LETTER OF THE WEEK

THE LONG WAR OF GENARO GARCIA LUNA

By Seymour Amlen

In his article on Mexico's drug cartels, Kurtz-Phelan notes that even
though Colombia has received billions of dollars from the U.S. in the
war against drugs, "there has been no significant decrease in drug
flows out of Colombia or in the availability of cocaine or heroin in
the United States -- and yet Colombia is considered a success story."
I am sure the next time the D.E.A. announces the seizure of a large
quantity of illegal drugs, the newspapers will publish this "news"
without putting it into context -- namely, that if 10,000 tons are
seized, at least that much probably got through.

I am also sure that during Prohibition, the papers published the
claims by authorities about the confiscation of thousands of gallons
of illicit alcohol as if it were "news," instead of a denial of reality.

Seymour Amlen

New York

Pubdate: Sun, 3 Aug 2008

Source: New York Times Magazine (NY)

Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v08/n678/a04.html