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Brazil's "War on Drugs" is looking more like a real war

http://news.myway.com/top/article/id/415834|top|07-19-2004::11:49|reuters.html

Quote:

BRASILIA, Brazil (Reuters) - Brazil is set to start shooting down aircraft suspected of smuggling drugs across its jungles in 90 days, now that it issued a controversial new law on Monday after a six year delay.

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's signature on the law, which was approved by Congress in 1998, has prompted Washington to warn that it could curtail anti-drug cooperation with Brazil if it concludes there are not sufficient precautions to satisfy U.S. law.

Publication of the measure in the government's official diary on Monday starts a 90-day clock at the end of which it goes into effect.

Brazilian Defense Minister Jose Viegas has said the law is necessary to curb constant incursions by drug traffickers from neighboring countries into Brazil.

Brazil is a major transit nation and a big market itself for cocaine from Colombia and Peru. The drug trade is fueling gang violence in Brazilian cities.

Brazilian officials estimate there are more than 4,000 unregistered small aircraft flying over the Amazon jungle, a remote area larger than the continental United States.

The rule said an aircraft would only be shot down by Brazilian fighters as a "last resort" and a series of steps would be taken before the decision is taken to open fire.

The controversy grew after Peru accidentally shot down a small plane in 2001, killing an American missionary and her child.

Brazil has its own radar tracking devices and fighter jets to carry out its plans. But it would benefit from information from the United States, which currently shares with Brazil details such as departures of suspect planes.

Brazilian fighter pilots would only fire at suspect aircraft if they refuse to identify themselves, do not land and fail to respond to warning shots, at which point they would be "considered hostile and subject to destruction," according to the published law.

It said planes would only be shot down in areas where there are no population centers and where there are "routes presumably used by drug traffickers."

I already have issues with excessive use of military equipment in the "War on Drugs," and I think this is going too far. I'm sure that some sort of tragic accident will bring about the end of this policy at some point.

Brazil is far different from anything I know. They have gun fights in the streets almost daily. Police don't just carry pistols, they carry assault rifles. It's not if they get into a fight, it's when. Some tragic accident won't bring a stop to this policy, it is a true war down there.

If the drug lords have their own private armies, and are doing all kinds of nasty things to the government and locals, I see no reason not to do this. Whether you like it or not, this *is* a war.

Or, to put it in a more moderate way: what would YOU do to stop the drug barons??? And I don't mean only in the long term, I mean tangible solutions that'll work *now*.

I've heard that Rio De Jinero has somewhere in the neighborhood of 14 murders a day, almost all of them drug related. It really is a scary place.

I think this policy is fine, it's not like they're blowing random planes out of the sky. Like Dragonlich said, the drug lords are doing acts far worse than the government, it's just an response to gain parity with the big problems they've been having.

Quote:

Originally posted by Dragonlich
Or, to put it in a more moderate way: what would YOU do to stop the drug barons??? And I don't mean only in the long term, I mean tangible solutions that'll work *now*.

I feel that the best way to stop the illegal drug industry quickly is the legalization, regulation, and taxation of growing and selling these drugs in the areas where they are consumed. After people can be open about drug use and not need to fear that their drugs will be cut with something more harmful, then the focus can be shifted to rehabilitating those who have fallen victim to addiction.

This won't solve the violence problems in countries like Columbia, Brazil, etc. The crime syndicates will turn to other ventures to make their money.

I'm glad it's getting some use somewhere- because here in the states, the term "War on Drugs" is laughable bullshit. It's a waste of millions upon millions of dollars- and that's not factoring in the profits that could be made from its legalization and taxation. Dumbasses in politics.