Relations Between Belize and the United States of America - Research Paper Example

Belize and the United s of America Relations between Belize and the United s of America Belize is a new and developing democracy in Central America which has gained independence not so long ago. Owing to its historical background as a colony, the society in the country is very diverse, consisting of different cultures and languages. It may not bear too much significance to the United States of America because of its small size and population except that both jurisdictions belong to the same continental territory. Belize is not a novice to imperialistic influences should these come. It was once a subject of tug-of-wars between old colonizers from Europe. That fact explains why the Spanish tongue is spoken by the native people. Interestingly though, it is the only Central American country that has English as its official language. (Belize. Wikipedia. [internet]) The relations between Belize and the United States are more on mutual cooperation covering domestic problems such as crime and police concerns. At one point, a child molester was arrested in Belize after his picture was shown in the Oprah Winfrey show. (ACCUSED CHILD PREDATORS CAUGHT. Thanks to "Oprah" Television Viewers. October 19, 2005. Headline Archives. FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION. [internet].). There are not much about high level talks between the two although it is quite known that both countries are cordially close with each other. Belize citizens who have migrated to the United States are now relatively big in number, about seventy thousand. On the trade and commerce front, the United States is the most important business partner of Belize. Aside from that, there are a lot of fund investments coming from the Americans which are placed in Belize. Superficially, there appears no other significant factor or reason for a serious bonding between the two countries. Going deeper, however, will come up with something that may possibly suggest for a more coordinated and more synchronized inter-relation and inter-action between these governments. The areas that need to focus on are drugs and terrorism which may seem petty in the Belize home base but which can blow up in unmanageable proportions at some unexpected time. These worries are becoming hot issues. In one account, organized crimes executions and drug trafficking have been rising in trends. (Belize Murder Rate Skyrockets. Drugs, Gangs And Organized Crime. February 17, 2008. CruiseBruise. [internet]). In several cases, the use of cruise ship connections is evident, the latter being explained by the attractive tourism industry of Belize. The drug menace is clearly becoming a growing predicament in Belize. No less than the State Department of the United States impliedly confesses this. The latter is currently working tightly well with Belize officialdom in the battle against the illegal transporting or transshipment of narcotics. Interestingly, the two governments are also on guard to monitor, regulate and control the flow of other nationals who enter the United States via the entry and exit points of Belize. (U. S.-BELIZEAN RELATIONS. Background Note: Belize. DIPLOMACY IN ACTION. U. S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE. September 2009. [internet]) Aside from those mentioned and discussed in the foregoing, relations between Belize and the United States hinge on economic assistance and other aid programs, several of which are in the form of military wares. For the latter, it is worthy to note that the United States Military Liaison Office had helped in the establishment of the Belize National Coast Guard in cooperation and in coordination with the Belize Defense Force. On the civilian side, the United States Agency for International Development also has had its hand in helping the Belize people while volunteers from the United States Peace Corps still continue to serve in the country. Curiously enough, the parties have always described as bilateral whatever pact they have. Possible frictions between Belize and the United States of America It is hard to imagine that there can be a point of conflict between Belize and the United States of America. As a matter of fact, while it is true that Belize was a British colony for long, it cannot be denied that the United States has had more influence upon Belize than Britain has or than any other nation or power has. Belize and its neighboring countries in the Americas have always been considered by the United States as its backyard. (A History of Belize. Nation in the making. Chapter 13. Regional Influences on Belize. [internet]). On that premise, the superpower cannot afford to have a friction or strained relation with any of the small brothers around the circle. Charity begins at home, so to speak. While indifference or hostility between the United States and Belize is hardly possible, certain aspects in their alliances and commonalities can be a bane, or even a disaster, from one to the other. One angle points to the seemingly uncontrollable drug-trafficking from Belize to the United States. It is important to note that domestically, most of the violent crimes in