Ivan Eland: Saving Mexico by Legalizing US Drugs

[babylonsister]

Saving Mexico by Legalizing US Drugs

By Ivan Eland
April 7, 2009

Editor’s Note: Since Richard Nixon’s presidency, the United States has been waging “a war on drugs,” one of several grandiose “war” paradigms – like George W. Bush’s “war on terror” – that almost guarantees defeat by its definition.

In this guest essay, the Independent Institute’s Ivan Eland argues that the misguided U.S. “war on drugs” is now threatening Mexico’s stability – while filling American jails with drug offenders – and should be replaced with a strategy of legalizing drugs for adults:



While the U.S. superpower has meddled in many far-flung nations around the globe in the name of enhancing its security, as prior to 9/11, it has ignored a threat much closer to home.

In recent years, the Bush administration blithely blamed Mexico for the flow of illegal drugs into the United States and virtually ignored the raging mayhem involving Mexican drug cartels south of the border. That rampant violence is now spilling into the United States as crime.

Yet again, the Bush administration has handed off a tar baby to the Obama administration. And yet again in the security area, the Obama administration has improved on the Bush policy (it’s not hard to do) but needs to go farther.

Instead of merely blaming Mexico for the problem, the Obama administration has acknowledged that the $65 billion annual demand for illegal drugs in the United States is part of the problem. In fact, it is the driver of the problem.

Unfortunately, although admitting that the United States shares blame for the problem because of its burgeoning demand is a start, the Obama administration is still focused on the long failed U.S. government policy of interdicting the supply of drugs.

The administration will send almost 500 federal agents south to the border, accompanied by more electronic surveillance and x-ray machines, and will also focus on stopping the flow of guns and tens of billions of dollars in payments going south to the suppliers.

Last year, U.S. officials were able to seize less than $1 billion in illicit drug proceeds of the estimated $18 billion to $39 billion routed back to Mexico. Even more snooping into the bank accounts of Americans will likely occur in what will probably be a futile effort to appreciably increase the percentage snared.

The new Obama policy is analogous to an alcoholic admitting to a drinking problem, but then blaming beer distributors and trying to have them arrested.

more...

http://www.consortiumnews.com/2009/040709a.html

[Royal Sloan 09]

1. K n R

:kick:


Solution = Legalize


Yes, We Cannabis!:smoke:

[potisok]

2. So simple

Eliminate the cause (drug laws) and the cure follows (no money to be made), transfer all resources from drug war to ______________ (fill in the blank with your own cause) clear our prisons of all non violent drug offenders and reprocess ________________ (fill in the blank) through the less burdened judicial system, oh yea require drug testing on all state and federal officials making over$50,00.00 and all elected officials both state and federal(employment condition you know) until the drug laws are changed.

[Uncle Joe]

3. I believe there are only two ways to win The War Against Some Drugs.

1. Declare victory and legalize drugs, and turn it in to an educational, medical and or personal privacy issue, thereby preserving the Constitution.

2. Wage total war by eliminating all freedom and privacy. Daily drug tests for all individuals, cameras in every room of every house, and GPS tracking chips with the ability to monitor drugs implanted into all the people. I only cite this example as the only logical way to ever win such an asinine, insane war or policy, although I do believe this will also result in revolution.

Some people will say we're not supposed to win The War Against Some Drugs, it should just go on in to perpetuity, if that's the case, example two still applies, it will just take longer to occur, sort of like slow suffocation instead of quick poison.

Thanks for the thread, babylonsister.

[DCKit]

4. Doesn't the phrase "burgeoning demand" indicate growth?

AFAIK, demand for all drugs has remained fairly steady over the past two decades.

The simple facts are - and are well documented by the prohibition of alcohol - prohibition is linked to both greater demand for a banned substance AND an increase in violent crime as various groups fight over control of the lucrative market CREATED by prohibition.

Then again, what's good for the BFEE....

[kristopher]

5. I think Obama is smart and that he has a plan to deal with this

Jim Webb has been a strong supporter of Obama and his move to empower a committee to review the criminal justice system is punting the ball 18 months down the road. That will be just as election season begins to kick off, so it seems possible to me that the revamping of the criminal justice system might be the central issue in that election.

Obama seems good at picking his battles, and no matter your feelings on drugs laws specifically, the inescapable, in-your-face-can't-avoid-it-fact is that the central problem with the criminal justice system is drug prohibition. People have come to expect common sense solutions from Obama and "cultural issues" from the 'Thugs. Wouldn't it be a kick in the pants if the Dems made a full court press on "criminal justice reform" in a way that guarantees the 'thugs must take a law & order position in opposition?

I think it would highlight the stuck-in-a-rut-trapped-in-ideology thinking that has so turned people off to the conservatives.

At first it just didn't make sense, but someone today on another thread posted a quote from master strategist Sun Tzu that brought it into focus. Thanks to 'Avalux' for the reminder.


All warfare is based on deception.

Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable;
when using our forces, we must seem inactive; when we
are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away;
when far away, we must make him believe we are near.

Hold out baits to entice the enemy. Feign disorder,
and crush him.

If he is secure at all points, be prepared for him.
If he is in superior strength, evade him.

If your opponent is of choleric temper, seek to
irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant.

If he is taking his ease, give him no rest.
If his forces are united, separate them.

Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where
you are not expected.

These military devices, leading to victory,
must not be divulged beforehand.

http://demopedia.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8327047#8327634