Western Hemisphere Analysis » US Foreign Policy

US Brazil Defense Cooperation Agreement

boz — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 18:27:49 +0000

The US and Brazil signed a defense cooperation agreement in April 2010….

Obama administration self-grading

boz — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 01:45:32 +0000

The State Department is promoting what they’ve done in 2009 in terms of the Western Hemisphere.

This “fact sheet” looks at three areas, which largely match the Obama campaign promises on the region.

A blog post by Arturo Valenzuela hits on 11 points related directly or tangentially to the administration’s diplomatic efforts in the hemisphere.

Drugs and Democracy: Toward a Paradigm Shift

boz — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 13:01:05 +0000

The Latin American Commission on Drugs and Democracy, led by three former Latin American presidents, released a statement [PDF] outlining their vision of the drug war and how they believe developed nations should go after the problem.

The commission makes five recommendations:

Change the status of addicts from drug buyers in the illegal market to that of patients cared for in the public health system
Evaluate from a public health standpoint and on the basis of the most advanced medical science the convenience of decriminalizing the possession of cannabis for personal use
Reduce consumption through campaigns of information and prevention that can be understood and accepted by young people, who account for the largest contingent of users.
Redirect repressive strategies to the unrelenting fight against organized crime
Reframe the strategies of repression against the cultivation of illicit drugs