Cutting Funds

Siedo, Mexico's elite anti-drug agency, is facing a 33 percent budget cut in 2010, from a little over $60 million to a little over $40 million. The cuts to Siedo are far stiffer than the overall cuts to security agencies in 2010, which makes me wonder if this reflects a belief that the agency (a belief that was well earned) has been thoroughly compromised. In any event, either sum is wholly insufficient for an organization that is expected to lead the fight against gangs that rake in billions annually.