Under Mr. Obama, Drug Law Enforcement Lapses

Townhall.com ^ | September 21, 2015 | Ken Blackwell

[Kaslin]

Editor's Note: This column was coauthored by Bob Morrison.

Like too many politicians of his generation, President Obama seems to think that proper enforcement of our nation’s drug laws would be hypocritical. We know from David Maraniss’ highly acclaimed biography, Barack Obama: The Story, that the marijuana-smoking “Choom Gang” was all too much a part of the young Obama’s days at Hawaii’s exclusive Punahou prep school.

Last year, the President asserted that smoking marijuana is little different than smoking cigarettes or drinking alcohol. He’s wrong: As FRC has documented, today’s pot is far more potent and thus far more likely to cause grave harm to young people than the marijuana of 30 and 40 years ago.

Family Research Council’s Marriage and Religion Research Institute (www.marri.us) has shown how children raised in fragile families are at heightened risk of using drugs. Such use often begins with the supposedly “benign” use of marijuana, as the National Institute on Drug Abuse argues. As the federal Department of Justice has documented, as drug use increases, so does crime.

The inspiring story of Dr. Ben Carson is one of avoidance of drugs and escape from the mean streets of Detroit’s inner city. We are not permitted to endorse candidates, but we can certainly endorse the story of hope, discipline, and success his life represents.

Bill Bennett is the former Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy. His new book, co-authored with former Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert A. White, makes a strong case for proper law enforcement on drugs. In Going to Pot: Why the Rush to Legalize Marijuana is Harming America,these authors provide startling evidence of the dangers of increased marijuana use, especially to youth. Government data shows that whereas 6.7% of 12-17 year olds report having used marijuana in the past month in other states, in those states that have legalized so-called medical marijuana, the figure jumps to 9.4%. Clearly, the argument that it will still be unavailable to underage users does not stand up.

Bennett and White also provide illustrations of marijuana marketed to youth in attractive packaging, made to look like popular candies and cookies (e.g. Kit-Kat, Oreo, and Nestle’s Crunch.) Alarmingly, Bennett and White show an advertisement targeted to skiers inviting them to buy a $1 joint by presenting their ski passes. Does anyone imagine that skiing is made safer by having impaired people on the slopes?

There is a serious constitutional issue here, as well. Although even some Republicans argue that drug legalization is properly a Tenth Amendment issue and should be left to the states, the reality is we have a federal drug law on the books.

The federal law on marijuana was duly enacted by the Congress and signed by the president. Colorado and Washington State passed referendums that violate this federal law on the sale and use of marijuana. How can they be permitted to flout federal law?

The Framers of the Constitution made it explicit that “this Constitution, and the laws of the United States that shall be made in pursuance thereof…shall be the Supreme law of the land.” Art. VI, Sec. 2 of the Constitution makes this clear. It is this provision that President Obama is failing to defend. It is this federal law that he is not taking care to be “faithfully executed.”

It used to be the case in many states and localities that saloons were required to close on Election Day. The assumption was that rounding up voters among the inebriated was not conducive to good government.

That famous anti-slavery Founder, Ben Franklin, provided wise counsel at the dawn of our nation. Asked what kind of government he and his fellow Framers had given the people, he said: “A republic, if you can keep it.” Legalizing harmful drugs that cause both physical and psychological damage and that impair citizens’ capacity for reflection and choice is surely no way to keep a republic.

[bassmaner]

Not one mention of the 10th Amendment in this bilge.

[DJ Taylor]

Obama only continued what Bill Clinton Started.

When Clinton took office in 1993, the U.S. War on Drugs was being fought in Mexico, Central America, and South America by DEA NBRF (Northern Border Response Force) in Mexico, DEA CADENCE (Central America Drug Enforcement Center) in Central America, and DEA Operation Snowcap in South America, but by the election of 1996, Bill Clinton and his Attorney General, Janet Reno, had shut them all down.

The Liberal Left Media, ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN were pushing every Liberal issue to include drugs in an attempt to influence the election in favor of Clinton. Here’s one of ABC’s 1992 “hit pieces” on the “War on Drugs”:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1DUmHaGkY4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vn9GqOkAqco

[bassmaner]

Correction: there is one and it is dismissive, nanny-state crap:

Although even some Republicans argue that drug legalization is properly a Tenth Amendment issue and should be left to the states, the reality is we have a federal drug law on the books.

Overturn Wickard v. Filburn!

[ifinnegan]

Serious denial and ignorance, dude.

[ifinnegan]

“The Feds absolutely need to stay out of marijuana enforcement where the States have legalized it.”

Except in interstate incidences, right?

[tacticalogic]

Not one mention of the 10th Amendment in this bilge.

It was mentioned, an dismissed as irrelevant because "Congress passed a law".

[ConservingFreedom]

Apparently to some, "conservatism" means using a federal Leviathan for different ends than liberals use it.

[Mariner]

"The link "documents" none of these claims"

I noticed that too.

