Breaking News! US Defense Secretary Announces War on Drugs

[CanuckTravlr]

Just watched CNN go to "Breaking News" for an announcement from the US Secretary of Defense. What is the "important" announcement? Maybe mobilizing the military to help out with the current Covid-19 pandemic emergency? Move to a high-readiness status to support National Guard and civil authorities if a looming personnel shortage arises? The organization of military convoys and aircraft to aid in the distribution of PPE? None of the above.

The "important" and "urgent" announcement is that the US military, in co-ordination with the Coast Guard and other agencies, is stepping up patrols in the eastern Pacific and Caribbean to interdict drug insurgencies!! Most of those drugs they are trying to stop must be arriving in Washington, because if they are not smoking something I have to shake my head. Might be a laudable objective at any other time but right now.

Wrong emergency. Wrong timing. Do they not know a pandemic is afoot in the United States and that is where their focus should be? The cynical me says it is a feeble attempt to change the conversation. If it weren't so serious and not a laughing matter, the comedian in me would say that when people are stuck, quarantined in their homes for weeks, they need more, not fewer drugs. I just don't get it.

As a Canadian I believe strongly that every country has the inherent right to decide and chart its own course. People are stuck in their homes. People are dying out there. Front-line workers are short of the supplies they need to do their important jobs. And this is the priority? My apologies in advance to my American friends and cousins for poking in with my two cents here, but this just boggles my mind.

 

[rboesl]

You're right. On the surface this seems a bit ridiculous. But, usually things like this have been in the works and planned to start at this time for quite a while. the choice is go ahead and put it in action or put it on the shelf. My guess is someone decided either there was too much money already invested to shelve it or it would be too costly to restart later. So now's the time. In fact, it might be easier to put in place now with most people following the stay at home order.

 

[dioxide45]

The problem is however, that while defenses are diverted criminals look to take advantage.

 

[WVBaker]

Understand that the war on drugs is a war nonetheless. Just as in Afghanistan, Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar and other places around the world, they can't be put on hold. Yes the sick need more drugs, just not the one's they're trying to stop.

 

[TravelTime]

Maybe they are worried that the drug dealers have coronavirus and want to keep them out. (Just kidding, trying to lighten the mood)

 

[MrockStar]

Sadly, the drug dealers know that we are a bit busy right now and have been shifting resources and $$$ to our National heath pandemic and SIP/economic recession. So they anticipate demand will go way up with so many people out of work and LOTS of idle time at home lock down and bored/depressed looking for Drugs as an escape from this sad reality. Therefore the response from The US southern command drug task force could be a preemptive strike/response to this.

 

[TravelTime]

I was speaking to a friend In Colombia and he is very worried about the US navy ships off the coast of Venezuela. They have 2 million Venezuelan refuges in Colombia so what happens in Venezuela affects them. He is saying they are having a lot of civil unrest from the refugees because they want food and money but the government is having trouble serving the refugees now.

I do not understand why people are blaming CNN for reporting on this. They are just reporting what the US government is doing. In Latin America, this is a big deal according to my friend. My friend said that the anti-drug reason is just an excuse.

I googled this story and they say it is the biggest US mission in that area since USA invaded Panama in 1989. This might be why CNN called it breaking news.

POTUS said that, due to coronavirus, we are vulnerable now and that is why he is doing this mission.

Seems like a bad time to me but what do I know?

 

[turkel]

Seems odd that a Canadian is commentating on US news. But in my very limited experience Canadians seem to have an opinion on everything US. I wonder why that is. I have never once wondered or had an opinion on Canadian doings.

My advice: if your stuck on a boat with Americans keep your opinions to yourself .

 

[CanuckTravlr]

Seems odd that a Canadian is commentating on US news. But in my very limited experience Canadians seem to have an opinion on everything US. I wonder why that is. I have never once wondered or had an opinion on Canadian doings.

My advice: if your stuck on a boat with Americans keep your opinions to yourself .

Why so odd? Part of the reason many Canadians have opinions about American news is that most of us have access to US networks on our televisions and therefore significant exposure to it. Except along the border, the same does not apply to Americans, unless you go looking for it on streaming services.

I suspect you have no opinion on Canadian doings, because you also have little or no knowledge of them. As a Canadian I can assure you that is not true for all Americans. And I have chatted civilly and enjoyably with lots of Americans when travelling, about issues on both sides of the border. It has always been an interesting two-sided discussion where we both have learned things.

