Tuesday, May 06, 2025
46.0°F

Americas summit

Columbia Basin Herald | UPDATED 13 years AGO
| April 27, 2012 6:00 AM

It is a sad commentary on the Sixth Summit of the Americas, the triennial gathering of 34 heads of state from North, South and Central America, when the outcomes of the summit are overshadowed by the misbehavior of U.S. President Barack Obama's advance team and security detail.

Then again, even that commentary might be preferable to focusing on the deep disagreements that make plain the distance between Washington and most of its Latin American interlocutors.

Two issues dominated the meeting. The first was the ongoing exclusion of Cuba from the gathering. Most Latin governments prefer to have Cuba in attendance... His absence is a testimony to U.S. influence.

Obama noted that "Cuba, unlike the other countries participating, has not yet moved to democracy has not yet observed basic human rights." But Mr. Castro is also the longest serving leader in the region and enjoys considerable support among the public and governments of many Latin American countries. His exclusion may gratify a powerful constituency in Florida, but it adds an asterisk to any declarations or outcomes that result from the meeting.

The second issue is drug policy. The prevailing policy throughout the region is the "war on drugs" that has been pushed by the U.S. for over four decades, despite its minimal impact on prices or drug use. It has resulted in huge sums of money for drug dealers, while contributing to corruption throughout the hemisphere, fanning terrorism and militarizing many states. By just about every indicator, the war is being lost and demands reconsideration.

Unfortunately, Obama, like most other U.S. political leaders, is unwilling to consider possible alternatives. Inflexibility in the face of repeated failure and the continued demand that other leaders adhere to the failed policy only undermined the credibility of the Summit of the Americas once again.

- The Japan Times, Tokyo

MORE IMPORTED STORIES

Standing firm
Coeur d'Alene Press | Updated 13 years ago
Obama: Latin America ready for new challenges
Coeur d'Alene Press | Updated 14 years, 1 month ago
Starting from scratch?
Coeur d'Alene Press | Updated 10 years ago