Shop til you drop

Mexico has been on a buying spree for U.S. military equipment, especially helicopters and armored vehicles, with purchases amounting to more than a billion dollars in the last 12 months. U.S. Northern Command chief Admiral William Gortney said the combined deals represent “a 100-fold increase from prior years.” For a military supposedly proud of its independence from the United States, it is a dependent client.

John Lindsay-Poland,  on “The Mexican Military’s Buying Binge” (NACLA 23 March 2015)

I haven’t been keeping up with Mexican military spending, but do recall that as a portion of the national budget, “security” has been taking a bigger and bigger chunk over the last few years. I also know that much of the spending has been that “Plan Merida” funding, which was not so much Mexican spending, as US taxpayer funds being given to Mexico to buy US equipment, supposedly to fight narcos who are selling drugs (and buying arms) to willing buyers (and willing sellers) in the US.

Lindsay-Poland’s article on WHAT is being bought is a must read. Where the money is coming from (us.. or the U.S.?) and — ultimately — cui bono from these sales is something I just don’t know.