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And the bombs are relatively expensive, when bullets are cheap. Even if you don't mind eroding the rights of drug traffickers, it's a wasteful way to do the en

by loeg 1y ago

And the bombs are relatively expensive, when bullets are cheap. Even if you don't mind eroding the rights of drug traffickers, it's a wasteful way to do the enforcement action.

richard_todd 1y ago
If I'm considering becoming a drug runner, and I hear "sometimes they arrest you" I'd say "so what?" If I hear "sometimes you get shot at", I'd take my chances and shoot back. But if I keep hearing about missiles obliterating drug runners with no warning... maybe I just stay home.
- hshdhdhj4444 1y ago
  You’re right. I’m sure the drug runner recruitment ad response rate has plummeted /s. People don’t choose to be drug runners…
- standardUser 1y ago
  All evidence suggests that harsh enforcement can not, does not and will not stop the drug trade from thriving.
- bilbo0s 1y ago
  Again, I'm just suggesting that maybe cartels make fishermen the proverbial "offer they can't refuse". I'm just wondering if it would be more effective, and far less expensive, to target the subjects making these offers?
- davidw 1y ago
  Maybe we should try the same thing with people running red lights.
- kelnos 1y ago
  Decades of the War on Drugs would seem to disagree with your interpretation. Escalating deterrents doesn't work.
  - treetalker 1y ago
    It's almost as though wars on things (drugs; terrorism; "woke"; Mickey Mouse; drag-queen story hour) don't stop the titular objects of angst. Curious!
- throw0101a 1y ago
  > If I hear "sometimes you get shot at", I'd take my chances and shoot back. But if I keep hearing about missiles obliterating drug runners with no warning... maybe I just stay home. Given some of the things competing cartels do to each other, getting instantaneously killed by a bomb is probably a relief compared to what some of your 'competitors' may do.
  - teachrdan 1y ago
    > compared to what some of your 'competitors' may do. Or your boss. Once you're working for a drug cartel, I don't think you have a whole lot of autonomy when it comes to determining your specific role. If your boss tells you to get in a fishing boat and you refuse, you risk getting killed on the spot.
- Eddy_Viscosity2 1y ago
  Drug cartels don't necessarily work like tech companies, where you consider the job postings, apply, sign a contract, and then do the job. It might even be that they need a drug runner and just say "do it or we kill your family".
bilbo0s 1y ago
The great tragedy is that bullets are also more accurate. I don't mean to be "that guy", but how do we even know the sailors on these boats aren't just some fishermen working for the cartels because they have a guy at his shack with a gun on his mother and siblings or kids? Or, even worse, what if they aren't working for cartels at all? Just went out to try to fish. I'm not sure what our endgame is here, but just eyeballing this from the outside it looks like we're doing surgery with chainsaws instead of scalpels. And all that assumes that our government is actually trying to help. Our end goal could be something else entirely? It's all just mystifying right now? I'm not sure anyone could give a coherent explanation of the why's, and I'm just about certain that no one could give a rational explanation of the how.
- metabagel 1y ago
  At least one of the "why"s is very simple. Trump likes to act in ways which make him look powerful, and which make others respect and fear him. I think another "why" is ratcheting up the pressure on Venezuela, because Trump has decided or been persuaded to embark on a program of regime change for Venezuela. I don't actually understand why regime change in Venezuela is important to Trump & MAGA though.
  - jrs235 1y ago
    Oil Cartel wants to control Venezuelan oil.
  - Hizonner 1y ago
    > respect and fear him I actually don't think Trump understands the difference between those.
  - sfifs 1y ago
    Isn't the historical answer to why regime change usually Oil
    - dragonwriter 1y ago
      > Isn't the historical answer to why regime change usually Oil Its usually corporate/capital interests; oil has been popular for a while, but, its hardly exclusive. We didn’t get the name “banana republic” from US interventions over oil, after all.
hollerith 1y ago
I disagree because for soldiers to get close enough to the boat for bullets to be effective risks the lives of the soldiers.
- loeg 1y ago
  How do you figure?

