The War on Drugs

National Defense Industrial Association ^ | March 2009 | Grace V. Jean

[gandalftb]

In 2006, 530 to 710 metric tons of cocaine departed South America toward the US.

About 17,000 Americans lose their lives to illegal drugs annually.

Coast Guard Rear Adm. Joseph Nimmich, director of the U.S. counternarcotics command center: “All these countries are embattled by drug cartels, primarily because of the demand for cocaine and the funds that are generated by cocaine,”.

An estimated 200 metric tons of cocaine travel annually through Venezuela. Because of its location and lax counterdrug enforcement, Venezuela has become a focal point for drug cartels, says Nimmich.

Twenty percent of the narcotrafficking goes by air, while 80 percent transits by maritime methods.

More than 90 percent of flights originate in Venezuela.

A successful interdiction happens only 5 percent of the time. “We’re lucky we have 5 percent,” Nimmich says. “We have very limited assets, and the coordination of those steps is extraordinarily time-sensitive and difficult.”

Still, 5 percent is an increase. Two years ago, the task force nabbed drug runners only 2 percent of the time.

One method is to transport in submarine-like vessels. “Semi-submersibles” can accommodate six to 10 tons of cocaine, much more than a single engine aircraft that carries only a half metric ton, or a go-fast boat that moves about two metric tons.

“If you can’t see their wake, they’re very difficult to detect. You have to really be right on top of them to be able to see,” says Parker.

The latest estimate puts the count at 65 to 80 vessels worldwide.

The average length is 85 feet, and some are 100 feet or longer, says Parker.

Semi-submersibles account for 30 percent of the flow of narcotics by sea, while go-fast boats account for 47 percent. The rest transit via shipping containers," says Nimmich.

Despite an open invitation, cooperation from Venezuela is near zero, officials say.

[gandalftb]

17,000 dead Americans each year from cocaine, 80% of which is coming from Chavez's "near zero cooperation" Venezuela.

And 93% of the world's heroin comes from Afghanistan, where our military operates "freely"?

We buy the drugs that are killing our children and fund our enemies that are killing our children.

Hey President Obama!!! Is there something about "killing our children" that you don't get?

We blockade Cuba? And not Venezuela?

We need a "Stimulus Package" in our thinking....

[Ron Jeremy]

17,000 dead Americans each year from cocaine,

Yeah right. Let's see you back that one up.

[trumandogz]

And how much money do we spend each year on the Drug War?

[SpaceBar]

The question needs to be asked and rationally discussed at what point does a particular law or doctrine become counterproductive or violate basic tenets of our existence as a nation without everyone hyperventilating, proposing hypothetical scenarios, or name calling. That for a change would be refreshing.

[mysterio]

So we've given up most of the Bill of Rights so that we can intercept 5 percent of the "drugs." But some drugs aren't "drugs" because enough people use them, even though they are as fatal as the illegal "drugs." But even those "drugs" that are less lethal than acceptable drugs are still illegal for some mysterious reason.

Keep pounding money down this rat hole of a failed drug war.

[TheKidster]

17,000 Americans dead

That’s part of the price we pay for enforcing a black market monopoly on narcotics. How many would be alive if we used the drug war money on treatment instead of interdiction and user criminalization?

[trumandogz]

Wow!

A 5% Success Rate.

[joejm65]

Wow. Submergable vessels delivering coke. Sounds like a heck of a way to deliver a bomb. I hope there’s someone trying like hell to figure out a way to detect these things.

[AreaMan]

And how much money do we spend each year on the Drug War?

...Nimmich says. “We have very limited assets,...

Apparently, not that much.

[AreaMan]

since there will never be a complete victory over drugs, why celebrate busting cancer patients and comedians?

Alright, let's not celebrate and just bust them quietly.

[gandalftb]

For a 5% interdiction.....

[gandalftb]

My error, the 17,000 a year die from illegal drugs, principally both cocaine and heroin, not just cocaine. Some die from the crimes committed getting/selling/stealing the drugs, some die from toxic effects, many die from predatory disease arising from the wasting of the user's bodies.

But then the tobacco that we raise legally and subsidize kills 58,000 a year.

[mamelukesabre]

Oh who cares about drugs??

I just wanna know more about these “semi-submersibles”. They sound pretty cool.

[gandalftb]

Yes, and my point is that it makes little sense to be chasing drug dealers down the streets one at a time for a few grams of coke or heroin. When we have entire narco-countries like Afghanistan and Venezuela directly and intentionally benefiting from drugs, that we could militarily stop all together.

Why do we have a military? Isn't this it's highest use? Keeping our citizens alive? Our military is not some global "Ultimate Fighting Championship" competitor.

We need to prioritize based on body count, it's just that simple.

[gandalftb]

Drug subs:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2085032/posts?q=1&;page=1#1

[P.O.E.]

Looks like good job prospects for illegal immigrants.

[gandalftb]

There is a small conning tower above water and often a snorkel for engine air. Many are remote control with a guide boat a mile or so away that's clean. Coast Guard shows up, toss the controller overboard.

This method will be essentially impossible to stop, no wake, no people on board, retrievable.

What's amazing is that our Congress just outlawed them last October. We've known about them for several years.