The Need to change Mexico-US Foreign Policy (Essay Sample)

The Need to change Mexico-US Foreign Policy
Name
Course
Date
December 15, 2016
To: Enrique Peña Nieto - President of Mexico
Cc: Roberto Gil Zuarth – President of the Senate
Jesús Zambrano Grijalva-President of the Chamber of Deputies
From Khadijo Abdulkadir -Foreign Policy Advisor
Re: The Need to change Mexico-US Foreign Policy
The just ended United States 2016 presidential election is the most significant election for US-Mexico foreign policy and general international order since the World War II. In that election, a very controversial American politician and businessman, Donald Trump, was elected president. Although at this point there are still several areas of surprises and uncertainty in the coming months, it is prudent for us to re-examine our current policy towards the United States with a view to review and ultimately change it. This is because many of the US foreign policies, as proposed by the president elect favor US protectionism, appeal to the right, are very nationalistic and pose a high risk to trade wars. The rhetoric may be more subdued compared to the period during the campaigns, but his policies are most likely going to be more aligned to traditional Republican Party views, which in my opinion will not favor this country.[Schwartz, Nelson. May 21, 2016. Economic Promises a President Trump Could (and Couldn't) Keep The New York Times] [Timothy, Noah (July 26, 2015). "Will the real Donald Trump please stand up?". Politico.]
President-elect Trump campaigned on a platform of developing an economic system where the US uses economic leverage and tariffs to win favorable trade terms. Trump seems keen on weakening the core elements of the existing order in international trade including the open global economy and the existing US alliance system. Furthermore, in the fight against the Islamic State, the President elect has severally promised to work with Russia. There are three areas that in Mexico Foreign Policy that I suggest should be reviewed and ultimately changed to counter the US government possible changes on the same issues.
* US trade partnerships with China TPP, and NAFTA
* New alliances with Russia verses NATO
* Terrorism around the world, particularly in the middle east
In a book titled “Superpower” by Ian Bremmer, a respected foreign policy analyst, there are only three options for the US to consider in its effort to develop a more coherent strategy, and strengthen the US commitment to trade and military partnerships.[Bremmer, Ian. 2015. Superpower: Three Choices for America's Role in the World. New York: Portfolio/Penguin]
These choices are:
* Independent America: considerably reducing United States global commitments and instead focusing on “nation building”
* Money-ball America: Is a solution that relies on “goldilocks” very similar to the type adopted by the Obama administration
* Indispensable America: That the US is still a world leader and it is only Americans themselves who can defend their values locally and abroad.
The last option may not have any major implication on our foreign policy with the US
It is on the basis of the three issues and three options that I develop recommendations on the various aspects of the Mexico-US foreign policy that may need to be changed.
US trade partnerships with China TPP, and NAFTA
Throughout his campaigns and even after, US President-elect Donald Trump has made it clear that he is very uncomfortable with the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Of the three trade partnerships that Trump identifies has “troublesome”, the only one has direct implications on Mexico is NAFTA. He referred to it as “the single worst trade deal ever approved in this country” during his first presidential debate. He has also vowed to impose 15-35% tariffs on US companies that move any of their operations to Mexico. This indicates the seriousness with which the president elect intents to renegotiate trade deals, in an effort provide US companies and workers better returns. This is still debatable. Since it was signed 22 years ago NAFTA has been a staple of North America’s economic relations because it helped in eliminating tariffs on products traded between Mexico, Canada and the US.[Bremmer, Ian. 2015. Superpower: Three Choices for America's Role in the World. New York: Portfolio/Penguin] [Taube, Michael. Trump Really Shouldn’t Kill NAFTA. Retrieved November 26, 2016]
Over the years, as it has been witnessed in this country, NAFTA has led to cross-border business explosion. This is partly because it made the economies “interconnected”. President Trump is expected to proceed and act on his promise to either pull out of it or re-negotiate. Given this scenario and possibility I suggest that we should demand for protection of agricultural crops to the US such as potatoes and an increase on United States import quotas particularly for Mexican sugar. Secondly, while renegotiating NAFTA, Mexico should demand for greater access of the US market in other sectors not negotiated before, for example, the public-sector procurements that for a long time as been protected by US laws of “Buy America”.[Schwartz, Nelson. May 21, 2016. Economic Promises a President Trump Could (and Couldn't) Keep The New York Times]
The argument by Trump and his team that NAFTA has led to job losses in the US should be re-examined. This can be done by liaising with US institutions that see this issue differently, such as the US Chamber of Commerce. The chamber, for a long time, has released yearly data detailing observation to the contrary. The chamber argues that the billions of dollars made by US companies by engaging cheaper Mexican labor has intern created over five million jobs in the United States. FORD one of the vehicle manufacturing companies mentioned by Trump as “exporting jobs” to this country has since clarified that the money made from the cheap Mexican labor is used in the manufacture of more cars back in the US. So, the United States under President elect-Trump, seems to be having the wrong information. This is a line of argument that Mexico needs to take if it will be necessary for the NAFTA deals to be renegotiated. However, in the event that the US pulls out of the trade agreement, Mexico should impose punitive duties on “labor” laws that have over the years favored the US.[Schwartz, Nelson. May 21, 2016. Economic Promises a President Trump Could (and Couldn't) Keep The New York Times]
Mexico should also consider including provisions on protection of intellectual property. The US has not been supportive enough on these areas, yet they are the greatest beneficiaries. In addition, although the US is our largest trading partner taking about 80% of all the country’s exports, I strongly suggest that in any negotiations or renegotiations, our guiding principle should be to only enter into trade agreements if it reduces our trade deficit and increases total trade.
Terrorism around the World
The greatest threat to European and US security currently is no longer Russia or Germany, as it was in the beginning and mid-20th century. That threat, as perceived by the president elect and many other Americans, has shifted to Mexico, China and the Middle East. Again, while announcing his candidacy for the US presidency, Donald Trump called for the development of a stronger bigger fortified wall along the US-Mexico border. In his own words Trump said “build a great, great wall on our southern border. And I will have Mexico pay for that wall. Mark my words”. He also repeated the same sentiments when he made you Mr. President in August 31, 2016. The US frustration on illegal border crossings and terrorism can be understood. However, its implications particularly on the people and wildlife are enormous. First, Mexico needs to lobby international nature and wildlife organization to help in appealing to the new US administration to avoid wildlife prohibitive fences in sections of the border that are rich in wildlife. This is because doing it as a country will only serve to further antagonize the US administration. Secondly, we as a country need to find lasting solutions to local issues that have major international implications. For example, we have never exhausted all ways of dealing with drug manufacture and sell in the country.[Timothy, Noah (July 26, 2015). "Will the real Donald Trump please stand up?". Politico.] [Timothy, Noah (July 26, 2015). "Will the real Donald Trump please stand up?". Politico.]
Further studies need to be conducted both within and abroad to find out how best to address the issues that end up negatively impacting on our foreign relations and subsequently, policy. Another major sector that needs reform is education. The country’s basic education, for instance, is “ranked 116th globally”, meaning it seriously needs to be reformed. We also need to partner with countries who acknowledge that drug manufacture and traffic is a major issue, not only to borrow ideas but also seek their logistical assistance in the fight. One such country that has had major successes over the years is Afghanistan. I suggest that more of these countries be identified and diplomatic avenues be explored, particular...