cannabisnews.com: Davis Joins Drug War 





Davis Joins Drug War 
Posted by FoM on February 27, 2001 at 06:53:00 PT
By Jim Haley, Herald Writer 
Source: Herald Net
An Everett-based warship will join the war on drugs Thursday, heading to South and Central America to try and stem the smuggling of illegal substances. The USS Rodney M. Davis, a Perry-class frigate, and a ship's crew of 200 are scheduled to leave Naval Station Everett for five months to team up with the Coast Guard and other U.S. agencies as part of the ongoing attempt to put a crimp in the drug supply. 
While most Everett ships deploy to the Persian Gulf to enforce United Nations restrictions on Iraq, the Davis joins a succession of other local destroyers that have headed south instead of west. "It's a great opportunity for us," said the Davis' commanding officer, Cmdr. Tuck Hord. "We're going to learn, we're going to train, and we're going to have fun." For years the U.S. has committed warships to the drug battles as part of an overall attempt to keep illegal drugs out of this country. In September 1997, Everett-based USS Callaghan engaged in a high-seas, high-speed chase of a fast boat off the coast of Colombia. The smugglers helped increase their speed by lightening the load -- 121 bales of cocaine worth about $80 million that was netted by the Callaghan. There are no guarantees the Davis will be as successful, but Hord said the opportunity to conduct exercises and train will set a structure that will carry the ship through its next deployment to the Middle East in 2003, even with personnel changes in the meantime. "We like to think we'll come back a better ship, better trained," he said. During the last two months of the deployment, the Davis will conduct exercises with the navies of Peru and Chile. Last fall, it left Everett for two months for anti-drug activities off Mexico. Tight security measures were in force Monday as the ship's crew went through heightened alerts to threats from land and sea. Armed guards patrolled the decks, and additional security checkpoints at the naval station were added to practice stiff security measures. Last fall's terrorist attack on the USS Cole that killed 17 heightened preparations for the trip. Even though the Davis is going to a place generally thought to be safer than the Persian Gulf, "we're going to places that certainly have the possibility of being dangerous," Hord said. The ship will travel as far south as Valparaiso, Chile, a city roughly as far south of the Equator as San Diego is north, Hord said. The Davis also will take along a helicopter and the crew necessary to maintain and fly it, and a half-dozen Coast Guard personnel for boarding boats and ships that may be acting suspiciously. Those personnel will raise the number of crew members to 220, Hord said. The crew frequently will have to lower and raise small boats from the frigate and deposit a Coast Guard boarding party on suspicious vessels. "Mostly we will be patrolling areas where if you see a boat they're doing something nefarious," Hord said. Sidebar: Everett's New Addition:The Defense Department has announced the name of a new destroyer that will be assigned to Everett.The USS Shoup, the newest Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, is scheduled to be commissioned in 2002 and move to Everett.The 509-foot destroyer was christened Saturday where it's being built in Pascagoula, Miss. It will be the 36th of 58 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers authorized by Congress. Note: Everett ship heads to South America to intercept narcotics.You can call Herald Writer Jim Haley at 425-339-3447 or send e-mail to: haley heraldnet.com Source Daily Herald (IL) Author: Jim Haley, Herald WriterPublished: Tuesday, February 27, 2001Address: P.O. Box 280, Arlington Heights, IL 60006-0280 Copyright: 2001 The Daily Herald Company Fax: (847) 427-1301 Contact:  fencepost dailyherald.com Website: http://www.dailyherald.com/ CannabisNews Articles - Colombiahttp://cannabisnews.com/thcgi/search.pl?K=colombia
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Comment #12 posted by Ken Keniff on April 24, 2001 at 13:35:40 PT
peace of shit
Well To tell you the truth its a bunch of horse shit to begin with. There never gunna find shit. Fuck them! My fucking taxes are going to a peace of shit. Commander Hord can suck my fucking cock! He the only mother fucker that will be having fun , living in his bitch ass state room, training the young ensigns how to suck balls! Like I said its a bunch of horse shit to begin with! CC1 doesnt even have a fucking lounge. The food sucks ass I dont know what the fuck Im eating. for all I know it could be muther fucking cock and balls. Can I get some fuck liberty, shit Ive only been out to sea for fucking 30 days god damn it. 3 days dont fucking cut it. and what the fuck, I gotta be in by fucking midnight. Horse shit! Im a fucking man, for god sakes. What is this fucking Navy comes too. So for future referances suck my dick, and eat shit, cuzz the rodey m davis a fucking joke. And tell BM1 King he a fucking sack of no good peace of worthless dryed up jizz-em. And please print that. So all of you fucks can put that in your pipe and smoke it. peace of shit! SN Ken Keniff
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Comment #11 posted by Kevin Hebert on February 27, 2001 at 14:27:50 PT:
Sad But True
You're right, Dan. But, of course, after over 50,000 Americans died in Vietnam, no one was laughing. No one was having fun. I truly and completely hope that this is not what we are in for in Colombia. But I fear the worst.
