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Inside Mexico's Infamous Meth 'Super Labs'

One of Mexico's most infamous cartels gives Sky News unprecedented access to one of its industrial-scale methamphetamine labs.

By Stuart Ramsay, Chief Correspondent

In the central mountains of Mexico lies the city of Culiacan. By rights it should be a sleepy backwater, a one-donkey rural nowheresville, but it is not.

Alongside manicured parks and pristine government buildings it boasts shopping malls, designer clothes shops, five star hotels, shi-shi restaurants and nightclubs.

What makes Culiacan so different to other rural cities is that it is the home of one of the country's most powerful and ruthless gangs, the Sinaloa Cartel. Where there are cartels, there is money - lots of it.

The Sinaloa deal exclusively in drugs, vast quantities of them.

It's a multi-million dollar business that takes place under the nose of the country's anti-narcotics units which patrol the ganglands of the city day and night.

In recent years the profitability of their business has soared.

The reasons are twofold, firstly they are focusing on the production and export of methamphetamine or crystal meth, rather than cocaine and heroin, and secondly they have developed ways to produce the drug on an industrial scale.

The cartels generally, but the Sinaloa obsessively, maintain incredibly high levels of security. It's why they have lasted and indeed thrived for so long.

After eight months of negotiation they agreed to allow us to see their meth production process and with it see a 'super lab' at work. It has never been allowed before.

Inside a heavily-guarded factory, men in overalls and wearing gloves and face masks mix together a series of chemicals into huge drums.

There is an instant reaction, sending clouds of foul smelling, toxic and highly explosive gas into the air.

They barely speak to avoid identification and they are wary of the chemicals.

They move back and forth as the ingredients react. The reaction process only takes 15 minutes or so but to get to the point where they have created the meth will take a few days.

The reason why meth is so popular with the cartels is that it is completely synthetic and can be made cheaply at home.

The cartels control ports that allow them to bring in some of the most important ingredients in bulk from India and China. Their distribution network to markets in the United States, Europe and further afield have been in place for years.

But the ability to produce huge amounts of the drug marked something of a 'narco revolution' for the Mexican cartels.

They were so confident of the purity and quality of their meth that initially they used to include batches of the "product" with cocaine and marijuana shipments that had already been ordered - they sent it for free.

They were convinced the foreigners would be hooked; they were right.

The production of the drug is one aspect of the process but making money from it means preparation, packing and shipping.

The 'super lab' is made up of a number of different locations.

We crossed town to another secret building where we found 10 men in masks and gloves sitting around tables laden with crystal meth.

For the next 48 hours they will pack the powder into tiny capsules before it is shipped abroad.

There is a quarter of a million pounds-worth of drugs on the table and the gang leader told me he can produce that amount once a week.

"We are making £12m a year profit and we are a medium-sized operation," he told me.

"It all goes to the US because it sells for more, the product goes directly to the United States," he said, adding that the value of the drugs increases nine times by the time they get to Europe.

"The majority of it is taken in trailers - that's how they take it from here," he said.

This huge, highly-organised business is not actually about making drugs, it is quite simply about making money.

Most experts who study the cartels believe it is unlikely that given their reach across society they will ever be beaten, well not any time soon.

"They become a form of an alternative justice system or alternative police and that is very worrying for the country," Mexico-based British journalist and author Ioan Grillo told me.

"And that leads you to understand how the conflict has led to more than 84,000 cartel-related murders in the last seven years.

"Corruption is extremely bad to the point where you have police officers who are not simply turning a blind eye to organised crime, they're full on assassins for organised crime, they are full on cartel members," he said.

The Mexican authorities and the United States drug enforcement agencies are struggling to even remotely control the trafficking of drugs across Mexico's borders.

Like a multinational company it is driven by the market. For now the demand is high. So the supply keeps coming.

http://news.sky.com/story/1515628/inside-mexicos-infamous-meth-super-labs

Image of White Man Working on Minnesota Flag is Offensive and 'Racist'

Judith Harrington is an assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, and she's offended. She doesn't like the image on Minnesota's state seal that appears on the state flag.

"The image of the pioneer, a peaceful man who has laid down his gun and is plowing his field, is juxtaposed with the image of the Indian, who may still want to fight (his spear is at the ready) but who seems to be riding away," writes Judith Harrington.

