USMexican Relations III

1
US-Mexican Relations III

• No tengo un subtítulo.
• Qué lástima.

2
US-MEX relations from an international security
perspective (20th Century)

• Threat of war unlikely.
• Each was a theoretical security threat to the
  other.
• Note 19th century experience of the Mexicans
  vis-à-vis the US (and early 20th)

3
BASIC 20TH CENTURY GOALS

• MEXICO
• Options not available balancing with other
  states or internal development of sufficient
  might so as to resist.
• Options available open alliance or abnegation
• US Wanted to keep Mexico from having allies who
  were a military threat to the US (minimally
  acceptable outcome)

4
POLICY

• 1940s-late 1960s
• note what was Mexicos defense against an
  extra-continental attack
• how does this strategy fit this reality?
• how is political geography relevant?
• note 1951, Mexico refused to sign a defense
  assistance treaty with US
• never broke ties with Cuba
• note on 41the lack of a small military in Mexico
  and the potential domestic politics implications

5
POLICY

• Mexico
• Eschewed alliances with any US rival
• Pursued no foreign policy interest that the US
  might construe as a threat
• Failed to develop a military capability that
  could resist the US
• Relied on many different international sources
  for weapons
• Cooperated little or not at all with US over
  international security issues

6
Changes over Time

• Breaks down in the 70s and into the 80s, drugs
  become more of an issue
• 1980s and Central America causes its own issues

7
Changes over Time

• 1990s bandwagoning (def on 36)
• Eschewed alliances with any US rival
• Pursued no foreign policy interest that the US
  might construe as a threat
• Failed to develop a military capability that
  could resist the US
• Built up a substantial military capability to
  advance joint US-Mex anti-narcotics goals
• Tilted towards US suppliers of weapons
• Cooperated with US over intl security,
  especially drugs and tolerated some unilateral
  actions by the US
• (source Domínguez,, et al., 36-37)

8
Changes over Time

• ISSUES
• -Border Treaty of Guadelupe-Hidalgo (1848) and
  Gadsden Treaty/Treaty of Mesilla (1853) and the
  agreement over the Chamizal (ended in 1963).
• -Labor/Immigration
• Illegal immigrants
• Bracero Agreement (WWII, Korea, early Cold
  War)basically a formal guest worker agreement

9
Changes over Time

• Narcotics/Intoxicants
• Marijuana early on
• Alcohol during prohibition
• Modern Era began in 1969
• Operation Intercept (border closing/economic
  blackmail)
• Operations Condor
• poppy and marijuana elimination
• changed US-Mex relations
• Camarena assassination in 1985
• 1986 and the creation of the certification process