U.S. to blame for much of Mexico violence: Clinton

[denem]

Source: Reuters

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Wednesday that an "insatiable" appetite in the United States for illegal drugs was to blame for much of the violence plaguing Mexico.

"We are. How could anybody conclude any differently?" Clinton told reporters in response to a question during a flight to Mexico for a two-day visit likely to be dominated by a drug war that killed 6,300 people in Mexico last year.

Clinton's visit comes as Washington has announced plans to ramp up security on the increasingly dangerous U.S.-Mexico border. Fears are growing that the spiraling violence in Mexico will spill over into the southern United States.

"Our insatiable demand for illegal drugs fuels the drug trade. Our inability to prevent weapons from being illegally smuggled across the border to arm these criminals causes the death of police officers, soldiers and civilians," Clinton said. "I feel very strongly we have a co-responsibility."

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSTRE52O5RF20090325

---

I trust that such language, "insatiable demand for illegal drugs", does not precede a movement away from harm minimization that has been signaled in recent weeks.

[Matariki]

1. "..Clinton said on Wednesday that an Reuters in the United States for illegal drugs was to blame"

I think the author of that sentence was on illegal drugs...

[denem]

7. Heh. My error.

[onehandle]

2. Sounds more like we need to work harder to control the "insatiable demand."

Which I agree with.

Ok, secret DU looneytarians. Flame away.

[Runcible Spoon]

13. Oh I would just LOVE to hear your views on sex ed too.

:eyes:

[Fumesucker]

19. What about the "insatiable demand" for alcohol?

About 75% of Americans consume alcoholic beverages..

Why don't we control that?

[Demoiselle]

20. We do, for chrissakes. State stores, age limits, dry counties, good grief!

Control is different from outlaw. The US OUTLAWS drugs. The last time the US OUTLAWED booze, organized crime got itself organized.
The same thing is happening now, only the drugs of choice are pot, cocaine, heroin. So we're growing, on both sides of the border, a very healthy
organized crime syndicate...just with different drugs.

[Fumesucker]

22. It's a "looneytarian" meme that adults should be free to consume such drugs as they wish..

So your point about "controlling drugs" is a "looneytarian" one.

I took your post to mean that we should fight the drug war even more vigorously than has been heretofore done.

[DURHAM D]

3. You might want to fix your first paragraph. n/t

[denem]

5. Thanks. Fixed.

[redqueen]

4. Pour more money into the futile drug war... when it's illegal drugs that fuel the cartels.

Nice racket.

[GreenTea]

6. We ceratianly buy the drugs and supply the money & incentive.

[no_hypocrisy]

8. And our "insatiable appetite" for firearms and weapons.

Mexico has very restrictive laws on acquiring guns, rifles, firearms, pistols, etc. They get their armaments across the border in this country.

[Renew Deal]

11. Unfortunately they don't have very restrictive borders.

You can walk over and nobody says a word.

[Speaker]

49. our "insatiable appetite" for firearms and weapons.

So how does our appetite desire to give guns to others?

Mexico has very restrictive laws on acquiring guns, rifles, firearms, pistols, etc.
Yep, that's why there are so few gun deaths on the Mexican border.

They get their armaments across the border in this country.
Uhhhhh....No. No gangbanger is stupid enough to buy a semi-auto weapon from the US when thy can get a full rock and roll selective fire AK from the same guy they bought their dope from.

You Republican plants crack me up.

[slackmaster]

51. They get some of their armaments that way, but not the serious military ones

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-mexico-arms-race15-2009mar15,0,7497626,full.story

[a la izquierda]

9. Guns flow south too.

But don't tell that to gun folks. An AK-47 can't possibly fall into criminal hands in the US. :sarcasm:

[Speaker]

50. An AK-47 can't possibly fall into criminal hands in the US.

It hasn't happened yet.

You've never seen an AK-47.

You Republican plants crack me up.

[Renew Deal]

10. I wonder if that statement is going to catch heat.

It's pretty bold.

[Baby Snooks]

17. If not , this one will....

The drug cartels weren't a problem here until their customers came here. If they'd stayed in Mexico, the drug cartels would be selling the drugs in Mexico. And who invited them all here? Let's see. Ronald Reagan signed a bill into law to make it illegal to hire illegal immigrants. And first George HW Bush ignored the law. And then Bill Clinton ignored the law. Everyone loved the cheap labor. Until the bill arrived for their "health, education and welfare."

And now their drug dealers have arrived. But we, the Americans, are the cause of the problem with our insatiable appetite for illegal drugs. Where the Clintons are concerned, apparently it's our insatiable appetite for sado-masochism.

