U.S. has drug commandos throughout Central America, says New York Times

The paper reports in today's edition that Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) commando squads have been deployed in several countries where drug cartels are strong, especially in Haiti, Honduras, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala and Belize. The program is called FAST, an acronym for Foreign-deployed Advisory Support Teams. The Times says that the paramilitary units were created in 2005 during the George W. Bush administration, and were originally designed to go after "Taliban-linked drug traffickers in Afghanistan." Under president Barack Obama, FAST operations have expanded.

FAST teams work with "specially vetted units of local security forces that they train and mentor," says the Times. "Begun in 2005, the program now has five squads, each with 10 agents. Many are military veterans. The Pentagon has provided most of their training and equipment, and they routinely fly on military aircraft." The paper reports that FAST commandos have gone on at least 15 Central American missions. Arrests of criminal suspects are made by local law enforcement officials, since U.S. agents generally have no extra-territorial authority.

According to today's article, the U.S. government believes there is a clear connection between drug trafficking and international terrorism. But one expert quoted by the Times predicted that FAST will not be able to stop the narcotics trade in Central America, because most countries there lack "capable (governmental) institutions."

Mexico, which receives very significant financial and military equipment aid from the United States under the Mérida Initiative and similar bi-lateral agreements, has refused the commando squads, reports the Times.

More on the Mérida Initiative.