>>>>>>>>The U.S. has been very generous and helpful throughout the recent history, especially when it comes to Europe. Think first world war, second world war, Marshall aid, rebuilding of Japan and Germany, etc. etc. Not so in Central and Latin America, though. Think Guatemala, El Salvador, Chile, etc. etc. So, I don't think at least the Europeans really have much reason to complain when it comes to that. In my experience, having been born and raised in Europe, it is somehow fashionable or "intellectually cool" to criticize the U.S. over there. And the reverse is often true on this side of the Pond.
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>>>>>>>Amen to that, being a Guatemalan I can tell you that your government provoked most of the political problems in my country and also they financed the army which was guilty of almost 95% of civil war crimes.
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>>>>>>>Please don't misunderstand me, I'm not talking about US people but the government.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>The actions of the US in South America are confuzing for me. I am positive about the US, but when people confront me with what the US did in countries like yours, I do not know what to say in defense of the US...
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>>>>>Well, there is nothing you can say, really specially to the more of 250,000 deaths during our civil war. The guerrilla also committed crimes but not the way the army did. USA government always knew about the Guatemalan army operations, finance them and trained them. Same thing in El Salvador, Nicaragua, Chile, Argentina, Paraguay, etc.
>>>>>
>>>>>There are plenty of information in Wikipedia, youtube, etc. In my country the 98% of the land was controlled by 2% of population on those days, and the American companies were tax exonerated (the most famous is the United fruit company). Those companies were the worst thing that could ever happened to Guatemala.
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>>>>>I understand you because a lot of Europeans don't know that , I have a polish friend at work who hated the Soviet Union for the same fact and he loves USA. I guess both powers did evil to their neighbors.
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>>>>>And now, we have a similar problem, drug traffic, Guatemala is located in a Geographical position which makes it vulnerable to this, all the Cocaine goes from Colombia to Guatemala, to Mexico. USA is giving a lot of money to Mexico to fight this (but not to us), and the Drug dealers are moving to Guatemala now. USA should combat the consumption, or legalize it and prevent this stupid traffic. Don't you think that with all the technology they have they will be able to end up with this dealers?
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>>>>Really? I would disagree with your statement on the amount of aid given to Guatemala:
>>>>
>>>>http://justf.org/Country?country=Guatemala
>>>>
>>>>I am curious why the number went down so much from 2008-2009...perhaps our financial situation?
>>>>
>>>>I would definitely NOT disagree with what Guatemala did with the training and arms it received during previous U.S. administrations...
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>>>Hi Tracey, I don't wanna make a controversy here, since it's part of the past. I was not clear enough with the aid my apologies for that. I'm talking about the new resources assigned to Mexico compared to the ones to Central America (I don't remember the name of the new plan or agreement).
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>>>Wouldn't you agree that USA needs to invest more in preventing the use of drugs in their territory?
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>>That is a controversy here because some feel that too much money is spent in countries where the drugs are grown or transported and not enough inside the U.S. stopping the use or treating the abuse of drugs. Others feel that we shouldn't be spending anything at all. I only know that what has been done so far doesn't seem to be working, but then would it be any better or much worse if what has been do so far was not done?
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>>If transportation is the issue, then until the borders are locked down (all land and sea borders), it will not stop. In some areas, it is the only cash crop and then it is a monopoly and promotes slave labor, crimes, murder, etc.
>
>I'm my honest opinion, I think they should be legalized and properly taxed, that way you will prevent both the traffic and the violence of being illegal, and a % of the resources gained can be used to threat the "abuse" of it's use.
>
>USA will save billions of dollars and violence will be over. It will come back again to what your parents teach you and common sense the use of them.

Great suggestions. May I assume that drugs are already legalized and properly taxed in your country?