DRUG, HUMAN SMUGGLING WOES GETTING WORSE

Terry Goddard was elected Arizona attorney general in 2002 and
re-elected in 2006. Goddard was the guest last week on Live Talk
Wednesday. Here are excerpts from the interview, which can be found in
its entirety at aztalk .azcentral.com.

Goddard testified March 17 at a U.S. Senate hearing on law-enforcement
responses to Mexican drug cartels.

1. Testifying before a Senate Judiciary subcommittee, you observed
that "We are not winning the battle" against drugs and human smuggling
from Mexico. Just how bad is the situation?

The situation is bad and getting worse. Drugs, undocumented
immigrants, guns and money are flowing across the U.S.-Mexican border,
accompanied by increasing violence.

State and local law enforcement are addressing these crimes with
specialized units and joint task forces, but effectively counteracting
the criminal organizations will require stronger federal action and
leadership.

Moves announced Tuesday at the White House to send more
law-enforcement resources to the border are on the right track.

2. What is the likelihood that the Mexican cartels and kidnappers will
eventually turn their attention toward law-abiding citizens of Arizona?

Our hope is that by taking on the cartels with a forceful and
coordinated response, it will not come to that. The potential for more
spillover violence into Arizona is real, however, and we need to do
all we can now to minimize that risk.

3. Would legalizing marijuana in the United States help in the battle
against the drug cartels, as some suggest?

I don't support legalization, which would replace one problem with a
different set of problems. Legalizing marijuana would not stop the
cartels' drug trade or the violence that goes with it. We do need to
do more to reduce demand for all illegal drugs in America, including
putting additional resources into treatment and education/prevention.

4. How big of a setback was the state judge's decision to dismiss
charges against a Phoenix gun dealer who was accused of arming a
Mexican drug cartel?

I am disappointed by the ruling in this case, but it will not change
my commitment to aggressively pursue illegal gun trafficking. I will
continue to investigate and prosecute anyone engaged in this crime.

Let me be clear: These cases are not about restricting American
citizens' right to bear arms. They are about cracking down on the
cartels and their use of straw buyers to build their arsenals.