So I was thinking. We have this war on drugs which is an official war. If you were to work for the DEA or in vice for the cops should you be eligible for veterans benefits? And I understand the war on drugs is different then Iraq and Afgan, but in Mexico and some parts of the US its not and is just as dangerous. I know of numerous neighborhoods in FL, CA, and NY the police won't even enter.

 

Yes, I believe people (FBI, CIA, DEA, US Customs, Border Patrol, Police) actively engaged in the war on drugs should be compensated for their injuries.

 

No, only the military branch at the moment is eligible for the VA benefits.

The entire WoD is a money sink that hasn't shown results on the streets, as you point out with the "no mans land" areas of some cities.

 

If you are so unlucky to take a bullet, it should not matter where the bullet came from. Iraq, Afghanistan, Mexico or local. You are still shoot, in the line of duty...

Perhaps the mental stress is bigger in Iraq or Afghanistan, so the trauma is bigger. I believe its not a 9-17 job in those countries.

 

The War on Drugs was never a war as defined by the constitution. Don't think it can be either.

I truly believe the War on Terror wouldn't pass constitutional muster either.

 

No. A state of war can only exist between two governmental entities. We can declare war on the state of Lower Slobovia, but not on Osama bin Laden. He is merely an international criminal. In essence, we are engaged in a police action against his gang.

 

Well what about the cartels and organized crime syndicates that are on the opposing side of "the war" For instance Chappa Guzman? Or something like that has a been running the TJ Cartel for nearly 25 years. Thats 1 guy controlling an army, police, and massive amounts of drugs. The drug war is nearly spilling over the border where we may see more real violence here in the US. Wouldn't that be eligible to declare war on? Especially when you have a foriegn leadership that clearly has gov ties and protection? What makes me mad is the Cartels are even moving into our national park to grow high grade pot. They litterally have illegals living in the woods growing fields of pot in US parks. Its just getting insane. So what about a war on the cartels and not a war on drugs. Do you think that would be winnable? Like Pablo? Drugs really wouldn't be so bad if it were controlled in the back room by gov's. Almost setting restrictions like Bolivia's pres. wants to do. I dunno I just read lots of mexican narco news and its so scary how fast this is elevating.

 

If you study history you will see it is repeating itself. Why do you think the FBI was formed? I'm not sure about Interpol, but I suspect it would also apply in this case.

 

Well what about the cartels and organized crime syndicates that are on the opposing side of "the war" For instance Chappa Guzman? Or something like that has a been running the TJ Cartel for nearly 25 years. Thats 1 guy controlling an army, police, and massive amounts of drugs. The drug war is nearly spilling over the border where we may see more real violence here in the US. Wouldn't that be eligible to declare war on? Especially when you have a foriegn leadership that clearly has gov ties and protection? What makes me mad is the Cartels are even moving into our national park to grow high grade pot. They litterally have illegals living in the woods growing fields of pot in US parks. Its just getting insane. So what about a war on the cartels and not a war on drugs. Do you think that would be winnable? Like Pablo? Drugs really wouldn't be so bad if it were controlled in the back room by gov's. Almost setting restrictions like Bolivia's pres. wants to do. I dunno I just read lots of mexican narco news and its so scary how fast this is elevating.

They can't declare war on Mexico for the same reason they can't declare war in the middle east. Foreign affairs. Even though the Mexican gov't is corrupt, and those who aren't corrupt end up dead, if we declared war on the cartels, it would be war with Mexico.

In the Middle East, it is a 50/50 thing, we aren't trying to gain territories, the stated goal I've read is "removing terrorist camps", though I haven't seen much progress there. Soldiers are on the hearts and minds part now, mostly teaching/helping how to plant corn crops instead of opium, so a bit of the war on drugs crossbreed with war on terror.

I don't exactly support wars on ideas. In the 20's and 30's, it was "War against Alcohol", then "War against Gangsters". Then WW II, Korea, Vietnam, the Balkans (Yugoslavia, Bosnia), now the middle east. The US hasn't gone a decade without some form of war for a century.

Orwell's 1984 (1948, Book, Not movie), and Huxley's Brave New World (1932, Book, Not movie), were quite prophetic about this.

 

Well I guess the point I'm making is the opposition to the war on drugs is elevating past the point of criminal vs cop. Where we know the drug kingpins and they are on Forbes list of top 60 most powerful people in the world and we seem to be able to do nothing about it. Believe me I'm not against drugs. That may sound weird but I think many of them should be legal. That being said I'm more upset that these terrorist are taking over the whole industry at almost a corporate level, virtually creating a drug version of wallmart. Plus they have over run almost all US drug mnf., and dealers. With the exception of about half the high grade marijuana is produced inside the US by Americans where the money goes back into the community. All other drug money is leaving this country. I know that sounds weird but thats what makes me maddest about the whole thing.

PS all my knowledge and insperation about this topic spawns from watching that border wars show and I also started reading the Blog del Narco. All the cartel news is not aired because they kill the journalist so the only form of info is web based blogs and reports. This is a quite graphic site and doesn't suger coat it. It just blows my mind all this is going on just over the border of TX and many of these guys are US citizens so they can come over the border legally any time they want. For instance they just caught a kid thats 14 years old and has commited over 300 hits. He even had a drug lord name like El Panchiono or something. He even used his sisters as accomplisses. And the scariest part is he'll get sentenced to like 8 years in prison.