Cannon: U.S. Will Not Punish Mexico on Iraq

The Salt Lake Tribune ^ | March 17, 2003 | CHRISTOPHER SMITH

[sarcasm]

WASHINGTON -- Congress is unlikely to retaliate with trade or immigration sanctions against Mexico over the neighboring nation's hesitancy to endorse a U.S. military invasion of Iraq, says Utah 3rd District Rep. Chris Cannon, Republican vice chairman of a new U.S.-Mexico congressional caucus.
    "The reluctance of support on the war will not largely affect a relationship that is so complex and so deep as this one," Cannon said during a recent news conference to launch the bipartisan caucus aimed at improving business dealings between the two countries.
    Rep. David Drier, R-Calif., chairman of the House Rules Committee and co-chairman of the new organization of two dozen House members, added that Mexico's support or rejection of a new U.N. resolution authorizing force against Iraq "will have nothing to do" with efforts to solidify and expand the $250 billion annual trade partnership between the United States and Mexico. "It's one of the most important relationships on Earth," he said.
    But just as Congress has taken to renaming french fries "Freedom fries" on the menus of Capitol Hill cafeterias to demonstrate members' irritation over France's opposition to a U.S.-led war with Iraq, Mexico worries it may do long-term financial damage to its U.S. ties if it doesn't march in step with the White House on using military force to oust Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.
    Mexican President Vicente Fox's stand against the U.S. invasion "has triggered pride in our government" wrote the Mexican leftist La Jornada newspaper, which cheered the "felicitous failure of the U.S. president in his effort to coerce the Mexican government into changing its position."
    But the Mexican government is trying to maintain economic and cultural ties to the U.S. at the same time it opposes the war on Iraq. Appearing at the Capitol Hill announcement of the new U.S.-Mexican congressional caucus, Mexican Ambassador to the United States Juan Jose Bremer declined to answer questions about whether the caucus announcement Wednesday was meant to offset the rising chorus of Mexican opposition to a U.S. invasion of Iraq. Instead, Bremer emphasized the importance to both nations of maintaining Mexico as a U.S. trading partner.
    "In only one day, products worth $700 million are exchanged," said Bremer. "Mexico buys more U.S. products than the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain and Italy combined."
    While Mexican leaders do not expect immediate, overt payback from the Bush administration or Congress if the nation should vote against the United States on a new Iraq resolution, there is fear of losing the good will that has made the United States an economic wellspring for millions of Mexican nationals, many of whom are working and living in the United States illegally.
    While declining to link U.S. immigration policy changes to Mexico's position on war with Iraq, Cannon said he believes Congress plans to look closely at immigration of undocumented workers on America's southern border this session.
    "I can assure you those issues that relate to immigration of a very large number of Mexicans who are in America without documents is a major, major issue and one where we will take significant action," said Cannon, a member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security and Claims.
    "It takes time in our system to do that, and we were set back by the attacks on America on Sept. 11. But that has now turned around and we are going to make some serious progress."
    In an appearance on CNN last month, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Bill Richardson -- now governor of New Mexico -- said that if Mexico backs the U.S. war with Iraq, it would renew Bush's support for a long-delayed proposal to let millions of undocumented Mexicans work legally in the United States.
    French newspapers have been more direct, reporting that Bush has offered Mexican President Vicente Fox a quid pro quo deal on immigration amnesty for Mexicans illegally in the United States in exchange for a "yes" vote on the U.N. resolution.

[Steven W.]

The reluctance of support on the war will not largely affect a relationship that is so complex and so deep as this one" hehehe

[Sunnyvale CA Eng.]

"The reluctance of support on the war will not largely affect a relationship that is so complex and so deep as this one," Cannon said

No surprise. Both 'Rats and 'Repubs have shown no leadership in dealing with the most destructive elements of our "special relationship" with Mexico. This is basically an apology to Fox as he gives us the finger.

[dennisw]

French newspapers have been more direct, reporting that Bush has offered Mexican President Vicente Fox a quid pro quo deal on immigration amnesty for Mexicans illegally in the United States in exchange for a "yes" vote on the U.N. resolution.

[JudgemAll]

"The reluctance of support on the war will not largely affect a relationship that is so complex and so deep as this one," Cannon said

No surprise. Both 'Rats and 'Repubs have shown no leadership in dealing with the most destructive elements of our "special relationship" with Mexico. This is basically an apology to Fox as he gives us the finger.

