White House says the war is working – the war on drugs

[LetTimmySmoke]

The White House needs to address the costly war on drugs, says a high-profile panel that includes former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan and past presidents of Mexico, Brazil and Colombia. But the Obama administration says the fight against illegal drug use is working, and it wants more than $26 billion in 2012 to continue the battle.

"We cannot have one recipe. It’s not so easy to say, 'Stop the war on drugs and let’s legalize'; it’s more complicated than that," former Brazilian President Fernando Henrique Cardoso, chairman of the Global Commission on Drug Policy, said Thursday at a news conference in New York. "Between prohibition and legalization there is an enormous variety of solutions in between."

"The U.S. needs to open a debate," former Colombian President Cesar Gaviria, a member of the panel, told Times reporters. "When you have 40 years of a policy that is not bringing results, you have to ask if it's time to change it."

The commission, which also includes former U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker and British billionaire Richard Branson, prepared a report that recommends governments attempt creative ways of legally regulating drugs, especially marijuana, as a way to stymie profits from gangs and cartels.

The White House's Office of National Drug Control Policy quickly sent out a statement claiming the war on drugs is working.

more - http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2011/06/white-house-urged-by-world-leaders-to-end-the-war-on-drugs.html

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Well there you go. I can't say I'm surprised in the least by any of this. That goes for both the commission findings and the white house response.

[Segami]

1. " The War On Drugs Is Working "?? Seems the WH is smoking what they want banned .

[LetTimmySmoke]

2. Our executive branch is run by political gurus.

It's fucking terrible. And now our legislative branch (the house) is run by a bunch crazy psychopaths.

[FLAprogressive]

5. And the Senate is run by a bunch of Milquetoast Beltway Club Members.

[nosmokes]

3. It is. The WoD is making a pile o money for the prison and law enforcement

industries. Plus it gives John Law a ready made excuse to violate the 4th amendment whenever the mood strikes.

[Webster Green]

4. The war on drugs is working?

Yeah, for the corrupt asswipes who keep it going and getting wealthy from it.

Obama is fucking clueless on the "drug" "war".

Hey! Obama and Holder!....You want to impress me? Give me back my Quaaludes, you fucking dickheads. While you're at it, since we're occupying Afghanistan, how 'bout some of that killer opium they grow. Might make it a little easier for us to live in the shit-hole you're creating.

Fucking idiots.

[sunwyn]

6. It's working great for our government who is making a fortune not only in kickbacks to keep it

illegal, but also from importation aspects, and the seizure from drug busts. And it will stay illegal as long as they can make a buck off it.

[dipsydoodle]

7. US announces war on reports which criticise war on drugs

The United States is to launch its latest war on a thing that is not a country by launching a war on reports which criticise the war on drugs.

The Global Commission on Drug Policy has found that the current war on widely-available, naturally-occurring products has failed, but White House drug tsar Gil Kerlikowske has rejected the report and identified its 24 pages as inanimate enemies of the state.

“These pieces of paper are evil,” Kerlikowske warned, “and they could contaminate our children with the ridiculous idea that what we are doing is very, very wrong.”

“Kids might even think that reading these reports is ‘cool’ and before long we could be faced with the terrifying prospect of seeing all our of our children reading.”

http://newsthump.com/2011/06/02/us-announces-war-on-reports-which-criticise-war-on-drugs/

[Fly by night]

8. I'd like to find out what Eric Holder and Michelle Leonhart are smoking ...

... and ban that shit from the known universe.

Science, common sense and compassion -- Obama was for it as a candidate before his minions continued to be against it once in office.

It's not enough to say that the cannabis prohibition "emperor" wears no clothes -- that bat-shit crazy uncle has been butt-naked for decades and continues waving his penile billy-club at us with disastrous disdain.

Wake the fuck up, White House. Keep at least one promise you made when you solicited our support in 2008. Treat cannabis as medicine, with the same access and controls as other medicines.

Or shut the fuck up re: our continued support.

[TheKentuckian]

9. This alone brings a mountain of doubt to the intelligence factor, only a fucking moron would think

this nonsense is working or want to dump additional resources in a time of economic hardship.

Seriously, what do you mean "working"???

[Ichingcarpenter]

10. Drugs Win Drug War (1998- The Onion

U.S. Drug Czar Cedes Power To Nation's Stoners

January 10, 1998: -After nearly 30 years of combat, the U.S. has lost the drug war. Drug Czar Barry McCaffrey delivered the U.S.'s unconditional surrender in a brief statement Friday. "Despite all our efforts, the United States has proven no match for the awesome power of the illegal high," he said. McCaffrey then handed over power to High Times magazine editor Steven Hager, who will now head the new U.S. Office of Drug Policy, replacing the now-defunct DEA.


30 years and this is from 1998


http://store.theonion.com/product/drugs-win-drug-war-1998,189/


The for profit prisons also benefit from the 'War on Drugs'

[Johonny]

11. They are so high

[ProdigalJunkMail]

13. looking for a 'like' button...

too much facebook time...

sP

[ProdigalJunkMail]

12. they have to say it is working...

what else would they don with those billions???

sP

[eShirl]

14. If it's "working" according to their criteria, then perhaps we can determine what the real purpose

of it is.

[spanone]

15. 'especially marijuana' these people have no clue

paul volcker and richard branson.....people really in touch with the street.....

[Upton]

16. Fuckin' drug war gravy train..

Oh, they're all on it..politicians, judges, lawyers, cops, prison guards, etc..

The only way this BS will ever end is when the American people stop voting for candidates who support it..

[kick-ass-bob]

17. Yep. Winning in Mexico.

That's why my Mexican friend almost had her 16 year old daughter kidnapped in broad daylight by people associated with the local police. Reportedly to be sold into prostitution.

[City Lights]

18. Wow, gimme some of whatever they're on...

:smoke:

[slipslidingaway]

19. :( knr nt

[blindpig]

20. They're right...

the masses are suitably subdued and the prison industry thrives.

It's all in your class perspective.

[EOTE]

21. The U.S. has the highest incarceration rate in the world. Of course it's working.

Working exactly as planned. We're number 1! We're number 1! What better measure of a society's freedom than its incarceration rate? We're free!!! Freedom kicks ass!!!

[donheld]

22. Second verse same as the first