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 Flozart
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 US waves white flag in disastrous 'war on drugs'   5
#15703956 - 01/22/12 09:51 PM (1 year, 3 months ago) |
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http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-waves-white-flag-in-disastrous-war-on-drugs-1870218.htmlAfter 40 years of defeat and failure, America's "war on drugs" is being buried in the same fashion as it was born – amid bloodshed, confusion, corruption and scandal. US agents are being pulled from South America; Washington is putting its narcotics policy under review, and a newly confident region is no longer prepared to swallow its fatal Prohibition error. Indeed, after the expenditure of billions of dollars and the violent deaths of tens of thousands of people, a suitable epitaph for America's longest "war" may well be the plan, in Bolivia, for every family to be given the right to grow coca in its own backyard.
The "war", declared unilaterally throughout the world by Richard Nixon in 1969, is expiring as its strategists start discarding plans that have proved futile over four decades: they are preparing to withdraw their agents from narcotics battlefields from Colombia to Afghanistan and beginning to coach them in the art of trumpeting victory and melting away into anonymous defeat. Not surprisingly, the new strategy is being gingerly aired in the media of the US establishment, from The Wall Street Journal to the Miami Herald.
Prospects in the new decade are thus opening up for vast amounts of useless government expenditure being reassigned to the treatment of addicts instead of their capture and imprisonment. And, no less important, the ever-expanding balloon of corruption that the "war" has brought to heads of government, armies and police forces wherever it has been waged may slowly start to deflate.
Prepare to shed a tear over the loss of revenue that eventual decriminalisation of narcotics could bring to the traffickers, large and small, and to the contractors who have been making good money building and running the new prisons that help to bankrupt governments – in the US in particular, where drug offenders – principally small retailers and seldom the rich and important wholesalers – have helped to push the prison population to 1,600,000; their imprisonment is already straining federal and state budgets. In Mississippi, where drug offenders once had to serve 85 per cent of their sentences, they are now being required to serve less than a quarter. California has been ordered to release 40,000 inmates because its prisons are hugely overcrowded.
At the same time, some in the US are confused and fear that the new commission proposed by Congressman Eliot Engel, a man with a record of hostility to the Cuban and Venezuelan governments, may prove to be a broken reed. As he brought in his bill he added timidly: "Let me be absolutely clear that this bill has not been introduced to support the legalisation of illegal drugs. That is not something that I would like to see."
Part of the reason for the slow US retreat from the "war" is that the strategy of fighting it in foreign lands and not at home has proved valueless. Along the already sensitive frontier with Mexico the effect of US attempts to enforce a hard line by blasting drug dealers away has been bloody. Anxious to keep in check the flood of illegal immigrants into territory that once belonged to Mexico, Washington is building a wall and fence comparable to that which once cut through Berlin and that which is today causing havoc between Israelis and Palestinians.
In the areas of Mexico closest to the US frontier the toll of deaths in drug-related violence exceeded 7,000 people in 2009 (1,000 of them dying in January and February). This takes the death toll over three years to above 16,000, figures far in excess of US fatalities in Afghanistan. The bloodshed has continued despite – or perhaps because of – the intense US pressure on President Felipe Calderon to station a large part of the Mexican army in the region. It is deploying 49,000 men on its own soil in the campaign against drugs, a larger force than the 46,000 Britain sent to take part in the initial invasion of Iraq in 2003. But still the blood flows.
As in Colombia, where a multibillion-dollar US subsidy maintains that country's armed forces, there are well-founded suspicions that military operations are often rendered futile because the miserably paid local commanders and individual soldiers are easily bought off by drug dealers.
The quiet expiry of the "war" has dawned slowly on a world focused on the US's more palpable conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. Last month, the US House of Representatives gave unanimous approval to a bill creating an independent commission to reconsider domestic and international drug policies and suggest better ones. Congressman Engel, a Democrat from the Bronx and the sponsor of the bill, declared: "Billions upon billions of US taxpayer dollars have been spent over the years to combat the drug trade in Latin America and the Caribbean. In spite of our efforts, the positive results are few and far between."
As far back as last May, Gil Kerlikowske, the former police chief of Seattle who was named head of the US Office of National Drug Control Policy and thus boss of the campaign, announced he would not be using the term "war on drugs" any more. A few weeks earlier, former Latin American presidents of the centre and right – Fernando Henrique Cardoso of Brazil, Ernesto Zedillo of Mexico and Cesar Gaviria of Colombia – had told the new US President that the "war" had failed and appealed for greater emphasis on cutting drug consumption and the decriminalisation of cannabis.