These fools do not realize that this makes Mexico as the ideal haven for enemy and terrorist infiltration given the huge blackmail power this crapy country seem to wield on us. It is a gapping hole in terms of national security given the huge influence it has. DANGER DANGER DANGER!!!

[sarcasm]

Rep. Chris Cannon, who along with Sen. Orrin Hatch is proposing federal legislation that would help children of undocumented immigrants get into U.S. colleges, says the answer to immigration's problems is not to boot out all those who illegally entered the country

[dennisw]

Between these two Utah congress critters and the Smarts you have to wonder about what's in the water in Utah.

[sarcasm]

Cannon has been described as Bush's point man on immigration in the House.

[Penny]

Thanks for this post. I've been writing this traitorous, treacherous lover of illegal immigrants for nearly two years now.

Please join me in writing him today:

cannon.ut03@mail.house.gov

Please take a moment of your time to send him your most strident objection to his dangerous position. He needs to hear from patriots, not those given to breaking our country's laws (like the socialists in the other party).

Thank you, EVERYONE!

Best regards,
Penny

[Risa]

>>In only one day, products worth $700 million are exchanged," said Bremer. "Mexico buys more U.S. products than the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain and Italy combined." <<
Do these people think the American citizens are stupid?

That 700 million is a drop in the bucket compared to the billions in costs to the American taxpayer every year for their health benefits, overcrowded schools, increased crime, the drug war, loss of jobs for unskilled workers, border killings, the total dismantling of the American culture in small American communities--not to mention the 93 billion they send out of our economy and into the Mexican economy every year.

The WTO and it's trade policymakers such as these guys have one goal: to distribute the wealth of the western nations to the third-world nations who are overpopulated and poverty stricken. That is the express goal. Besides forcing the US to integrate its economy with these poor nations, they wish to force as much immigration of third-world, unskilled (NOT SKILLED) workers as possible into our nation as a second method of redistributing our wealth. What happens to the individual worker in the US is of no concern to them.

If Bush legalizes these millions of criminals--he will have sold out the people who elected him, just as the Dems would do. I ask, where do we turn? Tom Tancredo in 2004?

[sarcasm]

I plan to write-in Tancredo in 2004 if no other candidate addresses this issue.

[sarcasm]

It's really a waste of time writing Cannon - I doubt that a million e-mails would make him change his mind.

[Risa]

>>...not to mention the 93 billion they send out of our economy and into the Mexican economy every year. <<

oops--I apologize for my error--purportedly 9 billion dollars are sent home to Mexico annually--not 93 billion as I had reported.
risa

[lainde]

I give up in despair...Something really bad is going to have to happen with our open borders before the politicians wake up from their fantasy state. Tancredo in Colorado is the only one that truly gets it.

[jragan2001]

Chris Cannon is one of the biggest shills for Illegal
Immigration and just yet another white idiot sellout to
the corrupt Mexican government. Why do the Mormons in
Utah put up with this crap is beyond me-I just hope
it's not part of their religion to tolerate Illegal
Immigration. If it is, they have a big problem.

[jragan2001]

Can you say "One Term President", senor Jorge Bush????

[KantianBurke]

French newspapers have been more direct, reporting that Bush has offered Mexican President Vicente Fox a quid pro quo deal on immigration amnesty for Mexicans illegally in the United States in exchange for a "yes" vote on the U.N. resolution.

F U BUSH!! HOW DARE YOU PUT THE UN AND ILLEGALS BEFORE THE SAFETY OF US TROOPS!!

[RWG]

What is he going to say-now you're going to pay. Recent reports indicate harsher sentences for immigaration violations. Maybe payback is on the way.

[Psalm118]

Bremer mut be airther a liar or profoundly ignorant of simple 'rithmatic. 700 million a day x 365 equals 395 BILLION dollars.

Say WHAT?!?!?!??!

A jerk who really thinks the public generally is a boob.

Well....he's aware of the old chestnut about no-one ever losing money betting against the intelligence of the American public, I guess....

[meenie]

The question of action on the border will be decided when the first terrorist attack across the border occurs. It will be coming because our lapse will naturally cause the terrorists to concentrate on this weakness. It is truly unfortunate that people will have to die before our politicians wake up. We are also setting ourselves up to a replay of Kosovo vs Serbia where an immigrant invasion from outside the country was sanctioned by the UN and the receiving country was bombed repeatedly.