"The pioneer/farmer is using a plow, a symbol of civilization. The white man is depicted as a 'doer' who is entitled to the land, trees and water, empowered by the concept of Manifest Destiny. The Indian is the vacating tenant. A peaceful transition is suggested, but this ignores the tense and problematic history of conflict between European settlers and Indians, such as the complicated history of treaties and the Dakota War of 1862.

"A close examination shows the central figure to be a white pioneer dressed in work clothes," Harrington writes, "wearing a wide-brim hat and pushing a plow. He is an iconic image of a hardworking, rugged individualist who works alone to chop the trees, plow the land and protect his home. He is looking over his shoulder at the Indian, who is riding a horse and holding a spear.

"It does not reflect the values and sensibilities of Minnesotans today," she writes.

If the seal is removed or changed, there will be something else that will offend this professor. I suspect that if the seal did not include a Native American, she and other liberals would be offended. They most likely would argue that since Minnesota comes from the Dakota word for "clear blue water," a representative of the state's Indian name should be included.

When I first saw the seal, it look to me like there was peace between the Indian and the farmer. Both are living in harmony with the land. The farmer plowing the earth and the Indian hunting. The farmer is not wearing a gun. His weapon is at rest.

The following is an official description of the meaning of the seal:

"There is great symbolism to items inscribed on the seal: The sun, visible on the western horizon, signifies the flat plains covering much of Minnesota. The Indian on horseback is riding due south and represents the Indian heritage of Minnesota. The Indian's horse and spear and pioneer's axe, rifle, and plow represent tools that were used for hunting and labor. The stump symbolizes the importance of the lumber industry in Minnesota. The Mississippi River and St. Anthony Falls are depicted to note the importance of these resources in transportation and industry. The cultivated ground and the plow symbolize the importance of agriculture in Minnesota. Beyond the falls, three pine trees represent the state tree and the three great pine regions of Minnesota – St. Croix, Mississippi, and Lake Superior.

Let's suppose the image is changed. Will it do anything for Native Americans? It will only make people like Professor Harrington feel better until she can find something else that offends her.

New IRS Regulation Threatens Small Businesses With Fines For Helping Workers With Health Costs

A new regulation from the IRS that went into effect on July 1 threatens small businesses with fines of up to $36,500 a year per employee, if the businesses help their employees with health costs by reimbursing them for the cost of their healthcare premiums or by paying for their health costs directly.

A new regulation that went into effect on July 1 threatens small businesses with fines from the Internal Revenue Service of up to $36,500 a year per employee, if the businesses help their employees with health costs by reimbursing them for the cost of their healthcare premiums or by paying for their health costs directly.

The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) reported that the new regulation, which is not part of the Affordable Care Act, states that employers who compensate their employees for health costs, rather than offering a group health plan, "can be fined $100 per day, per employee," which adds up to "$36,500 per employee up to $500,000 in total."

Gracie-Marie Turner, the founder of the Galen Institute and a contributor to Forbes, noted that this new regulation is more than "18 times greater than the $2,000 employer-mandate penalty under Obamacare for not providing qualifying health insurance for employees," and while employers with fewer than 50 employees are exempt from the employer-mandate penalty under Obamacare, they are not exempt from this penalty from the IRS.

"The rule appears nowhere in the Affordable Care Act but was developed by the Obama administration's regulation writers at the IRS," Turner wrote. "The rule punishes small businesses for providing the only health insurance support many can afford – a contribution to help employees pay premiums for their individual or family health insurance policies or to help finance direct payment for medical services."

Kevin Kuhlman, NFIB's policy director, called the new regulations the "biggest penalty no one is talking about."

"The penalty for compensating employees for healthcare-related expenses is enough to destroy most small businesses," Kuhlman said. "Reimbursing employees for the cost of insurance or medical services is a way for small businesses to help their workers without the administrative headaches of setting up a costly group plan."

In response to the regulation, Rep. Charles Boustany (R-La.) introduced H.R. 2911 in the House and Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) introduced S.1697 in the Senate. Both bills are labeled as "Small Business Healthcare Relief Acts" and are awaiting congressional action.

http://truthinmedia.com/new-irs-regulation-threatens-small-businesses-with-fines-for-helping-workers-with-health-costs/

Tax on Streaming Services Takes Effect in Chicago, Netflix, Spotify Prices to Rise 9%

Chicago's consumers of streaming services like Netflix, Spotify, and some online games will begin paying 9% more for their subscriptions starting in September of this year under a new ruling by the Chicago Department of Finance that applies the city's amusement tax to streaming services used within city limits.

