Posted on 11/14/2014 2:02:35 PM PST by Sawdring
Overview
A new CFR-sponsored Independent Task Force report, North America: Time for a New Focus, asserts that elevating and prioritizing the U.S.-Canada-Mexico relationship offers the best opportunity for strengthening the United States and its place in the world.
"It is time to put North America at the forefront of U.S. policy," the report says. "The development and implementation of a strategy for U.S. economic, energy, security, environmental, and societal cooperation with its two neighbors can strengthen the United States at home and enhance its influence abroad."
Chaired by David H. Petraeus, retired U.S. Army general and chairman of the KKR Global Institute, and Robert B. Zoellick, former president of the World Bank Group and chairman of Goldman Sachs's International Advisors, the Task Force is composed of a diverse and distinguished group of experts that includes former government officials, scholars, and others. The project is directed by CFR Senior Fellow for Latin America Studies Shannon K. O'Neil.
The Task Force proposes a comprehensive set of recommendations for deepening North American integration, concentrating on four pivotal areas—energy, economic competitiveness, security, and community. These include:
Capitalizing on North America's promising energy outlook. The North American countries need a regional energy strategy to strengthen the continent's energy infrastructure, expand energy exports, support Mexico's historic reforms, improve safety, and encourage harmonized policies to promote energy conservation and reduce carbon emissions.
"For economic, environmental, and diplomatic reasons, the Task Force recommends that the U.S. government encourage increased energy connections with Canada and Mexico. The U.S. government should approve additional pipeline capacity, including the Keystone XL pipeline," the report says. "The Task Force also proposes that the United States end restrictions on energy exports, including oil and LNG (liquefied natural gas)."
Bolstering economic competitiveness through the freer movement of goods and services across borders. Upgrading infrastructure and policies across borders would interconnect national economies securely and efficiently. Recognizing trilateral economic interests, the United States should also include Canada and Mexico in its negotiations for the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and other free trade agreements.
"The United States' ability to compete in a dynamic and competitive world economy would be strengthened by enhanced economic ties with Canada and Mexico," the report explains. "The Task Force recommends working toward the free and unimpeded movement of goods and services across North America's common borders."
Strengthening security through a unified continental strategy and "continuous border innovation." While working toward the goal of a unified security strategy for North America, the United States and Canada should support Mexican efforts to strengthen the democratic rule of law, dismantle criminal networks, contribute to the development of resilient and cohesive communities, and reduce arms smuggling and drug consumption.
"The United States should shift from border-centric security toward a strategy of combining perimeter protection with security in depth through the use of intelligence, risk assessment, shared capabilities, and joint actions throughout the region," the report says.
Fostering a North American community through comprehensive immigration reform, workforce development, and the creation of a mobility accord to facilitate the movement of workers. The U.S. Congress should pass comprehensive immigration reforms. To better aid the movement of North American workers, the three countries should also create a North American Mobility Accord, expand visas for skilled workers, streamline recognition of professional credentials, and develop a regional educational innovation strategy.
"The Task Force strongly recommends the passage of comprehensive federal immigration reform that secures U.S. borders, prevents illegal entry, provides visas on the basis of economic need, invites talented and skilled people to settle in the United States, and offers a pathway to legalization for undocumented immigrants now in the United States," the report says.
The report of the Independent Task Force on Noncommunicable Diseases, chaired by Mitchell E. Daniels and Thomas E. Donilon, will be released later this fall. Previous Independent Task Force reports have covered the open Internet, U.S.-Turkey relations, U.S. education reform and national security, and other relevant issues.
!@#$ the CFR.
OK, NOT some Globalist, time-zone/DST alternative ...
I agree.
Here's my plan:
1) Invade and conquer Mexico.
2) Move the US-Mexico border to a line roughly connecting Puerto Vallarta-Tampico, with Guadalajara on our side of the line.
3) Make the first 50 miles (25 miles on a side) a military frontier, to prevent any accession to US territory from the South.
4) Form a legion of Mexican troops with US officers to patrol the military frontier, US citizenship for ten years of unblemished service.
5) Require the new Mexican state to demobilize its army and to demilitarize its southern border with Guatemala.
6) Standard English the official language of South Texas, Greater Sonora, and South California, with mandatory education in English only.
7) Free transport to "Mexico" (now North Guatemala) for any US inhabitants who desire to leave.
How's THAT for a new focus?
The measure must include a provision that turn Petromex revenues over to the Government of Texas to be distributed to other states to pay welfare of refugee Mexicans
A second measure would allow the US military to capture nd kill Mexican drug cartel members and their families
Sounds good.
Sounds like they want us to invade Mexico.
Well, turnabout is fair play.
Last time I checked, me and the previous 13 generations of my ancestors were called “Americans”.
Perhaps Mr. Petraeus and Mr. Zoellick don’t quite have that sort of connection to such a tired old label, and, being Men of the World, would like to end it.
Perhaps they should move to Mexico City to peddle such concepts.
SPP.gov. Been underway for decades. It is the only thing that can explain our gov constantly selling us out. Merging USA, Mexico, and Canada without us knowing or having a say in it at all.
The CFR facsist apes plotting the destruction of America’s constitutional republic. We have lampposts from sea to shining sea to prevent that.
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