And of course, well, the drug trade is part of free trade. Remember NAFTA. And remember who promoted that as well.

?

As for legalizing drugs all that would do is legalize the drug trade and create a couple of more "ruling families" in Mexico feeding off the poor. Families that no one in Mexico wants.

[XemaSab]

42. Are you kidding?

Illegal Mexicans can't afford drugs.

AMERICANS of every color supply the market for cocaine, heroin, and so forth.

Don't blame the Mexicans for this.

[jimmil]

12. No better argument can be made

for the legalization of "drugs" in the US. Far more people have been killed by crime gangs, police, and federal agencies than by accidental deaths from drugs. I have long contended that the main reason drugs are not legalized is that there is too much money to be made on both sides of the fence, criminal and civil, to end this. The way to stop all the violence is to stop the economic incentives the selling of drugs brings. Once you have eliminated that there will be vastly less violence and death.

[Runcible Spoon]

14. Indeed.

sadly, given the puritanical view of many on DU towards drugs, I am not heartened that this would go far in the general populace either.

[christx30]

47. Well,

you know... The law is the law. And none should EVER question the law or defy it, no matter how bloody or pointless it is to keep trying to enforce it. It is ok for everyone to give up their rights and millions in tax dollars fighting this losing war. Why? Because it is the law.
:sarcasm:

[ncliberal]

15. Well said. nt

[azmesa207]

16. Clinton

says United States to blame for Violence Is just another way to disrespect Clinton .She never Said that she said Illegal drugs were to blame .

[wisteria]

18. Link? n/t

[ShortnFiery]

21. Want do decrease the violence? Legalize Marijuana in both countries.

Then you can focus on "cracking down" on the hard drugs. :thumbsup:

[Fumesucker]

23. Alcohol is a drug, one of the "hardest" ones in fact..

You can die from alcohol withdrawal, not so with opiates, that just makes you *wish* you were dead.

[Zhade]

24. Nah. It's that they're illegal that causes the problem.

How long until she connects the medically-proven beneficial plant marijuana to this bullshit, which is more about the failure of the WOD than anything else?

And why does it fail? Because PROHIBITION DOESN'T WORK.

[depakid]

25. Accepting some responsibility is smart diplomacy

Of course, the America über alles crowd won't like that- but thankfully for all of us, they're no longer running the show.

[David_NSU]

26. Clinton: U.S. drug habits fuel border violence

Source: MSNBC

MEXICO CITY - Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Wednesday that America's "insatiable" demand for illegal drugs and inability to stop weapons smuggling into Mexico are fueling an alarming spike in violence along the U.S.-Mexican border.

Clinton said the United States shares responsibility with Mexico for dealing with the violence. She said the administration will work with Mexican authorities to improve security on both sides of the border.

President Barack Obama himself said Tuesday that he wanted the U.S. to do more to prevent guns and cash from illicit drug sales from flowing across the border into Mexico. But Clinton's remarks appeared more forceful in recognizing the U.S. share of the blame. In the past, particularly under the Bush administration, Mexican official have complained that Washington never acknowledged the extent that the U.S. demand for drugs and weapons smuggling fuels the violence.

"I feel very strongly we have a co-responsibility," Clinton told reporters accompanying her to Mexico City a day after the Obama administration said it would send more money, technology and manpower to secure the Southwestern frontier and help Mexico battle the cartels.

"Our insatiable demand for illegal drugs fuels the drug trade," she said. "Our inability to prevent weapons from being illegally smuggled across the border to arm these criminals causes the deaths of police officers, soldiers and civilians."

Criminals are outgunning law enforcement officials, she said, referring to guns and military-style equipment like night vision goggles and body armor that the cartels are smuggling into Mexico from the United States.

"Clearly, what we have been doing has not worked and it is unfair for our incapacity ... to be creating a situation where people are holding the Mexican government and people responsible," Clinton said. "That's not right."

She said she would repeat her acknowledgment as loudly and as often as needed during her two-day visit to Mexico City and the northern industrial city of Monterrey during which she will brief Mexican officials on the administration's plans for the border and counter-narcotics aid to Mexico.


Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29875572/

---

This is a huge problem. While we examine ways to prohibit drugs and arms from entering the US, and to offset the violence this entails, we should also take a look at our laws regarding these matters. People in states like Oklahoma, Texas and others attempt to acquire simple drugs like Marijuana because it isn't available to them medicinally because of state and federal law. Although the Justice Department has stated it will not continue to raid the dispensaries. To know that something as harmless as Marijuana, being used medically outside of California, has costed countless lives of many innocent people and law enforcements officials is unacceptable. Other more harmful drugs definitely have no room in our society.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

27. Bite me, Hill... our laws are the problem, not our people

signed,

A well known DU Clinton supporter

[emilyg]

28. She's right.

[No Elephants]

31. Do mexican drug cartels and pushers cause addicts, or is it the other way round, or both?

[emilyg]

33. Our consumption makes them thrive.

[Fumesucker]

35. Completely back asswards..

It is our *laws* not our consumption which makes the cartels thrive.