A new interpretation of Chicago's amusement tax by Mayor Rahm Emanuel's administration has officially taken effect as of July 1, and, as a result, starting in September, consumers in the city will be required to pay 9% more for their subscriptions to streaming online services like Netflix and Spotify.

The new tax, which has been referred to as a "cloud tax", comes not through legislative action but by way of a ruling by Chicago's Department of Finance, which re-interpreted an existing amusement tax on tickets to concerts and sporting events as applying to streaming online subscription services used within the city. The 9% rate increase is also expected to affect subscriptions to online games. However, sales of downloads of movies, games, music, and other content will not be taxed under the ruling.

"The city expects the June ruling to bring in about $12 million each year in the latest example of Mayor Rahm Emanuel relying on boosting various smaller fees and fines to try to help close the city's yawning budget hole," noted the Chicago Tribune.

Russell Brandom of the technology magazine The Verge explained, "Chicago's new tax is actually composed of two recent rulings made by the city's Department of Finance: one covering 'electronically delivered amusements' and another covering 'nonpossessory computer leases.'" He added, "The first ruling presumably covers streaming media services like Netflix and Spotify, while the second would cover remote database or computing platforms like Amazon Web Services or Lexis Nexis."

A client alert letter by the law firm Reed Smith criticized the ruling and said, "There are strong arguments that both rulings run afoul of provisions in the Federal Telecommunications Act, the Internet Tax Freedom Act, and federal and Illinois constitutional limits on taxation. In addition, the rulings gloss over many details of applicable federal law and how telecommunications and computer networks operate, and assume the simplest factual scenarios that do not realistically comport with how many providers and their customers transact business."

The Department of Finance's ruling indicated that "the amusement tax will apply to customers whose residential street address or primary business street address is in Chicago, as reflected by their credit card billing address, zip code or other reliable information." Though the amusement tax is a tax on consumers, it is expected that service providers will collect the tax through the billing process. Active enforcement of the provision has been delayed until September of this year to grant companies time to make preparatory system changes.

"In an environment in which technologies and emerging industries evolve quickly, the City periodically issues rulings that clarify the application of existing laws to these technologies and industries. These two rulings are consistent with the City's current tax laws and are not an expansion of the laws," read a statement by Elizabeth Langsdorf, a spokesperson for Mayor Rahm Emanuel's administration.

http://truthinmedia.com/tax-on-streaming-services-takes-effect-in-chicago-netflix-spotify-prices-to-rise-9/

Poll: Independents Will Soon Outnumber Republicans and Democrats Combined

A recent NBC poll confirms that the partisan political environment is, in fact, taking a toll on the two major parties, with voter registration revealing that self-identified independents are the fastest growing voting bloc in America.
NBC commentators coin it "the rise of an 'independents' era," reporting that in 2014 the number of people self-identifying as independent was at 39 percent, passing that of Democrats (32 percent) and Republicans (23 percent).

As of June 2015, the number of self-identifying independents has grown to 45 percent — just 2 points shy of the number of Democrats and Republicans COMBINED.

"The largest political party in the United States in no longer a party at all," NBC reports.

"In the 31 states plus the District of Columbia where voters have to pick a party when registering to vote, unaffiliated or no party voters are now the leading political party in 12 of those state, and in a few of them, they are the majority of all registered voters."

In Florida, a major 2016 battleground state, the number of independent voters has grown by one million voters in the last 10 years. Democrats have only seen an increase of 300,000 voters, and Republicans lag with just 200,000 additional voters in the same time period.

What does this mean for 2016? Candidates will have to start listening to the nation's increasingly independent-minded electorate if they want to distinguish themselves. The only issue is, do they know how?

http://truthinmedia.com/poll-independents-will-soon-outnumber-republicans-and-democrats-combined/

Oklahoma Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Alleging Saudi Involvement in 9/11 Attacks

Last week Zacarias Moussaoui had a lawsuit thrown out by U.S. District Judge Vicki Miles-Lagrange because of a filing error. The Oklahoman reports that the judge dismissed the suit because Moussaoui did not pay a $400 filing fee and failed to ask for the fee to be waived.