Belize are related to drugs. (Country profile: Belize. NEWS. ONE-MINUTE WORLD NEWS. May 5, 2009. BBC. [internet].) After drugs, there must be another link and that is international terrorism. Several studies have already revealed that the drug trade is directly connected with the evil business of terror in the global stage. According to some experts from the United States who participated in a discussion forum initiated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the correlation between the trafficking of narcotics and terroristic activities are now a reality. (Denny, David A. Terrorism, Drug Trafficking Inextricably Linked, U. S. Experts Say. 05 December 2001. [internet]). Interestingly, the last addition is the very serious problems on human trafficking or illegal migration of other nationals to the United States using the entry and exit accesses of Belize. In sum, the organization becomes complete. It will be a matter of putting the elements of felonious demolition into effective action. In another manner of saying, it will be a scenario where the narcotic dealers concoct the purchasing plans with the terrorists, the source of the drugs. The money will finance the illegal entries of the explosives experts to the United States. The latter will then undertake the planting of the bombs or whatever terror methodologies. Finally, the acts of massive devastation will be made to happen. The given prospective events may be unfortunate and no one in his right mind desires for those. But things sometimes happen in the most unexpected moment or under the most unlikely situation or circumstances. Although many claimed, and still claim, to have known the happening of 9/11 beforehand, the general and more acceptable perception is still that it was never expected or projected to have occurred. If it indeed was already anticipated with a warning, the authorities of the United States of America, the most powerful nation in the world, could have immediately taken swift actions and snappy remedial measures to prevent or avoid the humiliating grand assault or could have at least reduced the disastrous consequences to the least minimum. Sad to say, it did not happen in such a way that the Americans were first made ready and prepared for the deadly attack that only did not destroy America but that also humbled and insulted the people and the leaders of the United States. Considering the global reach of information transfer in very expeditious paces around the earth because of web and internet technology, terrorists of today use more sophisticated processes in executing murderous programs to destroy. They also now utilize systems and techniques that are hard to detect especially so that their network of professional undercover agents, sub-agents and coordinates among the masses efficiently contribute to the full implementation of terrorist options. With the possibilities outlined above, there is a great and immeasurable necessity for the authorities of both the United States and Belize to sit down on these to discuss and deliberate the relevant plans, programs and courses of action. The best candidates to participate in this top caliber gathering are national security and intelligence executives and investigation officers. Since the planning stage of the supposed terrorists will be based in Belize, the observation and surveillance network of the composite teams must commence in large part in the whole territorial jurisdiction of Belize. The system or scheme will then be made to cross over to the United States like a continuous thread that will follow through the other possible venues of operations allied or related to terror. Revisiting the past of Belize Belize has always been an ally and friend of the United States of America. From the time of the Second World War to the periods of cold hostilities between America and Russia and until its independence in September, 1981, and up to the present, Belize has never been an adversary of the United States. Neither has this country adopted ideologies contrary to the democratic ideals of the people of the United States. There were pocket resistant movements in Belize during the epochs of its long struggle to gain independence. Despite that, there were no significant and overwhelming ideological or sociological changes and grand-standings that intervened or interrupted during the protracted colonization. This attitude of the people of a nation must have been due to its proximity in distance to mainland America. In essence, there is no great importance in further reviewing the concepts, views and adopted principles of the people and leaders of Belize during its past, including the years of the Cold War. The clamors for the abolition of slavery, the resistance movements of the laborers in the logging and wood industries, the nationalist crusade and the final poignant avowals for the declaration of independence are valuable segments of the history of Belize. These were the very ingredients of democracy which was so desired and cherished by the long restrained and long deprived people of Belize. These could have been taken advantage of by the thinkers and radical actors of the other ideologies. If the people of Belize