CAPSULE COMMENTARY: “$1 Billion to Columbia”

“Amidst much fanfare, the U.S. government is committing more than $1 billion to the drug war in Colombia. Wow — that should finally bring victory in the decades-long drug war! Why didn’t somebody think of this before? But weren’t we told the same thing several years ago when the goal was breaking up the Cali drug cartel in Colombia? Well, the cartel was destroyed, and what was the result? Apparently not good because why would we now have to be sending another $1 billion in American taxpayer funds to Colombia? The truth is that once the Cali cartel was destroyed, more suppliers entered the market to capitalize on the exorbitant black-market drug profits. It’s the same thing that happened in Panama after the U.S. invaded to capture Noriega. Everyone knows that another $1 billion won’t do anything to stem the tide of drugs. This war is indeed about money — $1 billion in legalized bribes in the pockets of Colombian politicians and bureaucrats that will ensure their loyalty to U.S. government officials.”