Moussaoui is serving a life sentence with no possibility of parole for his involvement in the planning of the 9/11 attacks and connections to Osama bin Laden. In 2005 Moussaoui said he was supposed to pilot a plane into the White House. Since his arrest Moussaoui has sought to expose what he says is funding from Saudi Arabia's royal family.

In February, Moussaoui released a statement from prison detailing the role of Saudi Arabia's royal family in financing terror attacks, including the 9/11 attacks. He also claimed that Saudi Arabia did not cut ties to al-Qaeda members in 1994. Moussaoui says he created a database of al-Qaeda donors and remembers some of the names.

The Saudi Embassy has denied any involvement in the 9/11 attacks and claimed the 9/11 Commission found the Saudi government and officials were not involved.

Moussaoui sent a complaint to the Oklahoma federal court in October 2014, asking the judge to let him testify about what he knows. He claims he met with the Saudi prince at the University of Oklahoma in February 2001 to take flying lessons.

Moussaoui also asked the judge to grant him an attorney so he can sue the Obama Administration, who he claims is attempting to prevent him from testifying on behalf of the 9/11 victims family members in their suit against Saudi Arabia. Moussaoui said he is trying to expose a "bigger conspiracy" related to 9/11. Despite these attempts, Judge Miles-Lagrange dismissed the lawsuits based on the filing error. Federal judges in Colorado, Florida and Texas have also refused his requests.

The Saudi Connection

In early April TruthInMedia reported that Saudi Arabia asked a New York City judge to reject another lawsuit from the families of the 9/11 victims. Lawyers representing Saudi Arabia filed papers in a Manhattan federal court claiming that no evidence exists linking the nation to the attacks. The family members of the 9/11 victims point to testimony from Moussaoui.

Lawyers representing the Saudi Kingdom called Moussaoui's comments "colorful but immaterial hearsay statements." Moussaoui was previously found to be a paranoid schizophrenic by a psychologist testifying in his trial.

In late March the Federal Bureau of Investigation released a report that attempts to discredit a previous report that hinted at connections between a Saudi family in Prestencia, Florida and the 9/11 hijackers. The FBI 9/11 Review Commission told Congress that a 2002 report from the FBI "was poorly written and wholly unsubstantiated."

An agent with the bureau originally found that the Saudi family left in a hurry two weeks before 9/11, leaving behind cars, furniture, clothes, and other items. The information was revealed in a 2010 Freedom of Information Act request which found that an unidentified family member was a student at the same flight school that two of accused 9/11 hijackers attended.

The FBI 9/11 Review Commission largely ignored any evidence of Saudi involvement. The New York Post notes, "The review panel highlighted one local FBI report generated from the investigation that said Abdulaziz and Anoud al-Hijji, the prominent Saudi couple who "fled" their home, had "many connections" to "individuals associated with the terrorist attacks on 9/11/2001."

The is only the latest attempt to hold the Saudi royalty accountable. A previous lawsuit from the families was rejected when a judge found that Saudi Arabia was protected because of sovereign immunity. The decision was reversed by a federal appeals court and the families continue their fight.

Despite the denials from Saudi officials, former Senator Bob Graham said he is convinced the Saudi government funded "at least some of the terrorists who carried out the Sept. 11 attacks." Graham is the former co-chairman of the Joint Congressional Inquiry into the attacks. He recently told the New York Times that he was not giving up his pursuit of finding out who was funding the 9/11 attacks.

http://truthinmedia.com/oklahoma-judge-dismisses-lawsuit-alleging-saudi-involvement-in-911-attacks/

Law Enforcement Predicts New Mexico Civil Forfeiture Reform Will Damage Police Budgets

Significant civil forfeiture reform in New Mexico went into effect on July 1, and law enforcement officials have predicted that their departments will be struggling to compensate for large cuts in their budgets due to the new law.

Before House Bill 560 was introduced and ultimately signed into law, police departments and other law enforcement agencies had the ability to seize cash, cars, luxury items, and homes with no requirement of obtaining a criminal conviction or even a criminal charge related to the items. Law enforcement officials would then turn these items over to sell at auctions. The proceeds from seized items sold at auction were used to purchase equipment and provide training. This practice has been described as "policing for profit".

