tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4619851295680882975.post5583685658030661358..comments2023-11-05T03:28:59.512-05:00Comments on chronic's blog: The Drug War: NYT Clueless on AfganistanChronichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14051954780090847748noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4619851295680882975.post-18429045376787571692009-05-19T21:07:36.626-04:002009-05-19T21:07:36.626-04:00In Turkey, nearly a million poppy farmers are supp...<A HREF="http://www.voanews.com/english/archive/2008-07/2008-07-01-voa18.cfm?moddate=2008-07-01" REL="nofollow">In Turkey</A>, nearly a million poppy farmers are supported by a regulated market where they sell their product to pharmicutical companies. Farmers caught selling their product on the black market face a lifetime ban. This clearly is a better solution than predator drones. <br /><br />Just imagine the uproar if Mexico started using drones to take out suspected dealers in the US claiming these people are funding the drug cartels in their country. Instead Mexico has taken the opposite approach and is close to legalizing small possession of all drugs.<br /><br />Obama's admin seems to be doing nothing but re-branding the failed drug war. They are paying lip service to those that favor treatment and harm reduction over punitive law enforcement solutions, but their budget shows the exact opposite priorities.His Noodly Appendagehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18443434732746108683noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4619851295680882975.post-66343765342774280462009-05-19T19:29:31.516-04:002009-05-19T19:29:31.516-04:00Do we bomb drug smugglers in America? How can some...Do we bomb drug smugglers in America? How can someone even suggest something so ridiculous? That solid police inforcement can somehow be replaced with military might? That criminals and terrorists can somehow be fought with planes and bombs and ships? <br /><br />Newsflash: you cant just kill everybody you dont like. Even if what they are doing is illegal and you are morally opossed to it for whatever reason, there are sound, sane, legal, and moral ways of dealing with these people which dont involve a guided missle being judge, jury and executioner. <br /><br />Beyond all that, its a War which simply cant be won - no matter what tactic we use. The past 30 years of law enforcement in the US, Mexico and Columbia has proven that beyond all refute. Afganistan has to grow as a country culturally and economically before we see the importance of opium on its bottom line decline.<br /><br />If we really want to help the AFgans, we need to help them grow their economy as fast as possible. What that means is simply education. They need to increase the number of highly educated, trained and skilled young men and women and that requires new schools and new teachers - with new ideas.<br /><br />Rather than throwing money and people and weapons at a problem that cant be solved - we should try to fix the source of them problem - a weak local economy and disheveled educational system. If we cant eliminate the drug trade, we should at least show people that there are viable, profitable alternatives to it.<br /><br />P.S.<br /><br />Her plan to have the Tresury Dept regulate the hawala system is perhaps the most ridiculously preposterous. Thats like having the IRS do the accounting for your illegal numbers game. Could a person possibly be more naive to suggest such a thing? Im appalled the New York Times published her opinion, so I wrote them to let them know how I feel.Chronichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14051954780090847748noreply@blogger.com