U.S. Marines Join Guatamala's Drug War

By Jeralyn, Section Crime Policy
Posted on Wed Aug 29, 2012 at 11:58:03 PM EST
Tags: War on Drugs, Guatemala (all tags)

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The militarization of the war on drugs is officially underway.

A team of 200 U.S. Marines began patrolling Guatemala's western coast this week in an unprecedented operation to beat drug traffickers in the Central America region, a U.S. military spokesman said Wednesday.

The Marines are deployed as part of Operation Martillo, a broader effort started last Jan. 15 to stop drug trafficking along the Central American coast. Focused exclusively on drug dealers in airplanes or boats, the U.S.-led operation involves troops or law enforcement agents from Belize, Britain, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, France, Guatemala, Honduras, the Netherlands, Nicaragua, Panama and Spain.

Wired has more here.

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U.S. Marines Join Guatamala's Drug War | 10 comments (10 topical)

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Imperial power. (5.00 / 1) (#1)
by Robot Porter on Thu Aug 30, 2012 at 02:49:19 AM EST

Some in our government sure love exercising it. Where does that come from? That drive? That need? I don't know. But history tells one thing: It will not end well.

Officially ? (5.00 / 1) (#4)
by ScottW714 on Thu Aug 30, 2012 at 09:13:23 AM EST

Who was chasing Escobar around Columbia and ultimately killed or aided in his killing, the US military, Delta forces.

Ecuador refused to renew the US air base which was an essential para-military base in 'rooting' out cocaine suppliers.

The US Coast Guard considers drug interdiction as one of it's official homeland security missions.

The opium trade has had US military fingerprints all over it, from Vietnam to Afghanistan.

The war on drugs was militarized long before Guatemala.

As CIC, Obama could stop this today (5.00 / 1) (#5)
by Dadler on Thu Aug 30, 2012 at 10:58:46 AM EST

But he won't. His SCOTUS nominees better turn out to be, every one of them, consensus all-stars. But I ain't holding my breath.

As CIC (5.00 / 2) (#6)
by jbindc on Thu Aug 30, 2012 at 11:04:43 AM EST

Don't you think he knew about this, and ultimately, authorized it?


Campaign Season in full swing... (none / 0) (#7)
by kdog on Thu Aug 30, 2012 at 11:10:27 AM EST

Brand D and Brand R ripping each other to shreds on so many issues...yet, strangely, nary a peep about the failed war on drugs and failed occupation of Afghanistan.

Why? Because there is no difference between the candidates positions. Very depressing.


: The Silver Lining... (none / 0) (#8)
by ScottW714 on Thu Aug 30, 2012 at 11:57:29 AM EST

...doesn't matter from a consumer perspective. Sure the war is a joke, but sans legalization, this is about the best possible outcome for the consumer. It's readily available, fairly cheap, and the actual punishment rarely involved jail.
I don't know if it's location, but the prices I paid in high-school in