[xzins]

I am no fan of the war on drugs. I don’t think it has been fought very well. First, declare war. Next, don’t let piddling things get in the way. The purpose of war is not to kill privates, it is to subdue systems of government.

Applied to the drug trade, it is not helpful to jail those who have smoke dope. It is helpful to shock and awe the masterminds. We’ve fought privates and recruits and thought that was the war.

[ConservingFreedom]

It is helpful to shock and awe the masterminds.

Governments keep capturing drug kingpins, and it keeps having no effect on the drug trade while former underlings vie to take the kingpin's place.

Not helpful.

[OneWingedShark]

I am no fan of the war on drugs. I don’t think it has been fought very well. First, declare war. Next, don’t let piddling things get in the way. The purpose of war is not to kill privates, it is to subdue systems of government.

Applied to the drug trade, it is not helpful to jail those who have smoke dope. It is helpful to shock and awe the masterminds. We’ve fought privates and recruits and thought that was the war.

I think I could get behind an actual-military war; but let's be honest: the War on Drugs is entirely about expanding government-power and has been for decades. {I can't speak to the 70s, because I wasn't alive, and I really don't remember much of the 80s [certainly not with enough 'sociopolitical context'], because I was a kid.}