You know what's really depressing? The fact that nobody in a position to make a difference seems to give a fuck. Life's quite comfortable above the equator, ain't it?
Posted by Wraith (Member # 779) on :
..and also apparently in Australia and New Zealand which are described as being part of "the developed north", which leads me to doubt the accuracy of some of the information in my geography textbooks, but there you go. And yes it is depressing.
Posted by Cartman (Member # 256) on :
Sssh... don't ruin the sad moment!
Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
I find it sad, too, that these kids are growing up thinking there's something noble about what they're doing... and that they will most likely die the same way. There's nothing noble about any of it... it's just sad.
Posted by Ritten (Member # 417) on :
Send them to Pakistan for their trials....
Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :
I suspect, though, that for the bulk of human history, 14 was probably pretty near the median age for our armies.
The really "interesting" thing about the War on Drugs isn't the barely adolescent narcosoldiers, though. It's the disgruntled narcosysadmins. Mmm, new economy.
Posted by Cartman (Member # 256) on :
Even with all this information slapping them in the face, Wah On Drugs supporters still don't want to believe their precious little campaign is a complete failure. Never mind that cartels operate with a degree of sophistication the CIA could only dream of. Never mind that most have at their disposal more resources and a larger technological infrastructure than the NSA.
New economy indeed.
Posted by CaptainMike (Member # 709) on :
hmm i wonder what kind of benefits package they have. if they have dental, i need the work and IT sound like it would look good on the resume. hmm.. nah id rather not kill people though.. well, not until i see what id be making...
Posted by Ritten (Member # 417) on :
Reading the article you can expect payments of a few hundred to a few thousand dollars, er or is that pesos? per hit...
Posted by Ultra Magnus Pym (Member # 239) on :
"What he does is bad."
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
Fourteen-year-old hitman and son of the Mistress of Understatement.
Posted by Vogon Poet (Member # 393) on :
Which means that when he grows up he can expect to become a Master of Understatement, something all hitmen are. The ability to chainsaw your opponent in half then blithely quip to your companions afterward that "he had to split" is apparently greatly prized. 8)
Posted by First of Two (Member # 16) on :
I still claim the 'war on drugs' is a gross misnomer.
This hasn't been a war that anybody's been interested in winning.
You wanna win this war, things have to change.
1. No more half-arsed operations. "Seek and Destroy" means just that. Every manufactured product has production centers, distribution centers, and means of transport. Find them. Destroy them. Leave nothing but ashes and spent cartridges behind. Cartel leaders have nice big villas, yachts, limos, private jets. These are all things which blow up real good when you hit them with a laser-guided missile.
2. Everyone on the other side is expendable. Promise the guy on Tier 1 leniency if he turns the guy up on Tier 2 over to you. Once you have Tier 2 guy, say "I lied" to Tier 1, and frag him. Then he can't take Tier 2 guy's place and hassle you later.
3. Investigate ways to attack the crop. Perhaps a bug or mold or virus could be bred to ravage the crop like Dutch Elm Disease and the Japanese beetle.