Posted on May 16, 2015
Latin American Allies Resist U.S. Strategy in Drug Fight. Is this "war" worth fighting anymore?
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Across the Americas, governments are increasingly resisting the tenets of the United States-led approach to fighting drugs, often challenging traditional strategies like prohibition, the eradication of crops, and a militarized stance to battling growers in a fundamental shift in the region.
“For the first time in 40 years, there is significant pushback from Latin American countries ...
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/16/world/americas/latin-america-and-us-split-in-drug-fight.html?ref=todayspaper&_r=0
“For the first time in 40 years, there is significant pushback from Latin American countries ...
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/16/world/americas/latin-america-and-us-split-in-drug-fight.html?ref=todayspaper&_r=0
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 9
I personally think the political solution is legalization of all substances. What business is it of a government what items are put into a consenting adult citizen's body? Pragmatically, legalizing a product takes it away from criminals and gives it to the legitimate market. This means the criminals don't get the revenue from it anymore.
Militarily, we implement political policy. The best way to counter the threat of transnational organized criminals (that also run drugs) is to empower partner nations in countries in the production or trafficking routes.
Militarily, we implement political policy. The best way to counter the threat of transnational organized criminals (that also run drugs) is to empower partner nations in countries in the production or trafficking routes.
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SSG Gerhard S.
Indeed, and legalization has the benefit that it deters international trafficking, instead, what we used to call trafficking would thereafter be called trade, without the violence, without the (I hate this phrase, but it does seem appropriate for different reasons here.) obscene profits found through illicit trafficking and distribution.
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Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS
Sir, concur. The "only" business I can see government having is controlling safety standards & practices, much like we do with the production of alcohol or growing of tobacco. Criminalization shouldn't be on the citizen side.
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"If" we look at the so called War on Drugs as a set of comprehensive policies, and start to assess each one individually, let's gauge their effectiveness.
1) Embargo on import of "drugs" - Ineffective. We still have them here.
2) Stop of domestic production of "drugs" - Ineffective. We still have them here.
3) Effect on budget - Continuous increase as the situation has escalated out of control
4) Criminalization of citizenry - Since Import & Production hasn't been stopped in any meaningful way, "we" have gone after the citizenry. That's an issue. All the other pieces that come from this as well.
1) Embargo on import of "drugs" - Ineffective. We still have them here.
2) Stop of domestic production of "drugs" - Ineffective. We still have them here.
3) Effect on budget - Continuous increase as the situation has escalated out of control
4) Criminalization of citizenry - Since Import & Production hasn't been stopped in any meaningful way, "we" have gone after the citizenry. That's an issue. All the other pieces that come from this as well.
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This war was lost shortly after it started. There is no way to stop the flow of drugs into this country. Thanks for asking GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad
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