But there's sure a lot of scriptural admonition there.

[dljordan]

You like those early morning SWAT raids do you? It’s for the children.

[atomic_dog]

Obama only continued what Bill Clinton Nixon and Rockefeller started.

Fixed that for ya.

[DJ Taylor]

Your response made no sense at all until I remembered the old ad “This is your brain and this is your brain on drugs,” and then your response came into focus.

[ConservingFreedom]

According to the "drug czar"s office (https://www.ncjrs.gov/ondcppubs/publications/enforce/border/state.html) the NBRF is a Mexican program that was not "shut down" but from 1992 until 1996 declined U.S. funding. Your command of the facts is underwhelming.

[DJ Taylor]

“Your command of the facts is underwhelming.”

During the early 90s, DEA Operation Snowcap’s drug interdiction operations were by CADENCE (Central America Drug Enforcement Center) Teams based in Guatemala City, Guatemala where DEA intercepted drug flights that originated in South America and were tracked by radar as they flew up the coast toward the U.S. As these flights flew by Guatemala, DEA CADENCE Teams “shadowed” them in UH-1H Hueys flown by retired U.S. Army pilots who worked for Dynacorp on a State Department contract. If the target aircraft turned and landed in Guatemala, DEA CADENCE Teams would set down around it, seized the aircraft and arrested the pilots.

If the target aircraft bypassed Guatemala and continued on to Mexico, it was picked up by a NBRF (Northern Border Response Force) Team composed of Mexican Federal Police and DEA Agents would “shadow” the target aircraft in either an Aero Commander 500 (West Coast) or a King Air 350 (East Coast) flown by Mexican Federal (MEXFED) Police pilots. The MEXFED pilot would approach the target aircraft from the rear in total darkness with lights out on both aircraft and tuck the nose of the aircraft right up under the tail of the target aircraft. This was done to keep the reception party on the ground from hearing two aircraft above them and warning the target aircraft of our presence. In total darkness, NBRF Teams would land directly behind this target aircraft on a dirt road in Northern Mexico, seize the aircraft and arrest the pilots, usually after a brisk firefight.

This could get a little more interesting when working the West Coast and using the Aero Commander because the pilot would have to shut down the left (port) engine while landing so agents could make a quick exit upon landing and the aircraft was still moving. As you probably know, the left engine on an Aero Commander is right outside the only door on the aircraft and you can neither board nor depart the aircraft while the left engine is running. So, just to add to the excitement the NBRF Team would land on a dirt road in total darkness close behind the target aircraft and do it with the left engine shut down.

On November 7, 1991 an NBRF Team in the King Air landed behind a target aircraft one night near Vera Cruz and found out too late that the landing site was secured by a company of Mexican Army Infantry. In the ensuing firefight, the seven man NBRF Team was overwhelmed after a long gun battle and those who were not killed outright were summarily executed on the orders of the local Mexican Army Commander, General Acevedo. Overhead was a U.S. Customs Citation aircraft that videoed the entire episode with an IR camera.

Fortunately, there were no American DEA NBRF Team members on this King Air simply because they were tied up in traffic getting to the airport and the King Air had to take off without them. If there had been Americans on this aircraft, the Mexican Army may not have dared to kill them, but that’s something we’ll never know.

The fall out from this incident was the Democrat controlled U.S. Congress found out DEA was accompanying MEXFEDS on these drug interdiction flights, said DEA was violating the “Advise and Assist” agreement the U.S. had with Mexico and shut down DEA participation in the NBRF interdiction program. General Acevedo then went on to become Mexico’s Minister of Interior.

There was a “show” trial conducted, several of General Acevedo’s low level Lieutenants were charged but acquitted, and the U.S. News Media was so busy getting Bill Clinton elected they didn’t have time to pay any attention to the incident’s aftermath and it was soon forgotten.

[ConservingFreedom]

My source is the federal Drug Czar - what's yours?

[DJ Taylor]

“My source is the federal Drug Czar - what’s yours?”

Eye witness.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzyOjiLOKdM

[ConservingFreedom]

I don't see in that video Congress saying the DEA was violating the “Advise and Assist” agreement the U.S. had with Mexico and shutting down DEA participation in the NBRF interdiction program. What's your source for that claim?

[DJ Taylor]

If you’re looking for a violent confrontation, look elsewhere. I’m through with you.

[ConservingFreedom]

You fear "violence" over the Internet? Go find a dry pair of pants.

If I want facts rather than unsupported claims, I will look elsewhere than to you.

[atomic_dog]

Odd since I have never used drugs and, in fact, abstain totally from alcohol. Perhaps because I was around then and did not use drugs I do recall how the GOPe dragged us into the "war on drugs."

Here's a clue: Nixon declares War on Drugs

Take two, they're free: Rockefeller drug laws.

[ConservingFreedom]

What he alleges Clinton to have started is the dismantling of the War on Drugs - the problem being that even the Drug Czar's office contradicts his unsourced account.