The Drug War Finds New Ways to Fail

The federal government’s effort to battle drug abuse has been a tragic and expensive failure. But of course, admitting that would make politicians, who regularly endorse it to sound tough, seem foolish and careless with taxpayer dollars. So the War on Drugs continues, while of necessity it slowly morphs into new forms of federal waste … Continue reading “The Drug War Finds New Ways to Fail”

The Drug War in Mexico: Corruption Is Better Than Slaughter

Will Enrique Peña Nieto, the new president of Mexico from the corrupt and authoritarian Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), go easy on drug traffickers? Let’s hope so. During his campaign, Mr. Peña Nieto vowed to battle murder, extortion, kidnapping, and other violent crimes but said little about going after drug traffickers. During its unrivaled 70-year reign … Continue reading “The Drug War in Mexico: Corruption Is Better Than Slaughter”

The US Should Take Lessons From Mexico

In the United States, the image of Mexico is abysmal and largely wrong. The average American seems to believe that Mexico is a destitute, quasi-socialist nation with rampant drug violence that is sending waves of illegal immigrants to the United States. Although drug violence is a problem in Mexico — the country has had 34,000 … Continue reading “The US Should Take Lessons From Mexico”

US Allies Call for Drug Legalization

DOHA, Qatar — The Summit of the Americas, normally a subdued tri-annual gathering of regional leaders, could be more interesting than usual this year, as right-wing governments are set to clash with their U.S. allies over the war on drugs. An increasingly large chorus of nations — ravaged by trafficking and violence — say it’s … Continue reading “US Allies Call for Drug Legalization”

The Imperial Boomerang Returns

The means of defense against foreign danger historically have become the instruments of tyranny at home. – James Madison House Raids, Murder, and Other Aggression The war in Iraq has been conducted using “urban warfare” tactics including the raiding of Iraqi homes. On several occasions, those raids have resulted in the killing of innocent civilians, … Continue reading “The Imperial Boomerang Returns”