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Libertarian
Party...
War on Drugs leads to
gun smuggling nightmare
WASHINGTON - According to CBS, the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,
Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has been involved in undercover
operations to smuggle high-powered weapons into Mexico, probably as
some sort of tracking operation. Now many of those weapons are in the
hands of ruthless drug traffickers, which they are using to intimidate
and kill people.
Libertarian Party chair Mark Hinkle issued this statement today:
“This is another sad chapter in the long story of the terribly
destructive War on Drugs. Now our own government is apparently involved
in smuggling weapons to drug lords in Mexico. This story is as bizarre
as it is depressing.
“The War on Drugs has caused far more death and destruction than it has
prevented. The War on Drugs is a failure in almost every measurable
way. The War on Drugs should end.
“It’s becoming more and more unclear whether the U.S. government even
wants the violence to decrease. More drug violence means more jobs for
federal drug agents. More drug arrests mean more jobs for prison
construction and management contractors. There are a lot of people
whose income depends on a big, thriving, unsuccessful War on Drugs.
“If the War on Drugs were halted, there would no longer be any such
thing as ‘drug trafficking.’ Violence in Mexico would decrease very
dramatically, as drug lords would quickly go out of business.
“A lot of liberals and libertarians were hoping that President Obama
and a Democratic Congress might at least tone down the War on Drugs,
but they have done nothing of the kind. They have kept this war going
as strong as ever.
“It looks like those of us opposed to the War on Drugs can forget about
help from the Democratic Party. Only the Libertarian Party will fight
to end the misguided, wasteful, and destructive War on Drugs.
“One of the things that saddens me is that our foolish and unjust drug
laws are leading to the deaths of thousands of Mexican citizens. Those
Mexicans can’t vote in our elections to change our drug laws -- they
just have to wait and hope they aren’t the drug lord’s next victim.
“We Libertarians call for an end to the War on Drugs: an end to federal
prohibition of the possession and sale of narcotics. Would that lead to
increased drug abuse? It’s hard to know -- probably not much -- but
nothing could be worse than the death and destruction our government
has unleashed with its War on Drugs.”
For more information, or to arrange an interview, call LP Executive
Director Wes Benedict at 202-333-0008 ext. 222.
The LP is America’s third-largest political party, founded in 1971. The
Libertarian Party stands for free markets, civil liberties, and peace.
You can find more information on the Libertarian Party at our website.
Read it with links at Libertarian Party
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