Could it happen in DR? - Drug Cartels Target Mexican Military

I don't think it would happen as is happening in Mexico. Here's a main reason why: the US would come to the rescue with a Plan Colombia style program to prop-up DR's anti narcotic forces.

CFA123 said:

Of course, someone suggested to me a little while ago that here in DR they'd be battling the drug war within their own ranks if they did so.

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Not 'would be'. 'Are'. Have you been following the number of 'good guy' military & police who have met untimely ends recently? Including some dying in mysterious circumstances before they even take up their new appointments:
El Nacional, la voz de todos

And don't forget the politicos of course................

The papers usually have the spin which they're told to put when these things happen. But the rest of us aren't blind. Remember the Fiscal killed in Sosua...........?

what is happening in DR is several levels milder than what's going on in Mexico, which is itself alevel below what's going on in Colombia.

from the article above:

The drug trade is all-powerful in Mexico. Analysts estimate that cartels here make between $10 billion and $30 billion selling cocaine, heroin, marijuana and methamphetamine to the U.S. market, rivaling Mexico's revenues from oil exports and tourism. The gangs also make billions through robbery, kidnapping and extortion of businesses and would-be migrants.

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Of course, someone suggested to me a little while ago that here in DR they'd be battling the drug war within their own ranks if they did so.

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Thats a big problem in Mexico; It goes by the name of Los Zetas.

Here's a summary, centered around the different players, of what's taking place in Mexico,

http://www.stratfor.com/products/premium/read_article.php?id=288017&selected=Analyses

Here's a summary, centered around the different players, of what's taking place in Mexico,

http://www.stratfor.com/products/premium/read_article.php?id=288017&selected=Analyses

Stratfor

Instead of spending money on Plan Colombia, the US should work on helping Americans to eliminate addiction for drugs...that?s the ONLY WAY to end the drug cartels.

So.............

all those people arrested in/or on their way to Madrid, Amsterdam, etc., were really on their way to America with the drugs? Interesting!

Your logic is the same thinking many Dominicans have suggested to me to stop the flow of drugs through their country. However, eliminating addiction in America will not eliminate it in the rest of the world and by extension will not eliminate the drug cartels. It is, after all, about the money. I suggest to you that one of the fastest growing consumers of illegal drugs is now China.


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2

Funnyyale26 said:

Instead of spending money on Plan Colombia, the US should work on helping Americans to eliminate addiction for drugs...that?s the ONLY WAY to end the drug cartels.

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playacaribe2 said:

a. I suggest to you that one of the fastest growing consumers of illegal drugs is now China. Respectfully, Playacaribe2

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Respectfully, Playacaribe2, but you know nothing about drug use or traficking in China....

Funnyyale, is right on the money, actually, he hit the nail right on the ?ouch!!! ...finger ?;-) If you've gone to college, then you would know from Economics 101 that basic market laws establish that without consumption there?s no demand, and by lowering demand, you reduce production. All the US military bases, sophisticated radars, DEA offices installed in every Latin American country has nothing to do with drug interdiction. The real purpose of the US "war on drugs" is to intervene in the internal affairs of Latin American countries. While the US smokes, shoots, pops, etc., their drugs, we suffer the bloodshed, the generalized corruption and social decomposition brought about by the US illegal drug adiction and habits. Then why doesn't the US use all those resources to protect and impede drug movement within their own borders?...

playacaribe2 said:

all those people arrested in/or on their way to Madrid, Amsterdam, etc., were really on their way to America with the drugs? Interesting!

Your logic is the same thinking many Dominicans have suggested to me to stop the flow of drugs through their country. However, eliminating addiction in America will not eliminate it in the rest of the world and by extension will not eliminate the drug cartels. It is, after all, about the money. I suggest to you that one of the fastest growing consumers of illegal drugs is now China.


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2

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Yes, but americans are the ones that consume the most..2/3 of the drugs goes to America. If the US doesnt want drugs in their territory, maybe American politicians should fund the DR, Haiti, Mexico or any country that serves as intermediary for drugs to get shipped there because its very easy for them to blame us for their drug problem but they pretty much only help Colombia. If not, they should just legalize it.

Funnyyale26 said:

Instead of spending money on Plan Colombia, the US should work on helping Americans to eliminate addiction for drugs...that?s the ONLY WAY to end the drug cartels.

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Easier said than done. you would have to ban all popular music first - "drugs, sex and rock and roll". Hey don't forget about rap nor Hollywood either.

I honestly don't know what the solution is other than I know it's not the legalization of drugs, that's for sure.

As far as the DR is concerned, if the US feels that there is an inordinate amount of increase in the drug supporting infrastructure they WILL get involved.

In fact I was sent here in '99 to do a project for the DEA to build military barracks for the DNCD in various locations. funding never went through though but I doubt it would take much interest to get it rolling again.

Mirador said:

The real purpose of the US "war on drugs" is to intervene in the internal affairs of Latin American countries. While the US smokes, shoots, pops, etc., their drugs, we suffer the bloodshed, the generalized corruption and social decomposition brought about by the US illegal drug adiction and habits. Then why doesn't the US use all those resources to protect and impede drug movement within their own borders?...

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I am a she

Hmmm you are right on that..no one can convince me, there are SERIOUS reasons as to why its convenient for the US government to keep things are they are. Look at what?s going on in northern Ecuador, and the sad part is that I bet that the average American doesn?t have a clue.