Last November, former Las Cruces, New Mexico city attorney Harry S. Connelly Jr. was heavily criticized after he was caught on video while holding a civil asset forfeiture seminar describing such items as "little goodies" and discussing excitement stemming from spotting a luxury car. "We always try to get, every once in a while, like maybe a good car," Connelly said. "This guy drives up in a 2008 Mercedes, brand new. Just so beautiful, I mean, the cops were undercover and they were just like 'Ahhhh.' And he gets out and he's just reeking of alcohol. And it's like, 'Oh, my goodness, we can hardly wait.'"

Connelly also admitted that he had worked with police to secure "wish list" items. "If you want the car, and you really want to put it in your fleet, let me know- I'll fight for it," he had said. Connelly was later placed on leave and replaced by William R. Babington, Jr. as city attorney.

With the passage of HB 560, no items may be seized unless there is a criminal conviction or a guilty plea. Seized items must be placed in storage and then shipped to the state's treasury office. Revenue collected from auctioned items will be placed in the state's general fund rather than added to police budgets.

Farmington's Daily Times reported that the civil forfeiture process had funded about a quarter of the Region II Narcotics Task Force's operating budget- about $100,000 each year according to the task force's director, Sgt. Kyle Dowdy. Dowdy said that now a plan must now be established to make up for the lost revenue, as well the consideration of a reduction in police purchases and training.

"We're going to try not to seize," Farmington Police Chief Steve Hebbe said. Hebbe pointed out that the department has to cover the cost of item storage and shipment and called that provision an unfunded mandate.

Rep. Rod Montoya, (R-Farmington) said that no law enforcement agents had testified in the House to discuss consequences of the bill, while Hebbe said no police chiefs were contacted regarding to the bill's impact. Hebbe said that he's unsure of what impact the new law will have on police department budgets across the state. "I don't think that they anticipated how much it's going to hit local law enforcement, and we're still trying to figure out how bad it's going to hit us," he said.

http://truthinmedia.com/nm-civil-forfeiture-reform-police-budget/

Michigan Mom Jailed for Failure to Pay $10 Dog License Renewal Fee on Time

On June 23, Becky Rehr went to the Kalamazoo County Sheriff's Office to provide proof that she had paid a required dog license renewal fee, but was arrested and held in a holding cell for three hours, while her child was stuck waiting in the car, all because she had paid the license renewal fee over three months late.

On June 23, 47-year-old Michigan mother Becky Rehr was shocked to find herself behind bars after she stopped by the Kalamazoo County Sheriff's Office to show proof that she had paid to renew the license for her 11-year-old dog Dexter.

"My fault, my bad for misplacing and forgetting the license renewal," said Rehr, who admits she renewed the license over three months late, to The Kalamazoo Gazette. "I had every intention of taking care of it, but with the end of the school year and my job, it just totally got put on the back burner."

However, the fact that she had paid the license renewal fee already did not stop police from arresting her in connection with an arrest warrant for her failure to pay it on time, as the ownership of an unlicensed dog in Kalamazoo County is treated as a misdemeanor criminal offense, punished by a $100 fine and up to 90 days in jail.

"[Police] frisked me and put me in this intake cell with all these inmates in orange jumpsuits. I was pretty nervous," said Rehr. As she languished in a holding cell for three hours, her 14-year-old daughter waited in the car for her to return from what was originally expected to be a quick stop. "Luckily, she had her iPhone," said Rehr.

On Monday, the Kalamazoo County prosecutor's office dropped the charges against Rehr, noting the fact that she had paid the license fee. Chief Assistant Prosecutor Carrie Klein told The Kalamazoo Gazette that dog licensing misdemeanor charges are typically dropped after the defendant proves that he or she has paid the required fee. "Every case needs to be evaluated, but if it just completely got away from you and there's nothing else going on, it likely will get dismissed," said Klein, explaining why police arrested Rehr.

Kalamazoo County Animal Control director Steve Lawrence said that he had contacted Rehr multiple times to remind her to pay the fee. "We prefer not for this stuff to go to court. It's just a $10 license. For some reason, some people like to make it hard for themselves," said Lawrence according to CBS Detroit. "We're not looking to punish people. We're just looking for people to get their dog license," he added.

Rehr originally reported to the local sheriff's office because she had received a June 22 letter indicating that a warrant had been issued for her arrest for failure to renew the license. However, she happened to have renewed the license 4 days earlier. "I already had the license and I'm a law-abiding citizen," said Rehr, who thought that she would be able to take the renewed license to the sheriff's office to "get [the warrant] taken care of" rather than being booked into the jail.

