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Plainsman1963

Two Republican Wars and the Price of Ignorance
12-29-06 | OPEDNews.Com | Timothy V. Gatto

Wars are just in the mindset of Republicans. Before "The War on Terrorism" we had "The War on Drugs". The two have similarities that cannot be overlooked. Let's look at the two "Wars" and compare them with each other.

Both "The War on Drugs" and The War on Terror" were started by Republicans. Both "Wars" have cost this country billions of dollars. Both "Wars" are responsible for thousands of deaths. Both "Wars" enable corporations to make billions of dollars. Both "wars" are self-perpetuating. Both "Wars" have taken away some of our basic rights that were given to us by our Founding Fathers and the Constitution

The "War on Drugs" is a failed war. It has failed to deliver on anything that it was intended to do. Drugs are as prevalent today, and as available today as they were when this "War" was started by the Reagan administration. The war on drugs has helped to earn this country the despicable distinction of being the world's #1 jailer. Not only do we have more people incarcerated than any other nation in the world (yes, more than China and Russia), but half of the people languishing in our prisons are there for non-violent crimes. Most of these crimes are drug-related. Some people in New York that were charged with possession of marijuana under the "Rockefeller Law's" are still in prison. This "War on Drugs" is a self perpetuating war. The more busts you make the more money you get to make more drug busts. Most of the property seized from a drug bust goes right into the assets of the agency that made the bust. The problem with all of this is that this "War" never seems to actually stop the supply of drugs. Worse yet, the people who are jailed for drugs, usually are not hardened criminals, especially on their first bust. These people usually get no treatment for their drug addiction, and when released they now have a record, as well as distrust for society that now classifies them as criminals. Too many times we find this policy on drugs causes a revolving door type situation with regard to drug users. Treatment, not jail should be the option. This is a video on this war:

YouTube - War On Drugs

The "War on Terror" is another war that the Republicans have gotten us into. The idea of a "war" brings to mind a long protracted campaign. Like "The War on Drugs" this war too will never be over. God-forbid they would have called it The Battle against Terrorism. Maybe we could fight more than one, but it might not be a perpetual thing. This "War" also cost's billions and is also self-perpetuating. The more countries we invade, the more hate and anger and hate is directed against the United States. Unlike "The War on Drugs" this war doesn't eventually pay for itself. Corporations also make billions of dollars supplying the Armed Forces with weapons, Tanks, Armored vehicles, and other military equipment. Some of this is actually "outsourced" and nations that are not even participants in the war end up making the war equipment. The corporations don't feed this money to the workers as in the last century, they use it to give their CEO's 54 million dollar bonuses at the end of the year, while crying to the government that they need subsidies to stop from going under, and the congress that was Republican controlled for twelve years gives it to them.

Wars are big business. These wars that the Republicans have managed to sell to the citizens of this country, haven't produced anything of value, and they never will. Treatment for drug addicts and legalization and taxing the profits would go a long way to towards taking these drugs out of criminal hands. The Bush family might not like that after introducing crack to the black ghettos in the 80's to fund the Contras. Speaking of the Bush family, W's Grandfather was still dealing with the Nazi's up into 1952! That was just revealed today. Old Prescott, he was a shining example to the Bush's. That being said, I knew two pilots that said they flew weapons down to Nicaragua and picked up cocaine for the CIA. They both told me that they used Charlotte County airport in Florida. Who knows if that was the truth, but I got the same story from two different people that to my knowledge didn't even know each other.

What's good for business is good for the Republicans. What's good for business is good for the Bush family. They are still profiting off war. Both "Wars" are still raging, and both wars will never end. There is so much more to tell, so much more to point out. I could write a book about all of the deceit and profiteering that make up the headlines of today. I talk about these things, I write about them and it seems to me, the only people I am talking to is the "Choir". I wish that normal everyday people could just click on a few progressive sites and actually read what is going on. The mainstream media won't educate them. I guess all we can do is to keep trying. Sometimes it feels like shoveling sand against the tide. It's a pity that the far right takes advantage of so many trusting people. Maybe that's the price of ignorance.



http://liberalpro.blogspot.com

Former Chairman of the now-defunct Liberal Party of America, Tim is a retired Army sergeant. He currently lives in South Carolina. A regular contributor to OpEdNews, he is the author of Kimchee Kronicles and is currently at work on a new novel.

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"America is at that awkward stage. It's too late to work within the system, but too early to shoot the bastards." - Claire Wolfe

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king cola

When the CIA was exposed for their drug smuggling operation, the members that were caught never served time based on what i read about it. Bush senior was president around the time they were pardoned. He was supposedly in the CIA during the 1960's and the CIA started the drug smuggling around 1958. It's possible he knew about it, 30 years later hes president when the operation gets exposed and lets the people that were caught go while the citizens on the street caught with the drugs went to prison, including sent to a prison that Bush ordered to be built that costed the country 9 billion dollars to hold the drug offenders. In his speech for the prison he said "if you get caught you will be punished!" He should have said you will be punished unless you were a CIA member.

