On the BBC, another article looking at the neglible impact of the US governement’s efforts to eradicate coca cultivation, despite spending $4 billion dollars since 2000. I especially like quote from the Office of National Drug Control Policy, who “insisted it was working” and more land was discovered to be under cultivation because the survey area increased. Here’s a tip for them, if they want to show that its decreasing, they might have to shrink the survey area.
“Coca production was not going to be reduced just
because fumigation flights spray some fields, as long as these farmers
don’t have any other economic options, except to cut down forests to
grow coca somewhere else,” said Adam Isacson of the Washington-based
Center for International Policy.
Via Hit and Run.