Drug War

Re “Fighting Drugs With Wrong Battle Plan,” by Frank del Olmo, Commentary, March 2:

Who is he kidding? It’s not Mexico’s fault that it’s the world’s largest gateway of cocaine--it’s the fault of U.S. diplomacy? He faults U.S. “moralistic pressure” to help persuade Mexico to enforce its own laws, yet earlier pressuring of various sorts has proved to be insufficient as a wake-up call to Mexico, as it breaks world records for magnitude of corruption and governmental ineptitude.

Doesn’t the Mexican government deserve some blame here?

If recertification is so meaningless, why are Mexico’s leaders aghast at the thought of losing the free ride the recertification guarantees? Look south of our borders for the real culprits in the escalating, increasingly hopeless war on drug importation, not to U.S. politicians “bashing” a government mired in de facto collusion with drug traffickers.

JOE PONDER

San Clemente