cannabisnews.com: U.S.Latin Leaders Call the War on Drugs a Failure





U.S.Latin Leaders Call the War on Drugs a Failure
Posted by FoM on November 03, 1999 at 11:59:53 PT
By Pauline Jelinek
Source: Nando Times
The U.S.-led war on drugs is a failure and should be revised to fight the demand for drugs and drug money, a group of prominent Americans and Latin Americans said Wednesday. 
"The escalation of a militarized drug war in Colombia and elsewhere in the Americas threatens regional stability, undermines efforts towards demilitarization and democracy and has put U.S. arms and money into the hands of corrupt officials and military ... units involved in human rights abuses," the group said in a letter to delegates to this week's drug strategy conference. The 13 signers of the letter included jurists, doctors, artists, religious leaders and three former Latin presidents - Belisario Betancur of Colombia, Violeta Chamorro of Nicaragua and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Oscar Arias of Costa Rica. "As you meet to develop hemispheric drug strategy, it is time to admit that after two decades, the U.S. war on drugs - both in Latin America and in the United States - is a failure," the letter said. Despite spending tens of billions of dollars for raids on drug labs, crop eradication and arrests and imprisonment at home, "today in the U.S., illicit drugs are cheaper, more potent and more easily available than two decades ago," it said. The signers urged officials attending Thursday and Friday's drug conference to consider policies that will focus more on reducing consumption, expanding drug treatment programs, and promoting economic development to decrease the reliance on drug income among people who produce it. The letter was released at a press conference organized by the Washington-based Criminal Justice Policy Foundation, which pushes for reform on crime issues. Officials said it was unclear whether delegates to the closed-door meetings would speak against the U.S. anti-drug approach because they rely not only on military aid that comes with it, but fear jeopardizing trade and other relationships with the United States. "Can there be an earthquake in drug policy ... in one year, five years ... this is the challenge," said Eric E. Sterling, president of the foundation. "But it's unrealistic to expect a country to thumb its nose at the U.S. on such a high-profile issue." The White House office for drug policy said it was unaware of the letter to delegates and had no immediate comment. Barry McCaffrey, who heads the office, has said illegal drug use is dropping in the United States, prompting traffickers to look for new markets in Europe. "This conference provides an opportunity to share our ideas and strategies for stopping the flow of illegal drugs," said a statement from McCaffrey's office. Copyright © 1999 Nando MediaRelated Article:The Narco-Guerrilla War - 8/06/99http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread2382.shtml
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Comment #5 posted by NancyDrew on March 31, 2000 at 10:58:40 PT
McCaffrey has no clue what he is doing.
The signers urged officials attending Thursday and Friday's drug conference to consider policies that will focus more on reducing consumption, expanding drug treatment programs, and promoting economic development to decrease the reliance on drug income among people who produce it.Are these people suggesting that, if you are not robbing convenience stores or mugging little old ladies to get drug money, what you do with your body should be a health-care issue and not a criminal one? Do they really have the audacity to imply that economic prosperity related to industries other than drugs might have a real impact on the supply of those drugs and the need for people to produce, transport, and sell them? What a concept: use common sense to resolve a serious issue.When people finally realize that THIS is the way to solve the drug problem in America and every other country, McCaffrey will job-hunting and we will be rid of this boil on the posterior of our government.
Hemp Embargo
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Comment #4 posted by Myopinion on November 04, 1999 at 11:23:08 PT
Failed Drug War
Looks like the people in South America are tired ofbeing bullied by McCaffrey and his Gestapo like tactics.
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Comment #3 posted by kaptinemo on November 03, 1999 at 16:04:49 PT
South American voices...finally being heard
At last, South Americans, the very people MISTER McCaffrey has been so eager to support with our tax dollars - by putting arms in the hands of paramilitary thugs to further terrorize already desperate populations - are being heard from.And they are "Just Saying NO!"How ironic. After all, MISTER McCaffrey seems to be terribly concerned about, (to quote him verbatim) the Colombian democracy - while doing his level best to trample our democracy at home. And now, these people are telling him in no uncertain terms what they think of his proposals. Namely, they want no part of them. He doesn't listen to us; maybe he will listen to voices of reason with different accents?Sure he will. When pigs fly.
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Comment #2 posted by Rainbow on November 03, 1999 at 14:28:25 PT:
Impeach McCaffrey
We should have a recall of this onerous person. Seems that other countries are seeing his fallicies but he is a bulldog and will continue as long as we the American people give him the 17billion dollars a year.He will go where the money flows. CheersRainbow
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Comment #1 posted by mitch on November 03, 1999 at 14:06:56 PT:
McCaffrey
Ithink McCaffrey is a very small man sitting in the pocket of america's "killer corporations." I think he is heartless, bullheaded, greedy and vicious. Let his sting be broken and his prying eyes be turned back on himself, so that he be a burden to the American people no more forever.
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