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Comment #10 posted by Dan Hillman on February 27, 2001 at 11:01:31 PT
Imperialisim is neat-o!
> "It's a great opportunity for us," said the Davis' commanding officer, Cmdr. Tuck Hord. "We're going to learn, we're going to train, and we're going to have fun." Golly, it's all so sweet and innocent. Just like in that movie!
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Comment #9 posted by Lehder on February 27, 2001 at 10:16:48 PT
understood, Duzt
And I hope that I, also, have not been misinterpreted. But I, and I am sure others who spend time here fighting an evil, would be happier and more fulfilled if that time and energy could be devoted to positive creations. That is another cost of the drug wars.
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Comment #8 posted by Duzt on February 27, 2001 at 09:56:00 PT
Wrong impression
If I gave the impression that I'm going to stop fighting all together, I'm sorry, that's frustration. I'm moving to Alaska because I believe I can do more good there. With the internet, it's possible to make a difference from anywhere. I really feel we have lost touch as a society. We have been raised to believe that we should get out of high school, get a degree, make lots of money, get married, then we will be happy. Well, once all of these things have been achieved, what do you have? An empty soul. Go sit on an island by yourself with a couple of million dollars, see how happy you are. I get flipped off driving down the freeway, people give me dirty looks in supermarkets, everybody is pissed off and nobody thinks about why. They still believe if they can just get "rich" everything will make sense. Once we stop trying to make ouselves happy and start focusing our concerns on other people, and helping those who truly need help, we will start to turn things around. I was on that path, I received my degree and was offered many high paying positions. After working for about 6 years in my field, I looked at those in the highest positions that I would one day attain, and saw that those people were more miserable than myself, and that I truly didn't want to be there years down the road. So I got rid of everything I had and went to Brazil, just to learn another culture, and that's what opened my eyes. My brother has traveled to almost every continent in the world (and when I say travel, I mean living with the people how they live, learning the language and the culture, not staying in American hotels) and of all of the places he felt most alive and fulfilled as a person, it was digging wells in Mozambique for tribes that had absolutely nothing but eachother. We are lazy as Americans and we continue to get lazier. We also think of nothing but ourselves. True happiness is never found from within, but from without. Make $100,000 and see how you feel. Make a difference in the life of a child, and see how that makes you feel. My moving to Alaska isn't because I'm running, I see the people there as people who have to work together to survive, and they still maintain that pure essence of life. I will continue to fight for change, but I also have my life away from the computer which is devoted to helping others, and this has given me more happiness than any amount of money ever could. 
