Posted on 08/22/2005 6:32:07 PM PDT by Crackingham
Everybody makes mistakes — even diplomats, whose jobs call for extreme verbal precision to convey their countries' coolness, pique, displeasure and high dudgeon. When foreign relations finally boil over, an ambassador's silence — produced by recalling him for consultation — is diplomaticspeak for, "This is serious." It is rare, however, for a diplomat to use insulting language unless it is intentional.
Tony Garza, the U.S. ambassador to Mexico, is claiming that a small international furor he prompted last week resulted from a misstatement. No one's really buying it. Earlier this month, Garza closed the U.S. Consulate in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, for 10 days in response to a wave of narco-violence flooding the city. Then, in a speech in Denver, Garza told listeners, "Some have said that I ordered the shutdown to punish the Mexican government for its failure to control violence in the region. And in a sense that's true." With its connotations of paternalism and intervention, the word "punish" infuriated many Mexicans. Mexico's deputy foreign minister promptly released his own statement about Garza: "His selection of words was frankly unfortunate and not appropriate to the role of an ambassador."
A longtime political associate of President Bush, Garza is not a professional diplomat. But there is good reason to believe he intended to use an inflammatory word. As a Texan married to a member of the Mexican elite, Garza would know full well how badly verbal strong-arming would be translated across the border. Most tellingly, however, Garza's Denver remarks came from a prepared speech — distributed to journalists in Mexico hours before he spoke, and included a helpful line noting that the word "punish" was sure to draw attention.
According to analysts, Garza's remark probably achieved its purpose. Because Mexico and the United States are so politically and economically enmeshed, withdrawing an ambassador or enacting some kind of sanction would be harsher measures than the U.S. government wanted to take. At the same time, the border violence to which Garza responded is of deep concern here. American officials are pressing for Mexico's federal government to actively pursue border kingpins and narco-traffickers' safe houses, but in Nuevo Laredo at least, the murder rate has actually increased since federal intervention two months ago.
Garza's provocative language, observes one former diplomat to Latin America, "may be to let the Mexican government get a sense of how severe this issue is from a U.S. point of view. This might be the U.S. calling Mexico's bluff, and indicating this is not business as usual."
I'm crying a river for the Mexicans right now. Their brazen indignation toward the country that is stupidly providing them welfare and fertile ground for their drug gangs and other crimes is the height of arrogance.
All the more reason he's qualified to be an ambassador.
For a real "feel" of the US point of view..........
"el Presidente Fox, phone call on line two - a Senior Tom Tancredo, from Colorado, USA wishes to speak with you."
LVM
Nope, didn't think so.
El wallo?
Good for Garza! The Mexican government can whine all they want. Garza did the right thing.
Mexico needs tourist dollars for those who do not come to the USA.
If the violence issue gets more MSM airplay, Mexican tourism is screwed.
Bullchit, mexico lives on illegals going to the U.S. and sending dollars home-PERIOD!
Mexico will do nothing except demand that the U.S. allow mexican citizens free access to everything in America, and the American government looks like it fully intends to do as the mexicans demand.
Our politicians make noises like they intend to address the issue but nothing EVER comes from all of the noise.
'Bout time words like that were used. Why bother to pussyfoot around?
Interesting thought, I could just see the parade of Democrats to immediatly recruit new members.
I wonder if they would support the new states becoming english speaking .
Monday, August 8, 2005
Owner of Club Rio reacts after Saturday shooting
By Scott Kimbler GAINESVILLE GA. (Little Mexico)- Four people are injured in a drive-by shooting Saturday night in Gainesville.
Gang Task Force Member Sgt. Scott Ware said there was a confrontation among two gangs at Club Rio around 11:30.
"Following the fight someone came back and performed a drive-by shooting into the club striking four people." Ware said. "They appear to be bystanders."
Jose Isidro Macias, 20, Gainesville was arrested and charged with the shooting. He is charged with two counts aggravated battery, four counts aggravated assault and four counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
The owner of Club-Rio, Maria Retana said the people that were hit were inside the building were two party goers and two employees.
None of the victims sustained life threatening injuries.
"They were able to apprehend the suspect based on the camera." She said.
Retana praises the response of law enforcement to the shooting and says she will try to prevent future shootings. "We will work with the gang task force," Retana said. "To prevent anything like this from happening."
She added there was some sort of disturbance where two apparent gang members were asked to leave the reception just before the altercation took place in the parking lot.
Wow nice wall! Plenty of surface area for the Mexican gangs to spray paint and tall enough to make sure they do it only on the south side!
I'll bet we could get enough volunteers to build several hundred miles of this. Many would mix the concrete by hand.
You would be stopped by a Mexican on a sidestreet in Zacatecas, and asked in an amazing tone, "SENOR, HOW COME YOU KNOW SO MUCH ABOUT MY COUNTRY???"" :-)
They might vote for unification with the states. The only problem I would have is their corrupt political families, corrupt cops, and murdering scum drug gangs.
Only if MSM thinks the story will hurt Bush. I wonder if anyone is keeping accurate stats on Mexican tourism? I wonder if Sammy Hagar still hangs out in Cabo, for that matter...
Amen to your excellent reply!
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