by loeg 1y ago

And the bombs are relatively expensive, when bullets are cheap. Even if you don't mind eroding the rights of drug traffickers, it's a wasteful way to do the enforcement action.

richard_todd 1y ago

If I'm considering becoming a drug runner, and I hear "sometimes they arrest you" I'd say "so what?" If I hear "sometimes you get shot at", I'd take my chances and shoot back. But if I keep hearing about missiles obliterating drug runners with no warning... maybe I just stay home.

hshdhdhj4444 1y ago
You’re right. I’m sure the drug runner recruitment ad response rate has plummeted /s. People don’t choose to be drug runners…
standardUser 1y ago
All evidence suggests that harsh enforcement can not, does not and will not stop the drug trade from thriving.
bilbo0s 1y ago
Again, I'm just suggesting that maybe cartels make fishermen the proverbial "offer they can't refuse". I'm just wondering if it would be more effective, and far less expensive, to target the subjects making these offers?
davidw 1y ago
Maybe we should try the same thing with people running red lights.
kelnos 1y ago
Decades of the War on Drugs would seem to disagree with your interpretation. Escalating deterrents doesn't work.
- treetalker 1y ago
  It's almost as though wars on things (drugs; terrorism; "woke"; Mickey Mouse; drag-queen story hour) don't stop the titular objects of angst. Curious!
throw0101a 1y ago
> If I hear "sometimes you get shot at", I'd take my chances and shoot back. But if I keep hearing about missiles obliterating drug runners with no warning... maybe I just stay home. Given some of the things competing cartels do to each other, getting instantaneously killed by a bomb is probably a relief compared to what some of your 'competitors' may do.
- teachrdan 1y ago
  > compared to what some of your 'competitors' may do. Or your boss. Once you're working for a drug cartel, I don't think you have a whole lot of autonomy when it comes to determining your specific role. If your boss tells you to get in a fishing boat and you refuse, you risk getting killed on the spot.
Eddy_Viscosity2 1y ago
Drug cartels don't necessarily work like tech companies, where you consider the job postings, apply, sign a contract, and then do the job. It might even be that they need a drug runner and just say "do it or we kill your family".

bilbo0s 1y ago

The great tragedy is that bullets are also more accurate. I don't mean to be "that guy", but how do we even know the sailors on these boats aren't just some fishermen working for the cartels because they have a guy at his shack with a gun on his mother and siblings or kids? Or, even worse, what if they aren't working for cartels at all? Just went out to try to fish. I'm not sure what our endgame is here, but just eyeballing this from the outside it looks like we're doing surgery with chainsaws instead of scalpels. And all that assumes that our government is actually trying to help. Our end goal could be something else entirely? It's all just mystifying right now? I'm not sure anyone could give a coherent explanation of the why's, and I'm just about certain that no one could give a rational explanation of the how.

metabagel 1y ago
At least one of the "why"s is very simple. Trump likes to act in ways which make him look powerful, and which make others respect and fear him. I think another "why" is ratcheting up the pressure on Venezuela, because Trump has decided or been persuaded to embark on a program of regime change for Venezuela. I don't actually understand why regime change in Venezuela is important to Trump & MAGA though.
- jrs235 1y ago
  Oil Cartel wants to control Venezuelan oil.
- Hizonner 1y ago
  > respect and fear him I actually don't think Trump understands the difference between those.
- sfifs 1y ago
  Isn't the historical answer to why regime change usually Oil
  - dragonwriter 1y ago
    > Isn't the historical answer to why regime change usually Oil Its usually corporate/capital interests; oil has been popular for a while, but, its hardly exclusive. We didn’t get the name “banana republic” from US interventions over oil, after all.

hollerith 1y ago

I disagree because for soldiers to get close enough to the boat for bullets to be effective risks the lives of the soldiers.

loeg 1y ago
How do you figure?