Life, Liberty & The Pursuit of Happiness

Lesson from years past

by Reena Kapoor

Today is the day 75 years ago when Prohibition or the ban on alcohol was lifted.  The country celebrated this liberation as news stations reported with bated breath on how the lifting of this ban would help the economy, increase jobs etc. The problems created by Prohibition were predictable and include the creation of a very powerful Mafia funded by an extremely profitable business. Anybody who takes history seriously must wonder about the parallels to the current War on Drugs (I use CAPS on purpose) - a war we're losing and can expect to continue to lose;  a war that funds the mafia not just in the US but all over the world and now even funds terrorism (opium farming in Afghanistan) and has resulted in over-crowded jails and making criminals out of citizens who do not infringe on anyone else's liberties and rights. SO on this 75th anniversary, I ask, when will we learn?

FARCical drug war

by Anurag Wadehra

The recent drama surrounding the stunning rescue of Ingrid Betancourt and other hostages from FARC captivity in Colombia has riveted the media. It is well understood that FARC, Colombia's left-wing guerrilla group, has strong ties to drug trafficking cartels and coca field owners. In fact, U.S. has given Colombia $5.5 billion in mostly military aid over the last seven years, with the hope to reduce such trafficking.

While this media attention on Uribe's clean up of the FARC network is well directed, it has diverted attention from the deeper issue stated by Ibsen Martinez FARConomics

Here is the big paradox: While FARC's terrorist activity is ostensibly in a steep downturn, their partners "the coca cartels" are living their best times. Reduced participation in FARC has not resulted in reduced drug trafficking.

[This interesting report was written by an American reporter in Colombia.]