For the lives and sanity of millions, the seeing of the light is decidedly late. The conditions of the 1920s, when the US Congress outlawed alcohol and allowed Al Capone and his kin to make massive fortunes, have been re-created up and down Latin America.
Mexico's President has not been afraid to point out to Washington that official corruption is at the root of drug trafficking in the US just as it is in Mexico. "I say we should investigate on both sides. I'm cleaning my house and I hope that on the other side as well the house is being cleaned," he said pointedly last April before President Obama came visiting.
Furthermore, President Calderon says that lax gun control laws in the US caused an influx of firearms into Mexico. He has declared that 90 per cent of the 30,000 weapons that government forces seized from drug dealers in Mexico came from north of the border. For their part, the Latin Americans, under a new generation of more self-confident leaders, are tired of being hectored about their failings by the US, the world's principal source of cannabis whose agents continue the drug dealing they indulged in during the Iran-Contra affair of the Reagan years.
Evidence points to aircraft – familiarly known as "torture taxis" – used by the CIA to move captives seized in its kidnapping or "extraordinary rendition" operations through Gatwick and other airports in the EU being simultaneously used for drug distribution in the Western hemisphere. A Gulfstream II jet aircraft N9875A identified by the British Government and the European Parliament as being involved in this traffic crashed in Mexico in September 2008 while en route from Colombia to the US with a load of more than three tons of cocaine.
In 2004, another torture taxi crashed in a field in Nicaragua with a ton of cocaine aboard. It had been identified by Britain and the European Parliament's temporary committee on the alleged use of European countries by the CIA for the transport and illegal detention of prisoners as a frequent visitor in 2004 and 2005 to British, Cypriot, Czech, German, Greek, Hungarian, Spanish and other European cities with its cargo of captives for secret imprisonment and torture in Iraq, Jordan and Azerbaijan.
Given the circumstances, it is unremarkable that US strictures are being politely ignored. President Evo Morales of Bolivia – criticised by the US for defending Bolivians' practice of chewing coca leaves to assuage hunger and altitude sickness – wants to allow every Bolivian family around the city of Cochabamba to cultivate coca bushes for their own use. He also wants to export coca leaves to his country's neighbours. Mr Morales's authority, recently reinforced by winning a second presidential term in fair elections and by a strengthening of Bolivia's economy, has no need to worry about US criticism.
Venezuela and Bolivia have expelled US narcotics officers from their territory. At the end of last month, President Rafael Correa of Ecuador ended Washington's lease of a large air base on the Pacific from where US aircraft were engaged in the struggle against the region's increasingly powerful left.
This year should be the year that common sense vanquishes the mailed fist in an unwinnable war against an invisible enemy.
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F|_oZ@|^T
sometimes you just gotta shake it!!!
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DebuteMachine
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Re: US waves white flag in disastrous 'war on drugs' [Re: Flozart]
#15704080 - 01/22/12 10:14 PM (1 year, 3 months ago) |
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The title is misleading. This article doesn't really seem to show any nail in any coffin regarding the war on drugs. No one in DC has proposed anything super large. Expect the raids on MMJ to continue, and smoking pot will still get you arrested.
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 CounterCulturest
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Registered: 01/18/10
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Loc: At yo door Nigga
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Re: US waves white flag in disastrous 'war on drugs' [Re: DebuteMachine]
#15704192 - 01/22/12 10:31 PM (1 year, 3 months ago) |
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Quote:
DebuteMachine said:
The title is misleading. This article doesn't really seem to show any nail in any coffin regarding the war on drugs. No one in DC has proposed anything super large. Expect the raids on MMJ to continue, and smoking pot will still get you arrested.
Of course but it's still a good thing to hear IMO...
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Shroom_i
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Re: US waves white flag in disastrous 'war on drugs' [Re: Flozart]
#15704238 - 01/22/12 10:39 PM (1 year, 3 months ago) |
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This is pretty interesting.
Good to hear things are lookin up.
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Prisoner#1 said:
[quote]destructo_low said:
Prisoner's posts by percentage.
Smart and witty - 9.9999922409044%
Kind and caring - 0.0000077590956%
[/quote]
worthy of a facepalm - 90%[/quote]
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The Influence
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Re: US waves white flag in disastrous 'war on drugs' [Re: DebuteMachine]
#15704378 - 01/22/12 11:17 PM (1 year, 3 months ago) |
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Quote:
DebuteMachine said:
The title is misleading. This article doesn't really seem to show any nail in any coffin regarding the war on drugs. No one in DC has proposed anything super large. Expect the raids on MMJ to continue, and smoking pot will still get you arrested.
