So, now, in a flurry of press releases, speeches and assorted viewings-with-alarm, the administration is seeking to execute a number of tasks under the rubric of War On The Border. Of course, the President and his people want to impose further restrictions on firearms possession by Americans. Of course, the President and his SecState wish to smooth the prickled quills of the Mexican nationalist porcupine. Of course, of course, of course.
The President, the SecState and sundry other movers-and shakers of administration and Congress will reportedly "renew the commitment to reduce demand in the US."
If any of these assorted politicos and policy wonks really, really think that after forty years of repeated and escalating failure to reduce demand for (illegal) drugs in the US, this is going to suddenly and miraculous change just because the beatified Obama decrees it, they are smoking, dropping or shooting up some fantastically righteous substance.
There is only one action which will remove the motive behind the violence and corruption in Mexico. There is only one action which will pull the ground out from under the street corner clockers who are the final point of sale.
And, we all know what that action is.
Meanwhile, further south of the border, Hezbollah continues to crank up its drug trafficking operations in both Central and South America. Hezbollah moves drugs, mostly cocaine, but now includes South American origin opiates for two reasons: It makes money for the cause; it presumably weakens the Great Satan and its allies.
Way to the east, Taliban protects the growing and movement of opium and morphine base for two reasons: It makes money for the cause. It presumably weakens the enemies of Islam.
There is only one action the US (and other governments) can take which will remove the money as an incentive for Hezbollah. And Taliban.
We all know what that action is.
Nearly a hundred years ago the Harrison Narcotics Control Act was passed in a wave of racist propaganda directed against the Chinese and their "opium dens." (This conveniently overlooked the historical fact that Great Britain fought a war with China in order to secure the right to sell opium to the Chinese. Before this opium use was virtually unknown in the Central Empire.)
Later, the sway of the Bureau of Narcotics was expanded to include cocaine in a wave of carefully orchestrated racist propaganda directed against Blacks who were portrayed as becoming sexually crazed predators under its influence. (This overlooked the historic fact that Coca-Cola originated with a refreshing mix of cocaine and cola nut without apparently inflaming its southern source with hordes of sexually crazed coke sippers.)
Ultimately Henry Anslinger, head of the old Bureau of Narcotics, was able to put marijuana under his control after yet one more racist campaign. This one, as the name of the drug makes clear, was directed against Hispanics. (Here is a fine reason for the Mexican government to be perturbed with us.)
Richard Nixon was no slouch when it came to using propaganda. Taking full advantage of the fear and loathing felt by the "Silent Majority" for their own kids, he launched the War on Drugs with waves of praise from pundits, pulpit orators and politicians alike.
The Humongous War on Drugs has been very, very good for government. It has allowed and encouraged restrictions on civil liberties and individual rights. It has provided for jobs in law enforcement and the rest of the criminal justice system almost beyond count. It has pumped money into rehab programs which do not work, punishment systems that do not work, search and destroy missions in foreign countries which do not work.
The HWOD has undercut foreign governments. It has funded foreign insurgencies. It has alienated foreign societies and polities alike. It has complicated diplomacy time and time again.
The HWOD has diverted resources at both the national and state levels from far more pressing and important usages. Arguably it has undercut education, health care, social programs generally. It certainly has diverted intelligence and military assets from tasks far more central to their mission.
The HWOD has enervated respect for law and government alike for decades, generations. It has bred a contempt for law and governmental honesty alike. It has created a credibility problem of significant size in the minds of nearly everyone who has been young at any time since the mid-Sixties.
The one thing that the HWOD has not done is limit either the appeal or availability of drugs, all sorts of drugs.
Now the Obama administration promises more of the same. More money. More enforcement. More restrictions. More of everything. Except success.
Get a grip on reality, Mr Obama. The HWOD was lost before Nixon declared it. There is no shame in admitting that. There is shame--and loss--in continuing down the well trod path of failure.
Just as one cannot kill his way to victory in an insurgency, one cannot kill or arrest his way to victory in a "war" on the human desire to alter consciousness.
There is just one action which can be taken to end the profits which propel the ambitious to traffick. We all know what is.
We're afraid to say it. The moralisers scare us. The fear mongers scare us.
FDR's famed aphorism, "All we have to fear is fear itself," is apropos in the context of the HWOD.
Get out from behind the wall of fear. The time is long past when rational people have no choice but to shout it out, "End the sham! Legalise drugs. Now!"
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