Saturday, July 29, 2006

Connect the Dots AP WASHINGTON - U.S. citizens suspected of terror ties might be detained indefinitely and barred from access to civilian courts under legislation proposed by the Bush administration, say legal experts reviewing an early version of the bill. President Bush: it's so important for Americans to know that the traffic in drugs finances the work of terror, sustaining terrorists -- (applause) -- that terrorists use drug profits to fund their cells to commit acts of murder. If you quit drugs, you join the fight against terror in America. Former DEA head Asa Hutchinson: When an addict takes cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, or a whole host of other drugs, he is not only changing the chemistry of the body, but little by little diminishing the character of a nation. But there's another dimension to the abuse of drugs. Not only does it weaken the United States, but it also supports attacks against the judicial system in Mexico. It funds terrorism in Colombia and generally destabilizes governments from Afghanistan to Thailand. Current DEA head Karen Tandy: Americans are responsible for giving the FARC their lifeblood to the amount of $25 billion for 2,500 metric tons of cocaine. ...The FARC is a terrorist organization to be sure, but they are also drug traffickers. And it is the drug trafficking that is the lifeblood of how they carry out their terrorism. ONDCP's antidrug campaign September 11th has brought the complex and horrific reality of terrorism into the lives of all Americans. Many are asking, "How did this happen?" and "What can I do?" The link between terror and drugs is an important part of the puzzle, as is the recognition that individual decisions about using drugs have real-world consequences. ONDCP media campaign: I helped (Windows Media Format) U.S. citizens suspected of terror ties might be detained indefinitely and barred from access to civilian courts... 12:24:41 PM | drug policy | Related  | permalink | comment []