Posted on 03/05/2009 4:00:59 AM PST by Man50D
Drug cartel-provoked violence killed more than 6,000 people last year and 1,000 more in the first month of 2009, but the U.S. State Department continues to include Mexico on its “travel alert” page and not among the countries considered worthy of a “travel warning.”
On its Web site, the State Department outlines the criteria for adding a country to the travel alert list: “Travel Alerts are issued to disseminate information about short-term conditions, generally within a particular country, that pose imminent risks to the security of U.S. citizens. Natural disasters, terrorist attacks, coups, anniversaries of terrorist events, election-related demonstrations or violence, and high-profile events such as international conferences or regional sports events are examples of conditions that might generate a Travel Alert.”
Included on the list with Mexico are five other destinations, including the South Pacific, which alerts travelers to the dangers of the cyclone season in the region, and the French West Indies because of recent labor strikes in that country.
The State Department’s list of destinations it deems dangerous enough to warrant a “travel warning” has 28 entries, including Iraq, Afghanistan and Iran.
The Web site describes the criteria for travel warnings: “Travel Warnings are issued to describe long-term, protracted conditions that make a country dangerous or unstable. A Travel Warning is also issued when the U.S. Government's ability to assist American citizens is constrained due to the closure of an embassy or consulate or because of a drawdown of its staff.”
“The countries listed below meet those criteria,” the Web site says before listing the 28 destinations.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that the violence in Mexico is “clearly a serious problem” and suggested that the U.S. military might come to the aide of the Mexican military and police, which are battling thousands of armed members of gangs and drug cartels.
“I think we are beginning to be in a position to help the Mexicans more than we have in the past,” Gates said. “Some of the old biases against cooperation with our – between our militaries and so on, I think, are being set aside.”
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano told Congress last week that the drug-related violence in Mexico was a “top priority,” and former CIA Director Michael Hayden has said the instability in Mexico is second only to Iran as a national threat to the United States.
On Feb. 25, Attorney General Eric Holder announced the arrest of more than 700 suspected drug cartel members who were operating inside the United States.
Some U.S. colleges are concerned about the escalating violence in Mexico as students plan their spring break getaways. The University of Texas at El Paso shared the travel alert with students and the University of Arizona is openly discouraging students from traveling to Mexico.
The State Department did not respond to numerous calls and e-mails asking for comment about why Mexico is on the alert list and not the warning list.
Gaza is way more important. /s
I don’t think this article’s correct...see link, it’s a travel warning for Mexico...it was posted Feb. 20
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/pa/pa_3028.html
Okay, I just read it again...the article is making the point there’s no Travel Warning, just Travel Alert. Well, I don’t go to countries with Travel Alerts, or Travel Warnings.
Interesting — the Army has issued a travel warning to their soldiers and the civilian workforce. I guess they care more about their people than our government cares about “ordinary” citizens. Or, more likely, it is political correctness.
Nothing new here.
The State Dept. travel warnings have been known for a very long time (decades!) to be politicized and only marginally helpful “on the ground”.
Experienced travelers know to *never* fully trust the State Dept. materials. The Brits and Canadians do a far superior and more trustworthy job of keeping citizens apprised with travel updates.
http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travelling-and-living-overseas/travel-advice-by-country/
The best way to stay apprised of ANY threats to your life, liberty, property and well-being is to read Free Republic.
I’m serious. There’s not a regular FR reader who hasn’t seen a multitude of articles about the horrors of traveling to Mexico.
And for those Americans who DON’T read FR?
Well, I guess that’s a kind of soft Darwinism at work.
>>>> Or, more likely, it is political correctness. <<<<<
It’s definitely political, thought maybe not “political correctness”.
Anything the U.S. State Dept. does or says is going to be scrutinized by the target country, and so they tend to be overly cautious in everything including travel advisories.
Now that's damn fine work for only 35 days in office!
Unless it's a legacy Bush Administration investigation ...... nah, don't think so. Holder would have told us.
Downdown DETROIT or ATLANTA should be on the State Department's Warning List.
Tourism is Mexico’s 3rd leading industry.
No way they’ll ever be a travel warning.
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