Oh wait…
The Obama administration's new drug czar says he wants to banish the idea that the U.S. is fighting "a war on drugs," a move that would underscore a shift favoring treatment over incarceration in trying to reduce illicit drug use.In summary, all that well really change is the rhetoric behind counternarcotics efforts. How quaint.
In his first interview since being confirmed to head the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, Gil Kerlikowske said Wednesday the bellicose analogy was a barrier to dealing with the nation's drug issues.
"Regardless of how you try to explain to people it's a 'war on drugs' or a 'war on a product,' people see a war as a war on them," he said. "We're not at war with people in this country."
Love him or leave him, I’ll leave the last word to the late comedian Bill Hicks (language NSFW):
(Hat tip: Wonkette).
Online Sources- Wonkette, Wall Street Journal, Dailymotion
2 comments:
At least it is a step in the right direction. I don't believe progress, however small, is very "quaint." I think it is realistic and more tenable strategy.
I agree with the change in strategy if (and that's a mighty big "if") it actually does occur. Scrapping the title "war on drugs" without meaningfully changing it's focus is simply rhetoric. Maybe I'm to cynical, but with counternarcotics policy being so politicized I have a hunch that ultimately the greatest change will be the use of euphamisms.
I earnestly hope I'm wrong.
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