I am for the legalization, in some contexts: countries like Bolivia and Peru its indigenous population has been using coca for centuries (for both relieving sickness from high altitudes and for ceremonial purposes) and also drug in small amount is good for cancer patients to relieve pain from harsh medication.

Funnyyale26 said:

I am a she

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More power to you!!!... ;-)

Funnyyale26 said:

I am a she

Hmmm you are right on that..no one can convince me, there are SERIOUS reasons as to why its convenient for the US government to keep things are they are. Look at what?s going on in northern Ecuador, and the sad part is that I bet that the average American doesn?t have a clue.

I am for the legalization, in some contexts: countries like Bolivia and Peru its indigenous population has been using coca for centuries (for both relieving sickness from high altitudes and for ceremonial purposes) and also drug in small amount is good for cancer patients to relieve pain from harsh medication.

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FYI just because the US government fails in whatever policy it implements, even though they spend billions and have the most technology or any country and the most advanced military DOESN'T mean that it is always a conspiracy - it is usually just plain, yes plain and boring FAILURE - that simple.

Furthermore, just because the US government has trillions of dollars to spend on stuff doesn't mean that the un-informed representatives throwing money every which way have any idea to actually GET the results they so earnestly desire.

Case in point - drug use. The US dearly desires to eradicate the drug problem and spend trillions of dollars on international and domestic programs to eradicate it. HOW CAN THIS BE A CONSPIRACY????? The problem is that they are almost doomed to failure becasue they don't realize that the big part of the problem is Hollywood and popular music that promote this stuff. Growing up kids want to smoke pot and do drugs amongst other things because all the major bands do it and it is in all of the movies.

If people want the drug problem to go away here in the DR, the US or wherever they have to prohibit it's glamourization in popular culture, end of story. Will that ever happen - I don't see how - becasue after all we are in a free country and I don't see how it would ever get popular support so it may just be one of those unfortunate side effects of a free society.

Also, I'm just so surprised that people are so misled and hoodwinked by hollywood into thinking that the capabilities of the US government are so advanced or that the conspiracies are so entrenched and involve so many people. Earth to people - that is fantasy!

As far as the legalization of drugs for certain purposes, many already are for medical purposes.

CFA123 said:

Place blame for the situation wherever you like. U.S., Europe, or little green men driving the market buying drugs on behalf of Elvis who we all know they have secluded on planet Alpha Feta in the Banana quadrant.

Regardless of blame, it's a problem that seems to have more & more impact on the DR.

To redirect the thread back toward my original intent:

Having such recent history to study as Colombia and Mexico with the escalation of drug lords' wealth/power and the costs to battle them once they've reached that point... shouldn't DR do everything possible and seek any and all assistance to avoid following down a similar path? Or, nevermind, just worry about it ma?ana?

Seems a lot better to pay the price now instead of later. Shift the traffickers transit paths elsewhere since you're not going to curtail the demand.

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Like I said in my previous post the DEA is very much involved and even has feet on the ground here.

When the problem gets to the necessary "irritating" level, Washington will get involved in advancing the drug-combatting infrastructure here. It is just not happening yet because they have their plates quite full now.

You make up your own mind and draw your own conclusions...

Breaking news!!!

DiarioLibre

A british military helicopter (most probably amphibian...) has just picked up 360 kilograms of cocaine, packed in 30 kilogram bails, thrown into the sea by an ?unidentified? airplane, at a spot about 40 kilometers SE of Barahona (coordinates: 17.44 North and 70.43 West). The British helicopter was later assisted by local DNCD vessels who managed to arrest several ?unwary and innocent fishermen? in the zone who were immediately handed over to the custody of a US DEA vessel (who also happened to be in the scene (17.44 North and 70.43 West) )?

Mirador wrote: The real purpose of the US "war on drugs" is to intervene in the internal affairs of Latin American countries.

Bollycock! - man Mirador I'm really surprised that a peson of you're intelligence can believe stuff like this


While the US smokes, shoots, pops, etc., their drugs, we suffer the bloodshed, the generalized corruption and social decomposition brought about by the US illegal drug adiction and habits. Then why doesn't the US use all those resources to protect and impede drug movement within their own borders?...

What resources Mirador? Are there major coco leaf growing operations in the US that have there own army, police force, buildings, roads and airports that answer to no one - oh brother!!!!

the US spends a lot of time and money and LIVES combatting drugs in the US - sometimes when things go wrong in the world it is not planned(ie conspiracy) it is just plain and boring failure - end of story!

Mirador:

While you may agree that "Funnyyale, is right on the money," eliminating drug addiction in America (however far fetched that idea may be) will not, in my opinion, eliminate the drug cartels. That was the point of her statement and I respectfully disagreed. Drug cartels existed long before America came into being.


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2

Mirador said:

Respectfully, Playacaribe2, but you know nothing about drug use or traficking in China....

Funnyyale, is right on the money, actually, he hit the nail right on the ?ouch!!! ...finger ?;-) If you've gone to college, then you would know from Economics 101 that basic market laws establish that without consumption there?s no demand, and by lowering demand, you reduce production. All the US military bases, sophisticated radars, DEA offices installed in every Latin American country has nothing to do with drug interdiction. The real purpose of the US "war on drugs" is to intervene in the internal affairs of Latin American countries. While the US smokes, shoots, pops, etc., their drugs, we suffer the bloodshed, the generalized corruption and social decomposition brought about by the US illegal drug adiction and habits. Then why doesn't the US use all those resources to protect and impede drug movement within their own borders?...

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