The cartels could be put out of business in a single day with but the stroke of a pen.

Laws can be changed, human nature not so much.

[callous taoboy]

54. Exactly!

[No Elephants]

37. Addicts enable dealers to thrive, but addicts don't cause drug cartels. Blaming only the addict?

Not the whole story by any means.

[callous taoboy]

53. She's wrong. Drug use has been a human activity for eons, It is natural

for some among us to want to alter their reality. Brain research supports this.

[Plucketeer]

29. Our citizens deserve better.

We could stop the lunacy overnight. We take over bringing these drugs (all kinds) into the USA and hand them out to whoever (over age 18) wants them. Free! End of drug war and wasted treasure.

If you're stupid enough to partake, you do society a favor by removing yourself from the gene pool! We all win in thew end! :woohoo:

[emilyg]

34. What if the stupid removes

innocent people with him/her? I don't want someone high on drugs driving alongside of me.

[Fumesucker]

36. Eh, someone I know got arrested night before last for DUI drugs..

The "drugs" were completely legal and prescribed to them, they just took about ten times what they were supposed to.

They were driving about five miles per hour which is why they got stopped. When queried by the police they couldn't even speak coherently and the passenger in the car who was also partaking legally thought the dog in the car was the driver, seriously..

People think illegal drugs are uniquely able to cause people to act in irresponsible ways, this is so not the case that it's completely laughable.

[Plucketeer]

55. So then it's OK for some law enforcement type

to lose his life and or limb so that you can pretend there isn't an overarching problem? Outta sight, outta mind - that's a GOP approach! :crazy:

[pleah]

30. Legalize and you won't have that problem.

:eyes:

[kiranon]

56. Decriminalize and provide treatment. Agree with Sec. Clinton - we are the problem.

Let's fix it instead of criminalize it.

[askeptic]

32. Prohibition always has the same results

Violence resulted from prohibiting the drug alcohol, too. Maybe we should look at ending prohibition? Naw - too many drug warriors addicted to the drug war.

[OnionPatch]

38. So stop making small-time drug user into criminals.

And treat society for the ills that draw people to harder drugs in the first place.

I know many marijuana smokers who are productive citizens and law-abiding in every other way. They really resent being made into criminals for something less harmful than drinking alcohol. And for the hard drug users, there wouldn't be such a problem if we had less poverty, if people had more hope to live decent lives. Then there will always be those who are just addictive personalities, and there is treatment for that. There's no reason to waste all this time, money and lives on the "drug war." It's painful to witness such a pointless, wasteful, counter-productive effort.

[emilyg]

39. I lived in poverty at one time and

had my share of abuse. It did not make me take drugs.

[OnionPatch]

43. I lived in poverty too.

And I was not a drug addict but I knew a lot of people who seemed to cope with job loss and poverty by abusing drugs (and alcohol).

[AlphaCentauri]

40. Our consumerist culture and indoctrination it's responsible for our addictions

not only there is a insatiable appetite in the United States for illegal drugs, also for junk food, porno, clothes, autos, reality shows, movie star scandals..

[emilyg]

45. True and very sad.

[AlphaCentauri]

48. Sad and a Shame that we always find someone else to blame

but in this case good for Hillary that she is just recognizing were the problem stars

[XemaSab]

41. Good for her

:thumbsup:

[roody]

44. Legalize and treat drug addiction as a health issue.

Health care for all as well.

[EFerrari]

46. I wonder if insane financial deregulation and flaming NAFTA has anything to do with this, Hillary?

I'm 'way over the primaries but every now and then, man.

[SOS]

52. Tweaked quote....

"Our insatiable demand for high returns fuels the drug trade. Our inability to prevent Citibank from laundering drug money causes the death of police officers, soldiers and civilians," Clinton said. "I feel very strongly we have a co-responsibility."

[totodeinhere]

57. There is no excuse for the violence happening on the Mexican border.

Just because people in this country use drugs, which I agree they shouldn't, that does not excuse this type of violence. Nothing excuses violence, period. And it is wrong to supply illicit drugs to our children whether there is a demand for it or not. What Clinton said is a bunch of politically correct crap.