Sun, Jul 05, 2009

World

Mexico: Army to eventually quit drug war

The Associated Press
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 11.28.2008
MEXICO CITY — Mexico says its army will eventually leave the fight against drug trafficking.
But officials did not set a firm date for the start of the withdrawal.
The promise was made Thursday in the government's human-rights progress report to the United Nations.
Mexico argues that it must use soldiers in its nationwide crackdown on the drug trade because police are still too corrupt to take over the battle.
Several top security officials have been arrested recently and accused of taking bribes from the country's most powerful cartel.
Many have criticized President Felipe Calderón for deploying more than 20,000 soldiers across Mexico. The National Human Rights Commission says some of them have tortured, raped and even killed civilians.