submitted themselves with approval to those kinds of adventurisms, the chaos and pandemonium in the guise of true rebellion could have instead wrecked a nation and shattered the dreams of its constituency. In lieu of violent struggle, the better option was taken. That was the peace process which finally culminated in the midnight flag-raising of the national flag on September 21, 1981, as the Belizean anthem was being played, when the country got its well-deserved independence. The people of Belize are therefore proven peace lovers. Within that realm, there is no way with which to connect the country to the terms of wars, battles and armaments of the United States despite their strong alliance. Nevertheless, Belize has to be considered as a strategic line of defense and offense in the international stage of war calisthenics because of its location and the perceived loyalty of its people to the United States of America and to democratic processes. Belize and 9/11 Belize was not directly involved in 9/11. However, just like all the civilized and decent nations of the world, the cruel pangs of the man-made catastrophe naturally brought emotional havoc and mental anguish to the citizens of Belize. That was history. It cannot be dignified by reviving it. Instead, preparations must be in place in the event of a similar debacle. In the case of Belize, the more appropriate thing to do is to clear the territory of any possibility that it can be used as the tool or instrument for another 9/11. As earlier told, Belize is ripe for utility as the jumping point. Drug cartel activities are inside it. Illegal migration to the American mainland is processed in the country. On the basis of the valid claim that drugs connect with terrorism, Belize can be made by terrorists as their base to make ready their goods and other stuff and paraphernalia for mass destruction. Money can change hands with narcotics, terror agents and actors can be trained and polished and transported to the United States where the actual execution of destroying will be had. With these possibilities, counter plans and programs to suspend and abort the devilish schemes of terrorists can be initiated in Belize. With sufficient logistics, physical and intellectual manpower and the luxury of time, national security officers and intelligence experts from both the United States and Belize can draw up studies and projected courses of action in anticipation of any terrorist attack. Immigration papers processing, drug related activities and suspicious characters may be followed up for clue utilizing insiders whose services may be engaged to check the activities of the criminal elements. Movements of men and things that appear to complement the equipment, machines and activities of the terror groups must be detected on a timely basis at twenty four hours full coverage. Such other detailed methods as are necessary to preserve needed data and information have to be applied in order to establish an effective and an efficient system of monitoring, surveillance and detection. Concluding assessment The main subject for analysis in this paper is the relation of the country of Belize to the United States of America. It may be importantly observed again that both jurisdictions belong to the American continent. While Belize was a long time colony of the British Empire, it has always been closer to the United States than it has been with the power that is Britain. Friendship and cordiality are always what tie the bond of these two great nations. In concluding, it is the finding of this paper that there is no documented or implied hostility between Belize and the United States. However, it may be admitted that the territories of Belize and the activities therein, legal or illegal, can be used by criminals, particularly drug traffickers, terrorists and human smugglers, in a possible concerted effort to sow more terror in the United States and cause humungous damage both to people and properties. As outlined in some of the discussions above, these evil motives may be prevented or be paralyzed to its least minimum effects via wise and organized planning. Reference A History of Belize. Nation in the making. Chapter 13. Regional Influences on Belize. [internet] Accessed November 19, 2009. Available at: ACCUSED CHILD PREDATORS CAUGHT. Thanks to "Oprah" Television Viewers. October 19, 2005. Headline Archives. FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION. [internet]. Accessed November 19, 2009. Available at: Belize. Wikipedia. [internet] Accessed November 19, 2009. Available at: Belize Murder Rate Skyrockets. Drugs, Gangs And Organized Crime. February 17, 2008. CruiseBruise. [internet] Accessed November 19, 2009. Available at: Country profile: Belize. NEWS. ONE-MINUTE WORLD NEWS. May 5, 2009. BBC. [internet]. Accessed November 19, 2009. Available at: Denny, David A. Terrorism, Drug Trafficking Inextricably Linked, U. S. Experts Say. 05 December 2001. [internet] Accessed November 19, 2009. Available at: . U. S.-BELIZEAN RELATIONS. Background Note: Belize. DIPLOMACY IN ACTION. U. S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE. September 2009. [internet] Accessed November 19, 2009. Available at: Read More