I have been thinking about the drug wars again. I try not to, because it makes me mad and causes indigestion. But sometimes I can’t help it, so here it is.

I am sick to the core of my being of hearing about all the money the U.S. government is pouring into the so-called “war on drugs.” I am tired of hearing about it because nobody with the power to affect change, much less win the war on drugs, has the least bit of interest in actually winning, much less how to do it. We are throwing away all the money with just about the same chance of winning, under the present rules of engagement, as I have of suddenly becoming obscenely rich and owing a multimillion dollar home of the banks of a fine Colorado trout stream. The primary problem is that the people in power think they are too smart to listen to the people out there on the Border fighting the bloody war. If I was trying to win a war I would ask the guys getting shot at what they thought could keep them from being shot at! They may not have the Big Picture, but they danged well know more about the situation in their baliwick than the people sitting in shiny offices a thousand miles away.

Did you ever notice that when there is a show on TV about the Border Patrol that you never see anybody on camera except those wearing brass on their collars? Watch next time. They won’t let the ordinary ground pounder on camera because he might say something politically incorrect. Next time check out the bars, oak leaves, eagles, or stars on the collars of those doing the talking.

There are two ways to win the war on drugs. One, the one I would prefer, is for the chicken….., uhum, the spineless politicians to quit playing politics and do what needs to be done. That is, quit throwing away that money and begin to play to win.

Put the military on the Border to help the Border Patrol and give them live ammo and arrest authority. If they holler “Stand and be identified!” and the suspect continues to run, cut him down. Play for keeps.

Quit handcuffing the Border Patrol and let them do their job the way they know how to do it. Get rid of the off limits places, the so-called sanctuary cities, and anything else that gives aid and comfort to illegal aliens or drug smugglers.

And, since we already know who the big players are in the Mexican government, or at least we should know if we have a bit of intelligence, either have them replaced by honest people, if there are any left in Mexico, or pay them more than the cartels pay them, and buy their allegiance. We are already in the hole trillions of dollars, what’s a few billion more. Former Texas Ranger Joaquin Jackson had the right idea in his book, One Ranger Returns. If you want to know what he thinks about it, buy the book.

And get rid of the stupid Customs balloons along the Border. By the time they got those big bags blown up the smugglers had already figured out how to defeat them. If those things ever helped catch a smuggler, it was kept danged quiet. They are a humongous waste of money and manpower and need to be trashed – literally.

Then move the aircraft back to areas where they actually do some good, and cut out the idiotic Customs central control. Appoint local resident agents(RACs) and give them the authority to do what is needed in their areas. Give the Border Patrol pilots back to the Border Patrol, who really does know how to get results. Forget the stupid system where Agent C calls Houston, who calls San Diego, who calls San Angelo…. By the time all the bloody calls are made, and the big wigs are notified, and all the other stupid stuff is done, the bad guys are back in Mexico drinking tequila.

And make the use of illegal drugs a death penalty crime. Make it so danged painful to get caught that they simply don’t do it. If the demand dries up so does the supply.

That’s it. Quit playing games and get mean!

The other way is to treat drugs just like we treat the other drug in our culture, alcohol. Legalize, tax it, and regulate it. Easy.

I prefer the first way. I hate drugs and what they do to people. But this war has to be won, one way or the other. It is time to “quit messin’ around and git ‘er done.” We either play the game by the rules the bad guys use, or we pick up our marbles and go home; meaning we change the rules and don’t play their game at all.

It really is just that simple.