U.S. pledges funds to fight Central America gangs

[SteelersMongol]

(Reuters) -- The United States has pledged $4 million to help Central American governments draft a regional security strategy to fight violent youth street gangs and drug trafficking.
art.

U.S. envoy Thomas Shannon says fighting youth gangs and drug trafficking can't be done through policing alone.

Thomas Shannon, U.S. assistant secretary of state for western hemisphere affairs, made the cash pledge Wednesday while in Guatemala to sign an agreement with the Central American Integration System to improve intelligence sharing and policing.

"This is an integrated strategy, all of these threats are connected," Shannon said after the signing. "The gangs traffic drugs and arms, and the major drug cartels use the gangs to do their work."

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration says as much as 75 percent of Colombian cocaine passes through Central America on its way to the United States, with powerful cartels battling for control of Guatemala's lawless jungles and porous border with Mexico.

Shannon promised $1 million to strengthen regional security coordination between the Central American countries and Mexico, which participated in the meeting as an observer.

Central American officials attending the meeting told local media a complete security plan could cost up to $800 million for increased law enforcement and more technical equipment and training.

Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras are overrun with violent youth street gangs, known as "maras" that trace their origins back to Salvadoran immigrants on the streets of Los Angeles, California, in the 1980s and 1990s.

Crime is on the rise in Guatemala, with close to 6,000 people killed in the country of 12 million last year, one of the highest rates in Latin America.

On Tuesday, the day Shannon arrived in the country, a gang member known as "The Worm" was found dismembered, his body parts and heart left in plastic bags scattered around a football field. Police say a rival gang killed him.

Human rights investigators say gang members often are targeted and killed by vigilante groups or police death squads, fed up by an inept justice system that fails to control crime rates and gang extortions.

Bodies of young gang members, known for their distinctive tattoos, are often found bound and tortured.

Some $3 million will be dispersed over three years by the U.S. Agency for International Development to fund rehabilitation programs for youths in gangs.

"We have to remember that this type of delinquency has profound social roots and our way of fighting it cannot only be through policing," Shannon said during a news conference in his visit.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/americ...eut/index.html

[SteelersMongol]

I just want to know what do you guys think about "How successful is it going to be?" Or should the question be "When the US has better things to do at home, why is it trying things off the continent?"

[Buzz05]

Its not going to work. Remember the Raegan days...well I dont either but I heard about them in history class. But the Drugs Czars and everything didnt do anything to help. in fact things got worse after that. Rather then dump money into these places the government should try to clean up its own streets and get rid of its own gangs. There has been a 174 homicides here in Baltimore thus far this year. Man that $4million would go a long way here in recruiting more police officers and helping to rid the streets of pimps, pushers, and dealers.

[Preacher]

Originally Posted by Buzz05

Its not going to work. Remember the Raegan days...well I dont either but I heard about them in history class. But the Drugs Czars and everything didnt do anything to help. in fact things got worse after that. Rather then dump money into these places the government should try to clean up its own streets and get rid of its own gangs. There has been a 174 homicides here in Baltimore thus far this year. Man that $4million would go a long way here in recruiting more police officers and helping to rid the streets of pimps, pushers, and dealers.

ROTFL....

Let me guess, Reagan was a little red man with horns and a tail?

[Buzz05]

Originally Posted by Preacher

ROTFL....

Let me guess, Reagan was a little red man with horns and a tail?

Beats me, all I know about is Raegan-omics haha

[Cape Cod Steel Head]

Originally Posted by Buzz05

Beats me, all I know about is Raegan-omics haha

You mean they didn't teach you about Just say No?

[Preacher]

Originally Posted by Cape Cod Steel Head

You mean they didn't teach you about Just say No?

LOL... Just say no was about as effective as the Clinton's administrations little dally with people teaching kids how to put condoms on bananas.

Government should just STAY OUT of raising children. It scares me every time I see it... regardless of whether it is from the left or the right.

[revefsreleets]

I would love, just for one year, for the US to remove ALL aid to foreign countries. ALL of it. 80% of our foreign aid goes to countries filled with people who hate us, and it would be very interesting to actually see what life would be like for these people without us.

[Preacher]

Originally Posted by revefsreleets

I would love, just for one year, for the US to remove ALL aid to foreign countries. ALL of it. 80% of our foreign aid goes to countries filled with people who hate us, and it would be very interesting to actually see what life would be like for these people without us.

Very interesting question... However, that would also include all money's we give to the U.N., NATO, etc.

[revefsreleets]

Originally Posted by Preacher

Very interesting question... However, that would also include all money's we give to the U.N., NATO, etc.

Well, we are way behind on our UN dues, but I digress. My point is it'd make the World realize just how valuable our support (at the expense of the US average Joe taxpayer) really is. I know lots of people around the World say they hate our government but are okay with our citizenry, but it is the government that has appropriated all this aid that we spread around the world.