Drug War failed, say three ex-presidents

Three ex-presidents from South America have slammed the US-driven War on Drugs, claiming it was pushing their fragile democracies to breaking point, reports The Australian. They cited the ongoing massacres happening in their countries, endemic police corruption and continuing use of illicit drugs.

The US claimed the violence was evidence their strategy was working as it showed the drug cartels were under pressure.

Over 6,000 people were killed in Mexico last year with decapitation becoming fashionable. It's a small price to pay for keeping a few conservatives happy and our jails full, I suppose.

Meanwhile nearly seven tonnes of cocaine was found on a ship in international waters off Mexico in a joint operation between the US Coast Guard and the Mexicans, who took the loot and the crew back to the undoubted security of Oaxaca.  What could possibly go wrong, Señor?

PS (17 02 09) An erudite article in The Independent (UK) puts a passionate case for regulated legalisation of recreational drugs. Some snippets...

"Drugs syndicates control 8 per cent of global GDP – which means they have greater resources than many national armies. They own helicopters and submarines and they can afford to spread the woodworm of corruption through poor countries right to the top."The cartels offer Mexican police and politicians a choice: plato o plomo. Silver or lead. Take a bribe, or take a bullet."

"When alcohol was legalised [after prohibition], the murder-rate fell off a cliff – and continued to drop for the next 10 years. (Rates of alcoholism, revealingly, remained the same.)"