<<What Operation Casablanca?>>
Emphasis mine. Any fallout to Q's planned Mexican operations are probably a long shot; never know what's going to happen these days. Just wondering if anyone sees some potential concerns.
June 14, 1998 AP
Mexico, Panama resist perceived American encroachments
By George Gedda
Associated Press
WASHINGTON -- From Mexico and Panama, the Clinton administration is getting reminders these days that nationalistic passions born of past American heavy-handedness can play havoc with cherished foreign policy goals.
For three weeks Mexicans have been up in arms about a highly successful -- from the American viewpoint -- U.S. anti-drug sting operation in which the presence of American undercover agents in Mexico was concealed from Mexican officials. Mexico wants to put the agents on trial.
And in Panama, officials are resisting U.S. plans to set up a multinational narcotics center because the proposal looks to many influential Panamanians like an American military base in disguise.
Mexicans have been wary of their larger northern neighbor for 150 years, since the United States, pushing its westward expansion, absorbed half Mexico's territory.
In his book, "Mexico," author Jaime Suchlicki writes that the U.S. triumph in the Mexican-American War "left a legacy of hatred and hostility toward the United States. It created a lasting phobia in Mexican consciousness toward any act that could be perceived as interventionist."
Panama is no less sensitive, recalling that for most of this century the United States reigned supreme over a 500-square mile area that cut through the country's heart. Thousands of Americans lived comfortably in what was then the Panama Canal Zone, shielded from Panamanian squalor nearby. Anti-American resentment flourished.
Under the Panama Canal treaties, the last American soldier is to leave Panama when that country takes over the waterway in 18 months. Panamanian Ambassador Eloy Alfaro said that if the proposed counternarcotics center should be merely a cover for a new U.S. base, "then it will only reintroduce the causes of the conflict between the two countries."
U.S. officials say obstacles to an agreement are formidable, and the administration is prepared to drop the idea if no breakthrough occurs in coming weeks.
Mexico is the bigger problem for the administration. When Mexico learned that the United States concealed details of "Operation Casablanca" from Mexican officials since its origin three years ago, the reaction was swift and angry.
No cause "can justify the violation of our sovereignty nor of our laws," Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo said. He promised to respond to the affront "with all the methods we have." Added Mexican Foreign Secretary Rosario Green: "We Mexicans are very jealous of our national sovereignty."
The U.S. government's decision to maintain secrecy reflected American mistrust of Mexico's criminal justice system.
The operation bears the potential for polarizing the two countries. Some U.S. lawmakers are mystified by the Mexican reaction, saying the U.S. agents who took part in Casablanca are heroes, not outlaws as Mexico claims.
The operation netted 150 arrests, some Mexican bankers lured into the United States under false pretenses. In addition, $110 million was seized and three Mexican banks were indicted in the United States.
Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, said, "This effort, 'Operation Casablanca,' has nailed a bunch of international bankers, mostly in Mexico, who have been laundering drug money. These white-collar drug thugs have violated United States law, Mexican law and international law. . . . My hat is off to the agents and informants that risked their lives to help defend our institutions and bring these pinstripe bandits to justice."
All this has left Secretary of State Madeleine Albright uncomfortably having to deal with Mexican wrath without alienating those in Congress who see the operation as a huge success.
She has pursued a middle-road approach, expressing regret to Mexican officials for the lack of communication and attempting to ensure Mexico's continued cooperation on drug matters. She also has served notice to Mexico that the administration will resist any Mexican effort to prosecute or extradite the American agents.
The secretary also sent a terse letter Friday to Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin, chastising him for failing to inform her of the operation.
"I would appreciate being kept personally informed of developing investigations in Mexico and other foreign countries that could have a significant foreign policy fallout," Albright wrote.
Distributed by The Associated Press (AP)
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