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Comment #7 posted by Pancho on February 27, 2001 at 09:27:26 PT
Ship of fools
What a joke, US imperialism is alive and well in 2001.These losers will never win. The sad part is that MY tax dollars are being spent on something they admit cannot be guarenteed, as if it really would make any difference. How many foreigners will die because of Uncle Sam's misgiuded policies?Now US manufacturers can sell more of their torture weapons to boost their slumping stocks after the Amnesty International news yesterday. I'm sure those wonderful toys would work just fine on some poor South American farmer growing coca leaf just to eat and feed a family. We have to keep these obese American kids off drugs remember. This country sucksPeace 
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Comment #6 posted by Lehder on February 27, 2001 at 09:10:46 PT
brain drain
I share many of your sad feelings, Duzt, and it so sad to see our country and our way of life degraded by all this. Some, who have never heard of Pastor Niemoller, may argue that if you are not involved in drugs then you have nothing to worry about. But let me tell you how I feel. This drug war, its infomercials, bully cops everywhere, constant messages and jingles for children, the attitudes and prejudices that I am called upon to express or acquiesce everyday by coworkers and chance encounters with the public -- in my opinion you do not need the slightest interest in drugs to be very adversely affected by the war. No matter how good my day, no matter what my successes or blessings and good wishes of friends -- there is the drug war with its inescapable harping and intrusion of its ignorance putting the damper on any good feelings. Like the pain of a recent appendectomy, the drug war is constantly there to vitiate and degrade my life and intelligence with its violence and ignorance, and it hurts all the time no matter how well everything else goes for me.You made some comments which caught my eye, like:Russia has been stealing our "intelligence" for over 15 years, they know everything we know, China has stolen all of our nuclear secrets, they know us too, now China is helping Iraq and Russia wants to build an anti-missile defense system for Europe. Doesn't anybody see whats coming?? Let's be realistic, if Russia and China joined forces, we're screwedWe keep thinking we are so all powerful, but Europe hates us, as well as most of the rest of the world, thus is the reason I'm leaving... I think that one of the really miserable and most serious consequences of the drug war will soon be understood to be a Brain Drain. In my opinion, an unrecognized brain drain of such duration and depth, as to be, at this advanced stage, ineluctably fatal to the survival of America as a world power and a stable society. It is too late to do anything about it, too late to save our country from a steep decline.In part, the brain drain results very simply from guys like Duzt who just say Goodbye. But it goes on subtly, too, sinisterly in many ways: The millions of people who have simply dropped out in disgust to live in small pockets among themselves -- off the grid, even, they are so disenchanted. People who have refused to enter the truly creative fields of engineering and science simply because of the ways these disciplines and their inventions have been abused by our government in oppressing other peoples. And let's not forget all those who are in prison, who have been denied educations, or who have simply been elbowed out of fields where they could have contributed because of a lack of promotion or respect because of their political attitudes. And as Allen Ginsberg observed about forty years ago, they are the most sensitive and creative among us who are most disillusioned by the drug war. Many of our very best people are self-reduced to bead stringing, candle and pottery making by their disgust for our national values and tactics. And if these problems are not serious enough for you, then know that I intend my arguments here to apply to corporations as well as to individuals.I'm not so worried about Russia and China having some of our secrets about weapons -- though this is certainly to be feared. But if one considers exotic weapons of the near future - smart robotic soldiers, swarms of intelligent artificial insects, information and computer warfare -- all kinds of unbelievable stuff you can find on the Internet -- well, I claim that we are about to be surpassed and left behind by the Europeans and the Orientals, people whom we offend and grow increasingly weary of our arrogance and our ignorance. Yes, even in the technology of the Internet - now, like it or not, an element in modern and future warfare, and which was invented in large part by cannabis smokers on the coast - we shall be surpassed.I predict, regretfully?, that within a decade, the United States will find itself not the sole wielder of power in the world, but one of two and very soon three such powers, and will fall behind them too. Powers whom we have long bullied and irritated with our foolishness. Let us hope that our future masters will be understanding and kind and permit us to learn at their knees the value of the individual, of originality of thought and curiousity, of respect for our humanity.You may kill the messenger if you like, I can't stop you. But as you pick through my trash and ignore my words, remember: It's your war.
