The United Statesstrategy For Combating Drug Trafficking...

Since 2008, the United States and Mexico have worked collaboratively to combat drug trafficking across their shared border. The State Department’s current position on the situation is to to support continued cooperation with Mexico and collaborate on strategies to increase security and create policy measures that strengthen the rule of law. The State Department divides the United States’ strategy for combatting drug trafficking into four strategies: targeting cartels and their operations, aiding the Mexican government in their efforts, improving border security to efficiently facilitate trade and counter illegal operations, and defend and strengthen communities.1 However, the United States’ foreign policy measures with Mexico, including bilateral agreements and operations, have been criticized for failing to produce results and exacerbating the situation. Mexico is currently the largest foreign supplier of methamphetamine, cocaine, marijuana, and heroin to the Un ited States. Corruption in Mexico’s political system has allowed drug trade operations to flourish and for cartels to become lethal and powerful forces. Along with the influx of drugs, the wave of violence that followed President Calderon’s declaration of war on drug trafficking in 2006 has taken an estimated 164,000 lives as of July 2015.2 The United States has been waging a war on drugs for over 40 years. President Nixon was the first president to declare a war on drugs in June 1971 to combat a rise in