One thing about Nazi's, supposedly they murdered drug users, not just the jewish people. The only difference between the Bush family or this country or some other countries, we don't execute the drug users or drug dealers unless they have a very very large amount otherwise we just lock them up for a few years or life. That's a joke in itself. My fathers friend used to sell drugs and he told my dad that when he went to jail he ended up knowing one of the prison guards because even he had bought some drugs from him before. It really is a small world and people no matter what their occupation is either uses drugs or had probably used them at one time or another.

Some of these people that go to jail get whatever they want, cell phones, tv, a good room to stay in. I thought the movie Goodfellas exaggerated a little bit, but from what i've read in the papers or seen on Americans Most Wanted, some drug cartels have been treated very good in prison by guards and other people. Theres one guy that even has people within the legislation, hes connected with quite a few people to where even his own government is afraid of him, but he doesn't live in the United States. When he went to jail he still had control over anything that went on outside of prison.

This article seems to stay focused on the Republicans and the Bush family but i see it like this, even with a family doing buisness a certain way legally or illegally, the grandfather starts it, the son takes over, then it's passed on to the grand children. Not all Italians are in the mob, but some crime families were started by peoples grandfathers, then their father takes over on how things are done and then it's passed on to their kids someday.

In drug commercials i see them focusing more on marijuana than they do with hard drugs, even in political speeches about drugs. Big deal when they find a large supply of marijuana, wheres all the cocaine busts? They make one coke bust every what, 10 years? They were giving the statements that marijuana is being traded for cocaine and there hasn't really been much cocaine busts to back up that theory when it comes to bringing one drug across the border in exchange for another.

How the hell do we know for a fact people within our government haven't started up another drug smuggling operation? I watched a political meeting online that was taped over in Canada when Emery was at the meeting. One guy spoke up and said the Bush family is crooked and that our governmnt in the U.S deals drugs. Theres no proof to back that up but i wouldn't doubt it because it happend once.

Our country denied the very existence to the public about Area 51 until a few years ago but before then people would file lawsuits for health issues from working there and nothing was bein done because in court they claimed the base didn't exist even though the public was able to see it from cliffs. To keep a place top secret like that, they could have easily used it to start flying drugs back into the country again from other places or send weapons out from there and who would have known about it? I doubt the DEA would ever be granted a search warrant to the place or even be allowed to step foot on the property.

It doesn't surprise me that the same people that enforce the laws are the same people that have been caught breaking them, wheather it be some police officers or people within the federal government that are a little harder to catch when they do something wrong.

Someone could work their ass off and pay for everything because they worked for it and have a couple pot plants growing and end up having everything seized, it's crazy. It's almost like using drugs as an excuse to take peoples land, otherwise it would just be called communism to just take peoples land whenever they want.

I have friends that also smoke marijuana and some never even knew it was ever legalized or even know why it became illegal. Some of the people that use marijuana don't really care that it's illegal as long as they don't get caught. Once people get caught for it they complain about it and the judges don't care, it's their job to do what the law says, especially when it comes to having to give a minimum jail sentence to the people.

I hear republicans and democrates arguing all the time about drugs. If someone is for legalization of drugs they use the word liberal and it scares people from voting on that person. Like republiacans and democrates don't drink alcohol? They don't smoke cigarettes? They don't use drugs or just don't get caught? Being in a group wheather it be democrates, republicans or liberals anyone uses drugs of some kind.

The media gets some of their information from government reports, i guess that automatically makes everything true

They could cover up anything and give the media a report and they give it to the public and no one knows anything.

I've listened to people talk that have went through cocaine addiction and know someone that has an addiction. I can't say that keeping it illegal has done any good for them, they still know the people to go to if they want to get it. It's almost like knowing what street a package store is on when you want alcohol.

People need to commit themselves to rehab when they have an addiction, not be forced to go. People are alcoholics but we don't shut the stores down that sell it and ban it and alcohol has killed many people.

Marijuana on the other hand has never killed anyone, it's the safest of illegal drugs and even safer than many legal drugs. Corporations have billions of dollars and continue to make billions, some of us could say that they have enough money but they don't care, the more they have the more they want.

troublemaker_42

I find it amusing how the "Drug War" has always been blamed on Republicans. Even when Democrats have the power to make change, it never happens. The democrats are just as guilty of continuing the Drug War as anyone else is. Don't pawn it off as something only the Republicans are part of......The Drug war has been fought with the same redundant tactics no matter who is calling the shots