This article discusses the U.S. government's ongoing war on drugs, specifically the use of military force and extrajudicial executions in Latin America and Mexico to combat drug cartels. The author, Radley Balko, argues that this approach is counterproductive and has led to numerous human rights abuses and unnecessary deaths.
Balko highlights several examples of the U.S. government's involvement in these operations, including:
1. The Air Bridge Denial Program, which targeted planes carrying marijuana from Mexico.
2. The killing of Roni Spruill and Charity Bowers, two innocent women who were mistakenly identified as smugglers.
3. The Trump administration's use of executive orders to claim the power to invade countries in pursuit of fighting drug trafficking.
Balko also notes that the U.S. government has a long history of supporting authoritarian regimes and engaging in extrajudicial killings, including:
1. The support for the Taliban in Afghanistan during the Bush administration.
2. The involvement of the CIA in the overthrow of democratically elected governments in countries like Iran and Chile.
The author concludes by arguing that the U.S. government's approach to fighting drug trafficking is misguided and has had devastating consequences for human rights and democracy.
Throughout the article, Balko emphasizes the importance of press freedom and holding those in power accountable for their actions. He also highlights the need for a more nuanced approach to addressing the root causes of the drug trade, such as poverty and inequality.
The article includes several quotes from experts and politicians, including Sen. Rand Paul, who challenges the Trump administration's use of extrajudicial killings and militarized approaches to combatting drug trafficking.
Overall, this article provides a critical examination of the U.S. government's approach to fighting drug trafficking and highlights the need for a more human rights-based approach that prioritizes education, economic development, and community-led initiatives over militarized solutions.
Balko highlights several examples of the U.S. government's involvement in these operations, including:
1. The Air Bridge Denial Program, which targeted planes carrying marijuana from Mexico.
2. The killing of Roni Spruill and Charity Bowers, two innocent women who were mistakenly identified as smugglers.
3. The Trump administration's use of executive orders to claim the power to invade countries in pursuit of fighting drug trafficking.
Balko also notes that the U.S. government has a long history of supporting authoritarian regimes and engaging in extrajudicial killings, including:
1. The support for the Taliban in Afghanistan during the Bush administration.
2. The involvement of the CIA in the overthrow of democratically elected governments in countries like Iran and Chile.
The author concludes by arguing that the U.S. government's approach to fighting drug trafficking is misguided and has had devastating consequences for human rights and democracy.
Throughout the article, Balko emphasizes the importance of press freedom and holding those in power accountable for their actions. He also highlights the need for a more nuanced approach to addressing the root causes of the drug trade, such as poverty and inequality.
The article includes several quotes from experts and politicians, including Sen. Rand Paul, who challenges the Trump administration's use of extrajudicial killings and militarized approaches to combatting drug trafficking.
Overall, this article provides a critical examination of the U.S. government's approach to fighting drug trafficking and highlights the need for a more human rights-based approach that prioritizes education, economic development, and community-led initiatives over militarized solutions.
The US is literally supporting these cartels by funding their operations & then pretending to fight them lol what a joke 
the lack of press freedom there is insane I mean where's the accountability for all these human rights abuses? The fact that innocent women like Roni & Charity got killed by mistake is just devastating 
and dont even get me started on the CIA's involvement in overthrows its like they think they can just play god & control everyone's lives 
we need more education, economic development & community-led initiatives over just bombing people into submission 
I'm really worried about how our leaders are handling the war on drugs in Latin America and Mexico... I mean, I've read some crazy stories from my mates who have traveled there - innocent people getting killed or 'disappeared' because of a mistaken ID. It's just not right 
. And to think that it's been going on for years, with US politicians justifying it as necessary to take down the cartels... it's like they're ignoring the real issues at play - poverty, inequality, lack of opportunities... you can't just bomb your way out of those problems 
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all these extrajudicial killings and military operations are just causing more problems than solutions. I mean, what about the innocent people who get caught in the crossfire? 
It's time for a change, we need to focus on addressing the root causes of addiction and poverty, not just throwing more guns at the problem 
. And let's not forget about the super cool Air Bridge Denial Program, where they get to deny planes carrying marijuana from Mexico... because that's exactly what our borders need, more denial 
. Meanwhile, Roni Spruill and Charity Bowers are just collateral damage in the game of "War on Drugs" 
. And have you heard about the Trump admin's executive orders? Because it sounds like they're trying to invade countries or something 
... but hey, at least they're consistent, right? 
I'm so done with the US gov'ts war on drugs 
like Roni & Charity, those two women who got mistaken for smugglers 
it's just not right! 
and have you seen the numbers? thousands of ppl killed or detained by the military & police 
it's a total mess! 
And what's with the whole "war on drugs" concept 
isn't that just a fancy way of saying we need to control our own citizens? 
The fact that they're using executive orders to invade other countries is just wild 
, it's like they're just dumping more bombs on a country already dealing with enough issues. I mean, come on, you can't just invade another country to fight a war on weed 
. It's not that simple. We should be focusing on the real problems, like poverty and inequality, rather than throwing good money after bad 
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, like it's some kind of game 
. Newsflash: there ain't no winning in this situation 
. We need to start asking some tough questions and demanding answers from our leaders, not just swallowing whatever BS they feed us 
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#HumanRightsMatter. This article is so on point, it's like they're speaking straight to my soul 
#TruthToPower.