A Mexico-U.S. Security Community? Intelligence Without Policy, Policy Without Intelligence

摘要

Without a Mexico-United States modus operandi, any attempt at an anti-terror campaign is doomed to fail. Behind a porous border and an unlikely partnership lie two dissimilar security cultures. Paul Todd's and Jonathan Bloch's reference to "intelligence without policy" and "policy without intelligence" in a study of Latin America-U.S. security relations aptly captures the Mexico-U.S. relationship.' "Intelligence without policy" simply means awareness not backed up by, or translated into, action, while "policy without intelligence" encapsulates action without preparation. Because the post-11 September 2001 (9/11) Mexico-U.S. security incompatibility stems from both design and default, blaming politicians or administrative officials for existing gaps does not help. Impinging external elements also distort activity outcomes.