Possibly a good start in the right direction

http://www.nybooks.com/blogs/nyrblog/2012/apr/12/latin-america-end-drug-war/


"As a normally pro-forma gathering of hemispheric leaders gets under way in Cartagena, Colombia, this weekend, Latin America could instead be approaching its declaration of independence from the United States. For the first time, the region might come out against a US policy. The change in what seemed to be an immovable subservience has come gradually, but the immediate cause is drugs, and the surprising agent is Otto Pérez Molina, retired general, former intelligence chief, graduate of the Pentagon’s School of Americas, and now the new president of Guatemala."

Monroe should be rolling in his tomb. And about time.

What an impressive resume,retired general,former intelligence chief,graduate of the School of Americas and now president of Guatemala,sounds like a murderous bastard to me.

sounds like a murderous bastard to me..
Be that as it may, he makes good sense.

And since when did being a murderous bastard get in the way of being an effective politician?

viajero wrote:What an impressive resume,retired general,former intelligence chief,graduate of the School of Americas and now president of Guatemala,sounds like a murderous bastard to me.

His resume isn't the issue. Drug prohibition is. And he is not the only head of state at the meeting. But maybe conservatives will listen to a reactionary leader that has long been a "friend of America".

Solovino wrote:

viajero wrote:What an impressive resume,retired general,former intelligence chief,graduate of the School of Americas and now president of Guatemala,sounds like a murderous bastard to me.

His resume isn't the issue. Drug prohibition is. And he is not the only head of state at the meeting. But maybe conservatives will listen to a reactionary leader that has long been a "friend of America".

I understand.
The guy's resume bothered me.I lost my political innocence while living in Central America from 1978 to 81,that guy's resume would send shivers up the spine of quite a few people down there.
I've been smoking weed for over 40 years,that said I can see some serious problems with legalizing cocaine,heroin and especially meth,just my opinion.I don't have the answer,maybe better education and job oppurtunities, all the money wasted on a failed war on drugs might be better spent on those options.

If half of the money spent on interdiction were spent on rehab, it would create lots of employment and we just might wind up with a better society. Dunno what to do about meth, that's a special case.

Rolly wrote:sounds like a murderous bastard to me..
Be that as it may, he makes good sense.

A murderous bastard,but he makes good sense,what a sorry state of affairs.

gringal wrote:And since when did being a murderous bastard get in the way of being an effective politician?

Especially if he's "our murderous bastard", oops misquote, that was Ike calling Somoza "our son of a bitch",maybe the United Fruit Company could lobby congress to get these agricultural products legalized.They're in a great position to profit from this trade,and they won't lose any sleep over ethical concerns,they got over those a long time ago.

I have to wonder just how many of the SOB residents would be suggesting the same if they were living NOB?

I will grant you that Mexico and other countries in Latin America are paying way too high a price for Washington's failed "War on Drugs"! Neither party NOB is making an issue of this for the upcoming election. Now there is a real surprise! You cannot convince me that if there were not an absolute commitment to this "issue", the problem could not be solved.

Secret Service officers sent home from Colombia, involvement with prostitutes alleged:

"A dozen Secret Service personnel providing security for President Barack Obama at an international summit in Cartagena, Colombia, have been relieved of duty because of allegations of misconduct.

The Associated Press said it received an anonymous tip that the misconduct involved prostitutes in Cartagena, site of the Summit of the Americas. A Secret Service spokesman did not dispute the allegation.

The Washington Post reported that Jon Adler, president of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, told the newspaper the accusations relate to at least one officer having involvement with prostitutes in Cartagena........

http://worldnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/04/13/11190256-secret-service-officers-sent-home-from-colombia-involvement-with-prostitutes-alleged?lite

Sounds like the Secret Service is having a pretty good time at that conference in Cartagena,those colombian girls are hard to resist.

Try watching the movie "The Whistleblower" with Rachel Weiz (sp?).
Supposed good guys doing bad things. Human beings really are awful.

To get back to the issue,I just have to wonder how legalizing hard drugs would work,would I find myself in a 7/11 waiting in line to pay for my beef jerky while the guy in front of me buys 10 bucks worth of crack,20 of heroin, 20 of crystal meth and some TUMS,picture that.

Chris:

I am with you on that one! There are enough delays in checking out at the 7/11 without another item that is under lock and key.

viajero wrote:To get back to the issue,I just have to wonder how legalizing hard drugs would work,would I find myself in a 7/11 waiting in line to pay for my beef jerky while the guy in front of me buys 10 bucks worth of crack,20 of heroin, 20 of crystal meth and some TUMS,picture that.

