Head of Southern Command Says He Lacks Resources to Fight Drug Trafficking by Ernesto Londoño, Washington Post
Dwindling defense budgets have been a boon to drug trafficking networks in Latin America as U.S. intelligence and interdiction assets in the Caribbean have been pared down, the top American commander responsible for the region said Thursday.
“Because of asset shortfalls, we’re unable to get after 74 percent of suspected maritime drug smuggling,” Marine Gen. John F. Kelly told the Senate Armed Services Committee during a hearing about threats and military posture in the Western Hemisphere. “I simply sit and watch it go by.” …
Comments
Why are we in this at all? What is DEA for anyway? Yes I know we have agreements to assist, but either we go in with a full package and really try to do something or we get out of it totally. Dollar for dollar we don't do enough good with it, to make it worth while. And with states now legalizing it, who cares? If someone wants to do it, then that is their problem. The real reason the government does this, isn't for the lofty reasons they love to give, they just don't like it that they can't tax it and don't get a cut of the profits.
If you don't want your kid to do it, then parent them and stop asking Uncle Sam to remove it.
Where is the $40 billion dollars being spent then? All I hear is how great the contracts are down there, but now we have another DOD person crying for even more taxpayer $$$ to keep his empire afloat? We lost the Drug War when drug abuse was classified as a medical disorder...how sad...too bad about a sector of society who cannot control their urges for self destruction...harsh laws worked for drunk driving and the same should be applied to drug use, with the death penalty being liberally awarded for pushing drugs...enough of the pandering to unproductive elements in our society, all the while we who have to get up and go to work each morning, while OBEYING the Law of the Land, are still expected to fund some perfumed princes fun in the sun chasing, obviously smarter and better funded, bad guys around.