M. Simon – “The key to defeating a lot of the insurgencies around the world is to stop subsidizing them through prohibitions. Mexico and Afghanistan are the same problem in different geographic locations. The Drug War has turned into a real war. One we have been losing for a very long time. No surprise. You can’t solve a medical problem by police or military action.”

I think the problem goes beyond medical as well as military, involving psychology, ethics and politics. How can destructive drug usage be minimized? How far should government go to make it illegal? Should it support junkies “medical problems” with social services? I a freer world, the drug trade could run its course in its own sub-community. But as long as we’re a mixed managed economy, we’re already subsidizing drug use here and in turn insurgencies dependent on the trade.

Our influence in Mexico on its offense against drug growers is questionable. Colombia would be a closer analogy to Afghanistan, and it’s at least a partial success.

http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Colombia:+an+opportunity+for+lasting+success:+fact+sheet.-a0191999619

“In the late 1990s, Colombia was failing. Violence was rampant, citizens were fleeing the country, and the economy was plummeting. “[he United States and Colombia decided to work together to combat violence and instability. Since President Alvaro Uribe took office in 2002, security has improved dramatically. Homicides have dropped by 40%, kidnappings by 83%, and terrorist attacks by 76%. Over 31,000 paramilitary combatants and 10,000 guerrillas--mostly from the FARC and the National Liberation Army Noun 1. National Liberation Army - a Marxist terrorist group formed in 1963 by Colombian intellectuals who were inspired by the Cuban Revolution; responsible for a campaign of mass kidnappings and resistance to the government's efforts to stop the drug trade; "ELN (ELN Noun 1. ELN - a Marxist terrorist group formed in 1963 by Colombian intellectuals who were inspired by the Cuban Revolution; responsible for a campaign of mass kidnappings and resistance to the government's efforts to stop the drug trade; "ELN kidnappers target )--have demobilized. FARC guerrillas' top leadership has been disrupted, and the rank and file are deserting.

"Drug cartels have been dismantled, and Colombia has extradited over 700 drug traffickers--including 15 paramilitary leaders--to the United States. Cocaine production has fallen by a third, seizures of cocaine bound for the United States have more than doubled, and, while estimates differ, coca cultivation has declined since 2002. [Since 2001, cocaine production has fallen by a quarter. "--November Update] Interdiction INTERDICTION, civil law. A legal restraint upon a person incapable of managing his estate, because of mental incapacity, from signing any deed or doing any act to his own prejudice, without the consent of his curator or interdictor.

“…and eradication have kept an average of 400 metric tons per year of cocaine from reaching the United States. Alternative development programs benefit over 135,000 families. Colombia’s economy is growing rapidly (6.9% in 2007), and poverty continues to drop.”