The War On Drugs in Mexico: Is there a better way?
The War on Drugs in Mexico is failing. This is shown with this map courtesy of Startfor, the Consultancy and BBC News. It clearly shows how much of a control the Drug Cartels have over the Country.
Over the past number of days, a number of officials have been killed. I just saw a report of four men hanging from a bridge in a luxury town outside of Mexico City--apparent victims of the Drug War. It is time to truly think about a different way to attack this.
As this "think different" is gathering steam, I welcome Felipe Calderon agreeing to at least begin the debate on the legalization of drugs. The problem is the United States. The United States is the biggest consumer. The issue of demand has been paramound for almost 30 years. Yet, I am constantly seeing reports of record seizures every year. What led me to truly question this is when I monitored an Al Jazeera report noting that an estimated 10,000 children in Ciudad Juarez have lost at least a parent. What will happen to them? When will this "short-term" mentality be replaced a view for the future?
The tragedy is yet to play itself out.
Mike Pouraryan
