The foreign policy procedure in regards to the battle agains the Mexican cartel issue has remained fairly steady under the past administration. Aid has been sent to the Mexican government in large quantities for nearly a decade now, in many forms. The United States has been sending large shipments of weaponry and equipment to the Mexican military forces to help them be able to combat the cartel forces. Additionally training programs, economic support, and other forms of military aid has been regularly sent that Mexico. In 2014 alone the total of these support packages were nearly one billion in their totality, $954.9 million dollars, as well as more than three thousand new trainees.[10][11][12][13]
The aid packages have become very standard …show more content…
The objective that this project was relatively straight forward, allow the sale of the licensed firearms so that we could trace them.[14] As the weapons lifespan began, the hope was that they would work their way up the chain of operation in the cartels.[14] Once the weaponry reached the hands of the higher up, targeted, cartel members then they would be arrested and indicted.[14] According to Jay Wachtel, a 20 plus year veteran of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), gun walking is a practice designed to be done in a controlled manner that has intense surveillance and will lead to the eventual seizure of the traced weapons.[15] ATF agents were trained to arrest the individuals who tracked the weapons and intercept them, also prevent the weapons from falling into the hands of criminals, and to not allow the guns to just disappear.[16] Their was public backlash that followed after the story was made readily available to the general public, additionally the backlash and controversy was seen in both the United States and Mexico. Additionally a report issued by the “House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform” believed that the scandal damaged the overall diplomatic relationship between the United States and Mexico.[17] Other projects that are currently in operation are considered to need the upmost discretion and deemed absolutely need to know only, for the safety and protection of the agents
The aid packages have become very standard …show more content…
The objective that this project was relatively straight forward, allow the sale of the licensed firearms so that we could trace them.[14] As the weapons lifespan began, the hope was that they would work their way up the chain of operation in the cartels.[14] Once the weaponry reached the hands of the higher up, targeted, cartel members then they would be arrested and indicted.[14] According to Jay Wachtel, a 20 plus year veteran of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), gun walking is a practice designed to be done in a controlled manner that has intense surveillance and will lead to the eventual seizure of the traced weapons.[15] ATF agents were trained to arrest the individuals who tracked the weapons and intercept them, also prevent the weapons from falling into the hands of criminals, and to not allow the guns to just disappear.[16] Their was public backlash that followed after the story was made readily available to the general public, additionally the backlash and controversy was seen in both the United States and Mexico. Additionally a report issued by the “House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform” believed that the scandal damaged the overall diplomatic relationship between the United States and Mexico.[17] Other projects that are currently in operation are considered to need the upmost discretion and deemed absolutely need to know only, for the safety and protection of the agents