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Comment #5 posted by LetsGetFree on February 27, 2001 at 09:03:32 PT
comment
more resources, money, men and time wasted.there are still 30 million people in the states without health care and this is where your money is going. 
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Comment #4 posted by dddd on February 27, 2001 at 08:51:45 PT
Right On Duzt
This is way worse than Vietnam.It's like Vietnam was a learning experience for the gov. They weretaught the essential lesson about regulating,controling,and commanding an influence over most public knowledge...You wont be seeing Mike Wallace reporting on 60 minutes,or riding alongon a Round-up showering chopper...has anyone seen any photos of what'sgoing on in Colombia??If Vietnam was an F-15,,,then Colombia is a Space Shuttle.,,(come tothink of it,,wasnt there a shuttle named "Columbia"?).There are thousands of people,whose job it is to make sure that the newsfrom Colombia is closely controlled and monitored.dddd
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Comment #3 posted by DontArrestMe on February 27, 2001 at 08:46:21 PT
Well thats nice
"as part of the ongoing attempt to put a crimp in the drug supply."Yeah, the never-ending, futile, costly attempt to control human nature.Definition of Fanatic-"Someone who redoubles their efforts when they have lost sight of the goal"
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Comment #2 posted by Duzt on February 27, 2001 at 08:19:41 PT
It really isn't Vietnam, it's worse.
First we send advisers (we citizens call them troops). Plus the attack helicopters. Now some of our Navy fleet, next some fighter jets, hmmm, where goes this end. The people here are against this, the people there are against this, do anybody really believe we as citizens have a say as to what happens in this country? If 90% of the citizens came out against something that the government wanted to do (something that directly affects us, they would do it regardless of our desires. Something has to change; soon. Russia has been stealing our "intelligence" for over 15 years, they know everything we know, China has stolen all of our nuclear secrets, they know us too, now China is helping Iraq and Russia wants to build an anti-missile defense system for Europe. Doesn't anybody see whats coming?? Let's be realistic, if Russia and China joined forces, we're screwed. How many people in this country would be willing to fight and die for our government, which obviously cares nothing about us. We keep thinking we are so all powerful, but Europe hates us, as well as most of the rest of the world, thus is the reason I'm leaving California in a few months to move to Alaska. It may be the US, but it's far enough away to not feel like it is. I've given up the fight here, I can't see us making enough progress to change how far away from freedom we have gone. At least Alaska still offers a little bit of that.
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Comment #1 posted by aocp on February 27, 2001 at 07:58:00 PT:
Whatever
"It's a great opportunity for us," said the Davis' commanding officer, Cmdr. Tuck Hord. "We're going to learn,we're going to train, and we're going to have fun."Maybe they'll learn how futile their efforts really are. How much fun is there really to be had in an endeavor that accomplishes nothing more than wasting money?For years the U.S. has committed warships to the drug battles as part of an overall attempt to keep illegal drugsout of this country.Sure haven't been doing a very good job, either. I have just gotta find that document i read on what realistic committments would be necessary to seal our borders against illicits. It's a hoot.In September 1997, Everett-based USS Callaghan engaged in a high-seas, high-speed chase of a fast boat off the coast of Colombia. The smugglers helped increase their speed by lightening the load -- 121 bales of cocaine worth about $80 million that was netted by the Callaghan.That's a great soundbite, but what did it really accomplish? What? Some other criminal got to make money from coke sales instead of these guys? BFD. Excuse me if i fail to be impressed one bit.There are no guarantees the Davis will be as successful, but Hord said the opportunity to conduct exercises and train will set a structure that will carry the ship through its next deployment to the Middle East in 2003, even with personnel changes in the meantime. This really begs for a standardized gov't-issued document indicating their definition of "success". Apparently, "success" means fumbling around wasting tax-payer dollars, mumbling incoherent, logic-free arguments against certain, arbitrarily-chosen intoxicating substances. I expect more from supposed mature adults."We like to think we'll come back a better ship, better trained," he said.Better trained at doing what?
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