At a regional conference this week, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton pledged almost $300 million to the governments of Central America during 2011 to aid in their efforts to oppose cartels and others involved in the region’s violent, illegal drug trade. The new assistance package is almost a 15 percent increase from last year’s aid. [Clinton did not offer details] on exactly how the money should or would be used, but it seems safe to assume most will be spent on police and military operations.
Fortunately we have lots of extra money we don't need for other purposes.
Text and title from Truthdig. Photo:U.S. Embassy New Zealand.
Oh boy, let's throw away millions of dollars on a fight we've been losing for decades.
ReplyDeleteMy thought reading the headline was "please be an Onion article, please!"
ReplyDeleteIt certainly seems odd to keep pouring money into it. I thought Americans were supposed to be innovative and forward looking. Just not those in thrall to the right-wing press, I guess.
ReplyDeleteIt's an economic matter. People are fighting over the right to sell their product-illegal drugs- in the US.
ReplyDeleteI'm astonished at our country's appetite for drugs. My horse, before I had him, was used as a drug running horse over the mountains/desert in southern Arizona, beaten. He was branded with a hot coat hanger, the wound still scabbing when I got him. A former border patrol agent identified it as a drug cartel brand because the different gangs want to keep their strings of horses identified in remote areas, he said.
Millions can be thrown at the problem, wasted money. As long as there is a market, the drugs will never stop flowing in.
No shock here. So long as we accept the US as world police line, and so long as there is money or power to be had by the carrot and stick routine, the US government will act this way, even into total bankruptcy.
ReplyDelete"Just not those in thrall to the right-wing press, I guess."
ReplyDeleteJust curious as to when Hillary Clinton or the current administration became enthralled with the right-wing press.
The government continues to attempt to "repair" our economy by spending money it doesn't have.
Those in power like power and a lot of money (especially other people's money) buys a lot of power.
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