For someone from a country that lauds itself for being the land of the free and the home of the brave, where the right to bear arms and freedom of speech are paramount, I find your final comment to not only be somewhat threatening in tone, but stifling of that freedom of speech. Or does that right to freedom of speech only apply to you?

And I if I am ever on a boat or a ship with Americans, I would certainly never consider myself "stuck"! Hopefully, neither would they.

 

[Talent312]

90% of the Canadian population lives within 100 miles of the U.S. border.
I'd hope that they'd be concerned about what goes on here.
Not thinking about doings of a neighbor country seems rather ignorant.

 

[Beachclubmum]

During my insomnia tonight, I just watched Clear and Present Danger. Now that was a war on drugs!

 

[CanuckTravlr]

During my insomnia tonight, I just watched Clear and Present Danger. Now that was a war on drugs!

Sure get the insomnia thing tonight, for some reason!

Any Tom Clancy movie is a great tonic for all this time in lockdown at home! And "Clear and Present Danger" is no exception. Thanks for the idea!

 

[pedro47]

CNN was only announcing what our government told them to broadcast to the American public; this was a breaking news announcement from the Department of Defense on the war on drugs.

Personally, I would liked to know who from DOD sent this announcement to CNN and who authorized and approve this announcement ?

Sounds liked their is a hidden agenda by someone at DOD.

 

[dioxide45]

---deleted---

 

[pedro47]

I have one other observation did DOD send this same breaking news announcement to PBS, CBS, ABC FOX and NBC news headquarters?

 

[Brett]

I have one other observation did DOD sent this same breaking news announcement to PBS, CBS, ABC FOX and NBC news ?

it was part of the daily presidential "rose garden" briefing
https://thehill.com/homenews/admini...ced-counternarcotics-operation-at-coronavirus

 

[pedro47]

t.

it was part of the daily presidential "rose garden" briefing
https://thehill.com/homenews/admini...ced-counternarcotics-operation-at-coronavirus

Got it.

 

[rapmarks]

it was part of the daily presidential "rose garden" briefing
https://thehill.com/homenews/admini...ced-counternarcotics-operation-at-coronavirus

Yes, I was working on a puzzle when that briefing came on and it was not CNN. The president made the announcement, made a very big deal of it, then proceeded to say that we had so many ventilators, we had much more than we needed, we would be giving them to other countries that needed them.

 

[bbodb1]

Is this the same press conference that CNN decided not to cover live? CNN is getting roasted for that decision snd properly so.

 

[TravelTime]

Why is CNN getting beat up for announcing news?

 

[turkel]

For someone from a country that lauds itself for being the land of the free and the home of the brave, where the right to bear arms and freedom of speech are paramount, I find your final comment to not only be somewhat threatening in tone, but stifling of that freedom of speech. Or does that right to freedom of speech only apply to you?

And I if I am ever on a boat or a ship with Americans, I would certainly never consider myself "stuck"! Hopefully, neither would they.

Certainly no threat.

And of course I believe you have freedom of speech.

As I said my very limited experience

We had a highly anticipated vacation in Tahiti this past summer on a catamaran. A sort of blind date with the other passengers. There were 2 couples from Canada, a couple from New Zealand and us. To say we were shocked by the other passengers bombardment on us regarding US goings is an understatement. We declined to comment as their opinions were well formed. It certainly made us uncomfortable and our vacation less enjoyable.

You haven’t given me any reason to change my prior post or opinion.

 

[dioxide45]

According to the CDC, in 2018 drug overdoses led to over 67,000 deaths in the US. Now, some of those overdoses were perhaps prescription medication. Still, 67,000 is not a small number. As another analogy, we can't stop all cancer or heart disease research and prevention because of the current emergency.

 

[Talent312]

Why is CNN getting beat up for announcing news?

Who would you rather we beat up? Some random guy on the street?
'Tis far better to go after someone who won't (can't) hit back.

-----------------------
Heard a comedian say:
Fox News is for conservatives. MSNBC is for liberals.
CNN is for people who believe a plane can never land safely.
.

 

[TravelTime]

Who would you rather we beat up? Some random guy on the street?
'Tis far better to go after someone who won't (can't) hit back.

-----------------------
Heard a comedian say:
Fox News is for conservatives. MSNBC is for liberals.
CNN is for people who believe a plane can never land safely.
.

Ha ha, LOL. Good point, Let's beat up CNN and shoot the messenger!

 

[WVBaker]

Ha ha, LOL. Good point, Let's beat up CNN and shoot the messenger!

Ah, but the messenger of what?