The whole fact that this has even come to light is super huge. If prohibition is ended it will not be over night or even in a few big steps and we can all do drugs merrily ever after. This is big progress IMO. Guess it's all about how you look at it 
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Wise Toad
Registered: 06/09/10
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Re: US waves white flag in disastrous 'war on drugs' [Re: The Influence]
#15704494 - 01/22/12 11:45 PM (1 year, 3 months ago) |
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The moral of the story is don't fight drugs, they will always win
gotta go with the flow
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love2shpongleIRL
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Re: US waves white flag in disastrous 'war on drugs' [Re: Wise Toad]
#15704711 - 01/23/12 12:28 AM (1 year, 3 months ago) |
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Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.
T. S. Eliot
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yoimjohn
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Re: US waves white flag in disastrous 'war on drugs' [Re: love2shpongleIRL]
#15704810 - 01/23/12 12:47 AM (1 year, 3 months ago) |
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this title is completely misleading, please change the title or just dont post anymore.
sort of like false advertising.. us waves white flag in disastrous war on drugs.. when the u.s. hasnt waved no white flags or has not ended the drug war, then this title is the definition of a bad title. its jsu a fucked up title and you should change it.
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The Influence
I make it do what it do
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Re: US waves white flag in disastrous 'war on drugs' [Re: yoimjohn]
#15704959 - 01/23/12 01:20 AM (1 year, 3 months ago) |
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Quote:
yoimjohn said:
this title is completely misleading, please change the title or just dont post anymore.
sort of like false advertising.. us waves white flag in disastrous war on drugs.. when the u.s. hasnt waved no white flags or has not ended the drug war, then this title is the definition of a bad title. its jsu a fucked up title and you should change it.
Did it ruin your day or something? Did you think that prohibition was over when you seen the title of the thread? I think it was meant as a figurative white flag in admitting that they are not winning this "war" and never will, which is stated in the article. Your seriously going to shit on someone who posted a news story with a title you don't agree with? There is always the nignore button if you can't handle all the deceit 
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CounterCulturest
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Loc: At yo door Nigga
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Re: US waves white flag in disastrous 'war on drugs' [Re: yoimjohn]
#15705162 - 01/23/12 02:07 AM (1 year, 3 months ago) |
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Quote:
yoimjohn said:
this title is completely misleading, please change the title or just dont post anymore
sort of like false advertising.. us waves white flag in disastrous war on drugs.. when the u.s. hasnt waved no white flags or has not ended the drug war, then this title is the definition of a bad title. its jsu a fucked up title and you should change it.
Doood get over it. Just don't click on it anymore. Just avoid the homepage and suck it up. Fuck lol...
Edited by CounterCulturest (01/23/12 02:14 AM)
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CounterCulturest
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Re: US waves white flag in disastrous 'war on drugs' [Re: CounterCulturest]
#15705165 - 01/23/12 02:08 AM (1 year, 3 months ago) |
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Yeah I think this link mislead the kid and he ran out and showed the police his drugs or something
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ElVatoFirme
The Cool Dude
Registered: 11/14/10
Posts: 242
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Re: US waves white flag in disastrous 'war on drugs' [Re: yoimjohn] 1
#15705173 - 01/23/12 02:10 AM (1 year, 3 months ago) |
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Quote:
yoimjohn said:
this title is completely misleading, please change the title or just dont post anymore.
sort of like false advertising.. us waves white flag in disastrous war on drugs.. when the u.s. hasnt waved no white flags or has not ended the drug war, then this title is the definition of a bad title. its jsu a fucked up title and you should change it.
To be fair, man, that is the name of the article
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bryguy27007
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Re: US waves white flag in disastrous 'war on drugs' [Re: The Influence] 1
#15705199 - 01/23/12 02:17 AM (1 year, 3 months ago) |
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Regardless of the thread title, this was a great article. Thank you very much for posting.
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ElVatoFirme
The Cool Dude
Registered: 11/14/10
Posts: 242
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Re: US waves white flag in disastrous 'war on drugs' [Re: bryguy27007]
#15705243 - 01/23/12 02:27 AM (1 year, 3 months ago) |
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Quote:
bryguy27007 said:
Regardless of the thread title, this was a great article. Thank you very much for posting.