Oregon has State liquor stores and they are the only places you can buy hard liquor. They carefully check IDs. Picture that instead.

Solo:

As a former Oregon resident, I don't get your point. Like many other States, Oregon does have State Liquor Stores and the residents get the privilege of paying extremely high liquor prices. It forces the drunks into the grocery stores for their beer and wine. Please remember that Oregon is one of the meth capitals - not exactly a great example.

Solovino wrote:

viajero wrote:To get back to the issue,I just have to wonder how legalizing hard drugs would work,would I find myself in a 7/11 waiting in line to pay for my beef jerky while the guy in front of me buys 10 bucks worth of crack,20 of heroin, 20 of crystal meth and some TUMS,picture that.

Oregon has State liquor stores and they are the only places you can buy hard liquor. They carefully check IDs. Picture that instead.

I lived in Utah for 7 years,I know all about state liquor stores,you had to plan ahead for Sundays and holidays,since the mormon dominated state liquor board deemed those to be "dry days". You missed my point.Imagine the american public being able to buy whatever drug they wanted whenever they wanted,like they weren't screwed up enough already.I guess I just don't think that easy,legal access to cocaine, heroin,crystal meth,etc.for anyone who has ID saying theyr'e 18 or over is a good idea,picture that.

viajero wrote:

Solovino wrote:

viajero wrote:To get back to the issue,I just have to wonder how legalizing hard drugs would work,would I find myself in a 7/11 waiting in line to pay for my beef jerky while the guy in front of me buys 10 bucks worth of crack,20 of heroin, 20 of crystal meth and some TUMS,picture that.

Oregon has State liquor stores and they are the only places you can buy hard liquor. They carefully check IDs. Picture that instead.

I lived in Utah for 7 years,I know all about state liquor stores,you had to plan ahead for Sundays and holidays,since the mormon dominated state liquor board deemed those to be "dry days". You missed my point.Imagine the american public being able to buy whatever drug they wanted whenever they wanted,like they weren't screwed up enough already.I guess I just don't think that easy,legal access to cocaine, heroin,crystal meth,etc.for anyone who has ID saying theyr'e 18 or over is a good idea,picture that.

I didn't miss anything. You miss the point. Screw Americans and their appetite for drugs. Why do people in Mexico and other Latin American countries have to suffer far greater consequences because shit heads in the US want to keep "their" society clean at the expense of others? Get your head out of a 7-11 and try seeing a bigger picture. One not so America-centric.

Okay I'm out of the 7/11,now I'm waiting in line at an OXXO to pay for my cappuchino while the guy in front of me buys the same dope theyr'e selling in the 7/11,you think there's no appetite for drugs in Mexico,think again.I don't have the answer,but widespread easy access to hard drugs anywhere doesn't seem like a great idea to me.BTW there's no shortage of shitheads in Mexico or the rest of Latin America.You need to look at the big picture,one not so Mexico-centric.

viajero wrote: .You need to look at the big picture,one not so Mexico-centric.

Is that what several Latin American Presidents are looking at? BTW, in case you missed it. Mexico has already decriminalized small amounts of some hard drugs. They had to try twice. The first time Fox kissed Bush's ass and vetoed the legislation. Calderón saw what that got him.

Solovino wrote:

viajero wrote: .You need to look at the big picture,one not so Mexico-centric.

Is that what several Latin American Presidents are looking at? BTW, in case you missed it. Mexico has already decriminalized small amounts of some hard drugs. They had to try twice. The first time Fox kissed Bush's ass and vetoed the legislation. Calderón saw what that got him.

Try quoting that new law to a mexican cop when he finds a half gram of blow on you.You say screw americans with their appetite for drugs,following that line of reasoning couldn't an american say screw those mexicans with their appetite for violence we'll sell them all the guns they want.It's a difficult problem, way above my pay scale.

Yup I agree, the US gets the drugs to get high and Mexico gets the guns to kill each other. We had about 6 deaths here this week. Seems to be working.

viajero wrote: . .....,following that line of reasoning couldn't an american say screw those mexicans with their appetite for violence we'll sell them all the guns they want. .

They're not? Meanwhile, smoke your weed and drink your alcohol and tell others that the other drugs are bad for society. Nice.