of capabilities" until the previously planned helicopter shipment is ready for delivery.

Pentagon policy officials already are examining the issue, Melnyk said.

"At Secretary Gates' direction," the spokesman said, "we are looking at all options to provide the Merida FMF-funded equipment or comparable capabilities to the Mexicans as soon as possible."