I agree with you, man.
Also some interesting info.
Like this:
Quote:
Evidence points to aircraft – familiarly known as "torture taxis" – used by the CIA to move captives seized in its kidnapping or "extraordinary rendition" operations through Gatwick and other airports in the EU being simultaneously used for drug distribution in the Western hemisphere. A Gulfstream II jet aircraft N9875A identified by the British Government and the European Parliament as being involved in this traffic crashed in Mexico in September 2008 while en route from Colombia to the US with a load of more than three tons of cocaine.
In 2004, another torture taxi crashed in a field in Nicaragua with a ton of cocaine aboard. It had been identified by Britain and the European Parliament's temporary committee on the alleged use of European countries by the CIA for the transport and illegal detention of prisoners as a frequent visitor in 2004 and 2005 to British, Cypriot, Czech, German, Greek, Hungarian, Spanish and other European cities with its cargo of captives for secret imprisonment and torture in Iraq, Jordan and Azerbaijan.
I never heard anything about that.
Crazy shit.
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slagMUFFIN
Spiney ribbed Mooslet
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Re: US waves white flag in disastrous 'war on drugs' [Re: ElVatoFirme]
#15705948 - 01/23/12 08:42 AM (1 year, 3 months ago) |
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The losses in the war on drugs are not greatly publicized, obviously for a reason. This article highlights the great un-publicized losses in war on drugs.
@ElVatoFirme, i too though the information about torture taxis as been very interesting but upon further reflection one would think such activities would be carried out by subcontractors with little link-able affiliation to relevant US agencies. With this in mind it would not be a stretch of the imagination to think these "subcontractors" could be used in the drug transportation business. Of course this is conjecture.
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MGMT
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Re: US waves white flag in disastrous 'war on drugs' [Re: Flozart]
#15706154 - 01/23/12 11:11 AM (1 year, 3 months ago) |
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The link to the article seems to be broken.
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Ron Paul 2012
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crimsondrac
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Re: US waves white flag in disastrous 'war on drugs' [Re: The Influence]
#15706431 - 01/23/12 12:43 PM (1 year, 3 months ago) |
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Quote:
The Influence said:
Quote:
yoimjohn said:
this title is completely misleading, please change the title or just dont post anymore.
sort of like false advertising.. us waves white flag in disastrous war on drugs.. when the u.s. hasnt waved no white flags or has not ended the drug war, then this title is the definition of a bad title. its jsu a fucked up title and you should change it.
Did it ruin your day or something? Did you think that prohibition was over when you seen the title of the thread? I think it was meant as a figurative white flag in admitting that they are not winning this "war" and never will, which is stated in the article. Your seriously going to shit on someone who posted a news story with a title you don't agree with? There is always the nignore button if you can't handle all the deceit
But the point is they did not wave the "white flag". A white flag signifies surrender. No one is surrendering. Pot is not being decriminalized. The feds are still raiding legal dispenseries. It just seems other countries are kicking us out, probably beccause we are not giving them as much money any more. This is just another trash piece from a UK tabloid. Like all Pot news articles, I will believe it when I see it.
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yoimjohn
Registered: 08/13/11
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Re: US waves white flag in disastrous 'war on drugs' [Re: crimsondrac]
#15707097 - 01/23/12 03:52 PM (1 year, 3 months ago) |
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EVERYONE calm down
Edited by yoimjohn (01/23/12 03:56 PM)
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yoimjohn
Registered: 08/13/11
Posts: 1,287
Loc: terra nova
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Re: US waves white flag in disastrous 'war on drugs' [Re: crimsondrac]
#15707109 - 01/23/12 03:55 PM (1 year, 3 months ago) |
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But i do believe the title is misleading and should be changed. theres attention grabbers that relate to the topic, and then attention grabbers that make you view the page to just read about something else, and that is what this is. this isnt something i condone, so in reality im not joking oh well, i agree with crimsondrac whole heartedly
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veggie
Registered: 07/26/04
Posts: 13,985
Loc:
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Re: US waves white flag in disastrous 'war on drugs' [Re: Flozart]
#15707361 - 01/23/12 03:55 PM (1 year, 3 months ago) |
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 This thread has been closed.
Reason:
Old news story and posted previously
http://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/11842931
A lot has changed in the two years since this article was written, and if there was any 'waving of a white flag' then, the US is again in full battle mode now, stepping up the War on Drugs both at home and abroad.
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