Colin Powell blasts U.S. antidrug efforts

On Sunday former Secretary of State Colin Powell defended the Obama administration’s national security policy. A few days before that Powell was a little more critical of the White House.

During an appearance at Mexico’s Universidad de Monterrey Powell said that the U.S. had not done enough to combat the flow of drugs. “We are not doing our homework,” observed Powell while advocating that the U.S. and Mexico work closer to lower the demand for drugs.

Despite the shortcomings of Mexico’s anticrime plans, Powell praised President Felipe Calderon and highlighted the “important challenges” faced by Mexicans. Powell advised that the key to counteracting drug gangs would be via intelligence, not weapons:

“Our first priority in any military or counternarcotics campaign is to have the right intelligence to reach our goals”…

“We should learn who they are, what they are, how they operate, how they move their money, and how they draft young people…We cannot beat the cartels merely by having more powerful weapons than them.” - [ed. Translated text]

Noting the problems with the U.S.-led “war on drugs” Latin American countries such as Argentina have backed major policy changes including limited legalization. Yet in a recent meeting with Mexican officials, U.S. “drug czar” Gil Kerlikowske said that “legalization isn't a subject under discussion under the Obama administration under any circumstances.”

Image- UPI
Online Sources- AFP, The Latin Americanist, CBS News, El Universal, Milenio, AFP, El Infomador