Though we’ll never solve the nation’s much less the worlds
problems through such, these commentaries do offer a usefull release and shared perspective.

I can also probably speak for Duncan in saying it’s
an honor and a privaledge to interact with you,
through the miracle of cyberspace, and being still
surviving bastion of free speech and expression.

A pity that the late USAF Col. John Boyd himself,
is no longer around to particpate.

Max

Reread Carlton’s column, regarding legalizing marijauna, I concur there. I also understand your feelings about law abiding citizens, I have written much about Americans in general turning the other way regarding consumption of the worlds resources, etc…I am a big fan of Bacevich, but this still does not condone what the drug cartels or other criminal organizations do.

Did you and Duncan know why the Federal government made drugs illegal? In the mid to late 1800s, and opium epidemic ran rampant through the nation.

Also, I am talking about drugs that are harmful such as cocaine and Meph. Anyone who uses them as I said in my comments is not what I referenced, but also very stupid.

By the way, I don’t drink either, and it is very harmful to our society. But, it is legal for now, and as you pointed will not work making it illegal because of the frail human weakness to count on drugs to escape reality.

Don

You nailed it Duncan, moreover the very same applies
to the conduct and proceedures of US forgien military mis-adventures, protracted occupations, nation building follies, and limited wars, including the synergy and glaring complicity of the MICC.

Now let’s talk about the US health care and pharmicutical industry, predicated similarly on first and formost, making a buck, from the mis-fortune and suffering of others, which sooner or later, includes everyone of us.

MaX

As the experience of Prohibition demonstrates, criminalization of addictive substances do no work. More recently, Portugal has decriminalized drugs without serious implications:

In 2001, Portugal began a remarkable policy experiment, decriminalizing all drugs, including cocaine and heroin. Some predicted disastrous results—that drug addiction rates would soar and the country would become a haven for “drug tourists.” Now that several years have passed, policy experts can study the results. In a new paper for the Cato Institute, attorney and author Glenn Greenwald closely examines the Portugal experiment and concludes that the doomsayers were wrong. There is now a widespread consensus in Portugal that decriminalization has been a success. The debate in Portugal has shifted rather dramatically to minor adjustments in the existing arrangement. There is no real debate about whether drugs should once again be criminalized. Join us for a discussion about Glenn Greenwald’s field research in Portugal and what lessons his findings may hold for drug policies in other countries.

Drug Decriminalization in Portugal | Cato Institute: Policy Forum (2 June 2009)

The so-called War on Drugs has resulted in the United States having the largest prison population in the world which features prison rape and other forms of degradation. It is a frankly racist and hypocritical policy that has resulted in numerous impairments of civil liberties.

None of this prevents “law abiding citizens” from seeking prison as a form of economic development, thereby profiting from this human degradation.

Under these circumstances, if we are going to be assigning blame, the “law abiding citizens” themselves have much to answer for.