Should Cocaine labs be bombed?

Question

Peru, the world's No. 2 cocaine producer, should launch air strikes and machine-gun attacks to destroy jungle drug factories and airstrips used by traffickers, President Alan Garcia said on Monday. "We've got to finish every last cocaine factory and every last airport. Use the A37 planes, bomb and attack these airports, these cocaine factories with machine guns," Garcia said, directing his comments to the country's interior minister, who is in charge of the police that lead the fight against drugs.

Peru is the second-largest producer of cocaine in the world after Colombia.

"I'm not willing to be blackmailed ... I'm not going to be a straw doll or puppet of the political fears," said Garcia, who took office in July.

According to official figures, Peruvian police raided 718 cocaine factories last year and seized 14.7 tons of partially processed cocaine. They also destroyed more than 25,000 acres of illegal crops of coca, the plant used to make cocaine.

Answer 1

Sure. If you can get enough napalm to bomb the entire Peruvian high rain forest without being mocked by the Democrats for increasing Global Warming.

Answer 2

Image if caffeine were illegal. Countries where the coffee bean grows naturally, export the coffee bean as a cash crop. Of course if a major importer, such as the US, were to classify caffeine as the US does cocaine, the product would continue to be smuggled in, only in its pure form: a white powdered crystal.

Have you any idea what effect sniffing pure caffeine would have on one?

I do!

When I was in college, the chemistry professor said the best way to prepare for the next day's exam was to get a good night's sleep and to imbibe a little caffeine before the test.

So some idiot who worked afternoons cleaning lab equipment actually took a little sample of caffeine (pharmaceutical CAFFEINE) home with him and followed the professor's instructions to the letter.

He almost died.

He went temporarily blind.

About twenty years ago a very popular herbal tea was suddenly taken off the market when it was discovered that it contained dried coca leaves. There had been no reports of anyone suffering any ill effects from the brew and in fact had even been recommended to some elderly patients by their physicians.

Certainly cocaine, the way it is used now, is terrible. But its use is (at least to some extent) a RESULT of prohibition, and not the REASON for prohibition.

Naturally, now that the culture of cocaine as a hard narcotic is firmly rooted in American/European cultures, the idea of sudden legalization is absurd. Just the same, a careful look at how cocaine moved from indigenous peoples chewing on the leaf of the coca plant to the smoking of crack-cocaine by those who cannot afford the "Real Thing" might prove quite enlightening.

Nuke'em! Napalm'em! Dump defoliants on rainforests and watch absolutely NOTHING change is what some would recommend. I think it might be more productive to learn why the Coca-Cola Company got rid of the benign use of cocaine from its soft drink. Who profited from this, and why?

Also, consider that, on the one hand, the US government makes a HUGE show of trying to stop cocaine production outside the US but that, on the other hand, seems to accomplish little despite the effort. How do covert operations (those SPECIFICALLY de-funded by congress!) get funds to operate?

Answer 3

They would have to find them first. And it probably won't make a difference.

The Colombian government, with US aid, has attempted to cut cocaine production by aerial fumigation using an industrial strength version of RoundUp. After spending billions and after several years of spraying coca fields, farmers and their families, public parks and rivers, cocaine production is unchanged.

Did I mention that Colombia is the number producer of cocaine?

Answer 4

I'm all for Napalming all the poppy fields. Napalm covers a lot of territory and you could call it liquid Hell in a can! Other than that, illicit drug use is perfectly legal in the Netherlands, they gave up the "War On Drugs". Wonder how they walk in cloggs being high day and night 24/7? No wonder they ride bikes.

Answer 5

It's Impossible. In Peru we have regulations for the retirement of plantations with a policy of incentives and promotion of alternative crops.

In fact this is financed and promoted by the government of the U.S.A.

Answer 6

Up to them in Peru.

Sure why not.

Lack of supply drives the price up. Follow the logic from there.

Answer 7

No we don't want to have to build another white house.

Answer 8

No, but how about the US marijuana fields in Alabama.

Answer 9

NOW THIS IS A GOOD QUESTION! REALLY JAS