Drug War fuels violence, Obama officials fail to say

So I’m browsing the news about all these high-level officials going to Mexico to solve the violence problem there…

AP headline: Obama officials say US drug demand fuels violence

Hmmm…Must be a mistake by the headline writer. Surely he meant to say that the drug war fuels violence. It’s probably clarified in the article.

Let’s see what Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had to say.

Clinton said the administration is “looking at everything that can work” to combat the drug cartels.

Excellent.

But when asked by a reporter whether that included considering decriminalizing narcotics in the United States, she replied with a single word: “No.”

Well, of course. And then I’m sure she went on to say…

“No. Decriminalization is not a proper solution, because it leaves the cartels in charge. The only real solution is full legalization and regulation, so we can re-claim the controls from the criminal element.”

But apparently, if she did say that, if failed to get reported.

Instead we got…

A cast of senior U.S. security officials pledged long-term support for Mexico’s drug war while acknowledging Tuesday that an insatiable U.S. appetite for illegal narcotics, coupled with a flow of U.S. arms into Mexico, is at the core of the problem.

And the solution?

Clinton said the administration would make public very shortly a new drug policy and that it would include strategies for reducing drug demand.

Ah, a new policy. Well, maybe not a new policy. It’ll still be prohibition. But maybe with some lipstick.

Could she be referring to the new National Drug Control Strategy, which was supposed to be unveiled today by Vice President Biden and Drug Czar Kerlikowske? They were sending out press advisories about it yesterday.

WASHINGTON – Tomorrow, Tuesday, March 23, at 2:00 PM ET, Vice President Biden and Drug Control Director Gil Kerlikowske, along with several Cabinet Secretaries, will lay out the Administration’s inaugural National Drug Control Strategy, which establishes five-year goals for reducing drug use and its consequences through a balanced policy of prevention, treatment, and international cooperation. This event will take place in the Roosevelt Room. The Vice President and Director Kerlikowske will deliver remarks. These remarks will be pooled press.

And yet, that oddly got changed to: **THIS EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED TO A LATER DATE.

Don’t know why. Could it be that they didn’t have it quite together? Or could it be the lipstick was showing?

Curious.

(Yes, of course, it was because the health care bill is a big f**king deal. Kerlikowske is actually in Mexico with Clinton.)