While failing to significantly change drug use patterns, the US War on Drugs is claiming thousands of lives including ritual torture-decapitations and the murder of politicians and journalists in Mexico. This is the ugly future desired by "tough on drugs" zealots even though the only winners seem to be arms dealers. Funny that.The pictures come from an interesting website run by US police who, having experienced the dark side of the drug war, oppose prohibition.
For the amazing dope on the carnage in Mexico, check this article.
PS (20/10/08) The drug-war bloodletting in Mexico is reported in the Herald today, the story as usual studiously ignoring any comment questioning the effectiveness of prohibition, leaving the uninformed reader to react with horror and intuitively wish for even more prohibition. They even blame the increase in violence on cocaine use. Very twisty.
PPS (14/12/08) Another take on the Mexican drug war carnage via the Christian Science Monitor claims 5,400 lives have been lost this year (more than Americans killed in Iraq) and that the crackdown has doubled the price of cocaine in America. This is seen as a measure of success even though it means ever-higher profits for suppliers and dealers, making the business that much more attractive.
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ReplyDeleteThank-you for the entry and links, Michael. I've heard of some of the individual atrocities but reading them in sequence at DrugReporter is quite a list. The entire mess caught my eye earlier this year with the discovery of 'state of the art' "death houses", coming at much the same time as US funding increases.
ReplyDeleteOne couldn't help notice the spin the ONDCP put on it's increased funding plans to shore up drug war hardware/tactics. Quite a media campaign on how a Democratic majority Congress would stall the action thus allow increased drug use at home. The use that um... they still haven't controlled. In the end, only one concern - no objection - was raised by just one voice.... Over the potential for ineffective funding use/s.
Interesting piece; from Citizens Against Government Waste, May 2005.
Up in Smoke:
Office of National Drug Control Policy’s
Wasted Efforts in the War on Drugs
ONDCP have their sanitised - and successful versions here; [http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/publications/index.html] Gosh, so relieved McCain is a 'just say no' devotee. A few more years pretending the US public support this would be great.
Poor Calderon. Pressure must be on. Can't have a beneficiary outta step with Uncle Sam. Perhaps he wasn't aware thinking independently is a US only privilege over thatta way.
Great topic, M.