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R.J. Godlewski's The Independent Counterterrorist. I, Militia. June ...

R.J. Godlewski's The Independent Counterterrorist. I, Militia. June ...

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military units implicated in human rights violations<br />

and the allocation of several million dollars for vetting<br />

purposes represent a basic recognition of this issue, but<br />

in going forward Washington must place much greater<br />

stress on this problem than is presently the case.<br />

Beyond augmenting the resources devoted to<br />

Calderon’s anti-corruption campaign, the United States<br />

can take several other steps. As they have already<br />

begun to do in Central America, U.S. agencies should<br />

offer regular personnel exchanges meant to promote<br />

a culture of professionalism within Mexican law<br />

enforcement and greater awareness of human rights<br />

issues within the military. Similarly, the United States<br />

should pay particular attention to helping Calderon<br />

create the small, specially vetted units that he intends<br />

to use for sensitive missions, and insist that any police<br />

units receiving access to U.S. intelligence or funding<br />

undergo rigorous, comprehensive screening. Finally,<br />

while Mexican political and historical sensitivities<br />

preclude direct military-to-military human rights<br />

training within that country, the United States can<br />

strengthen the human rights framework in Mexico<br />

by offering financial and technical assistance to the<br />

agencies charged with investigating and prosecuting<br />

suspected abuses. Though it would be wildly<br />

unrealistic to expect that these measures will end the<br />

problems of corruption and immunity to punishment<br />

in Mexico, they can, if sustained, begin to ameliorate<br />

these difficulties and create a core of professionalized<br />

security officials.<br />

Institutional Development.<br />

Efforts to help strengthen weak judicial institutions<br />

so far make up a very small part of the Merida Initiative,<br />

41

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