Rehr told The Kalamazoo Gazette that she finds Kalamazoo County's criminal punishments for those who fail to renew their dog licenses to be too extreme and that a civil penalty with a fine would make better sense.

http://truthinmedia.com/michigan-mom-jailed-for-failure-to-pay-10-dog-license-renewal-fee-on-time/

Calais drivers need more protection from migrants, says lorry group

Road Haulage Association warns of potential for fatal attacks and suggests deployment of French military to boost security Someone will end up being killed if more is not done to protect lorry drivers from desperate migrants in Calais trying to get to the UK, the Road Haulage Association has warned.

Industrial action by ferry workers over the past two weeks, which at times has brought lorries to a standstill on both sides of the channel, has led to chaotic scenes with migrants trying to clamber on to vehicles at the northern French port.

There was some relief after a partial lifting of the blockade on Thursday, but on Saturday there were more problems when around around 150 migrants tried to storm the terminal at Calais, causing disruption and cancellations to Channel tunnel services.

The RHA chief executive, Richard Burnett, who recently visited Calais to see the problems first-hand, said: "I think it's a desperate situation for truck drivers. Put yourself in their situation: you are on your own trying to get through and you've got 20 migrants around your truck trying to get on, and you're on your own trying to get them off.

"They are intimidating, some of them have metal bars, knives and, in one incident, a gun was pointed at a trucker. Somebody is going to get killed. I think things are beginning to boil over."

The migrant crisis has escalated in recent weeks in Calais, with around 3,000 people displaced from countries including Eritrea, Syria and Afghanistan setting up camp near the port. French aid workers have said 2,000 more could arrive over the summer at the camp, nicknamed Jungle II.

The RHA has suggested deployment of the French military to boost security in Calais. Burnett claimed Britain was seen as "too attractive a place" for migrants to come to, and called for a long-term solution involving governments and the EU. The French and British governments have both faced criticism for failing to prevent disruption.

Dan Cook, operations director of Europa Worldwide Group, a Kent-based transport, distribution and logistics firm, said: "We have had vehicles on the motorway in broad daylight being surrounded by marauding mobs racing around, opening doors, cutting trailers, climbing into the back.

"We have experienced quite a bit of theft and damage to customers' products. You're looking at not only the damage to equipment but also claims from customers as well."

The Fresh Produce Consortium estimates that 10m pieces of fresh fruit and vegetables have been thrown away since the start of the year as a result of the problems in Calais. Port of Dover officials said last week's ferry strike cost the UK economy £1bn.

Although the protests have been suspended until Tuesday, Eric Vercoutre, leader of the Maritime Nord union, has said blockades will resume if demands to prevent job losses at MyFerryLink are not met. "We will block the tunnel, we will block the port," the Sunday Times quoted Vercoutre as saying.

A Eurotunnel spokesman said the company "reiterates its call to the authorities to provide a solution to the migrant crisis and restore order to the Calais region".

The home secretary, Theresa May, and her French counterpart, Bernard Cazeneuve, agreed this week to increase a joint intervention fund to improve security around the port and the Channel tunnel.

A Home Office spokesman said: "Law and order in and around Calais is the responsibility of the French authorities, but the UK continues to work with its French counterparts to strengthen the security of the border to stop illegal immigrants entering the UK."

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jul/04/migrants-try-to-storm-channel-tunnel-sparking-further-delays

Re: Why Is The U.S. Desperate To OK Slavery In Malaysia?

According to the State Dept, Malaysia is a major hub for human trafficking in Southeast Asia, with enslaved men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking.

"Under the original language, the country that would be excluded from the pending Trans-Pacific Partnership pact is Malaysia."

"At the insistence of the White House, Menendez agreed to modify his language to say that as long as a country is taking steps towards reducing human trafficking and forced labor, it can be part of a trade deal."

Take steps to REDUCE? That's a big vague. What does that entail then? How long will they have to eliminate it? Who is going to monitor them to ensure they do eliminate it? What happens if they don't once becoming part of the trade deal? 

It makes one wonder why the powers that be are a bit wishy washy in their language regarding slavery that is currently happening when it benefitted the TPP, but then on the other hand vehemently denounce the Confederate flag for its historic link to slavery.