A Strategy for Mexico?
Abstract
For over a century, United States foreign policy was guided by the Monroe doctrine. Then, around 1890, a nascent concept of American Imperialism was popularized and served to shift foreign policy away from the Monroe Doctrine. Since then the United States has exercised many different forms of foreign policy. The current United States foreign policy as evinced by the United States Secretary of State proclaims that United States freedom and prosperity is linked to the freedom and prosperity of the rest of the world. The approach the United States Department of State uses to preserve our freedoms and prosperity includes building and maintaining international relations and protecting ourselves and our allies against transnational threats. Given the existing conditions in Mexico and the United States current approach to foreign policy the United States should assert its national powers to defeat transnational criminal organizations and help to improve the conditions in Mexico. However, before taking action the United States must clearly articulate the purpose of why it is taking action in a foreign country. In 2010 there were more than 15,000 people killed in Mexico. Complicating this statistic was the belief that Mexico is on the brink of becoming a failed state. Several articles were published substantiating this belief. Additionally, several other articles suggested the existing conditions in Mexico pose a significant strategic risk to the United States without elaborating on the nature of those risks. Why do the existing conditions in Mexico pose a significant risk to the United States? Answering this question is necessary in order to formulate a rational strategic response. Given its looming debt crisis, it is imperative that the United States develop a clear strategic end state prior to committing additional resources to defeat transnational criminal organizations in the United States and Mexico.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 10, 2011
- Accession Number
- ADA544856
Entities
People
- Johnny M. Lairsey Jr.