DEA Agents: Administration Forcing Us To Afghanistan

McClatchy:

As the Obama administration ramps up the Drug Enforcement Administration's presence in Afghanistan, some special-agent pilots contend that they're being illegally forced to go to a combat zone, while others who've volunteered say they're not being properly equipped.

In interviews with McClatchy, more than a dozen DEA agents describe a badly managed system in which some pilots have been sent to Afghanistan under duress or as punishment for bucking their superiors.

Read the whole story: McClatchy

Comments

[noamjunior]

DEA is by far the most corrupt, unconstitutional, repressive, and un-American agency of government- Anyone who works there is either morally bankrupt or willfully ignorant and gets what they deserve

[spunup]

I have read a lot of the comments in this string. I have come to the conclusion that most of you have no idea what the DEA does. Their main concern is not your med. Marijuana shops. DEA works violent drug gangs and large scale drug trafficking organizations. Small growers are more of a state police function,. and the shops or clinics would probably never see DEA if the state was doing what they are supposed to do. About sending DEA Agents to Afghanistan i think that would be great. Then they will see the other dark side of drugs like opium and heron. In Afghanistan they are not just peaceful farmers. They routinely kill entire families children and adults alike. they often do it Nick Berg style. You know a rusty dull knife sawing the head off. And they do it for reasons like the other family was a rival farmer and of a different tribe. The drugs that they produce is not just your Med Marijuana but rather one of the most destructive drugs to individuates as well as families and friends. Let them come to Afghanistan because when they leave they will be even more aggressive. Drugs kill in the US and in Afghanistan alike.

[confidance government]

"I have read a lot of the comments in this string. I have come to the conclusion that most of you have no idea what the DEA does."

Yes I do, and I disagree with the entire premise of the War on Drugs, due to the black markets and unavoidable violence it creates. When business owners can use courts contracts and law to settle business disputes; that is normally their first recourse. In a black market, violence is the only way to settle these disputes, thus invariably breeding violence.
In addition, there is the stigma and potential for prosecution that dissuades addicts from seeking the neccessary medical help needed to overcome their condition.

The DEA has been documented on numerous ocassions, usurping state law and investigating people, with the full force of the militarized police state, that assumed they were working within the law.

I have no sympathy for the DEA. In addition, I think that the destructive force of herion and opium is magnified, not supressed, by its illegality.

[gino618]

All the 'poor baby' comments are hilarious.... especially given all the cheers and support for any US Soldier who complained about going into a war zone (when that IS their job and what they signed up for).

Instead of comforting those 'poor baby' soldiers who joined the military, and vilifying civilian law enforcement personnel who didn't, maybe you can understand the difference.

[AndyWright68]

Close down the DEA. What good are they anyway. Drugs are easier to get now then ever before. Their token drug busts aren't fooling anyone anymore. All they really do is fill our prisons with non-violent pot smokers and cancer patience. Shut them down. It's a waste of our money and they've accomplished nothing since they were started by Nixon in the early 70's.

[wndrwrthg]

Awww, the poor little souls can't have the cushy jobs of knocking over Medical Marijuana dispensaries in Calif. They don't seem to mind threatening cancer patients with guns, but let their as ses be on the line...

[gbrooks]

I'd suggest sending the entire department over to Afghanistan, but I wouldn't wish that on the Afghani people.

[fern501]

What a pleasure to see all the love pouring out toward a great administration protecting us from the evils of drugs. Let's see more of these heroes in Afghanistan, all of them hopefully.

[returnofthejedi]

This is a drug war right? In a war there are soldiers right. When you see these guys being interviewed on these bravado cop shows, they joining the team for a patriotic o some sort. Articles like these should debunk the public myth these shows portray. As well as the myth that this Drug War is a war on drugs and not on certain citizens within the United States.

[Soulsurfer]

Should've listened to Mom and become a dentist.

[morgan1]

The problem I have with this article has to do with "who" is being forced to go and who is not. I have no love for the DEA as I believe most of them are bullies, all show, little brains and merely follow orders--Good or bad. It has been my experience those who refuse to go along with the bull****, must kiss a** to get ahead, better hours, better duty, etc., are the ones punished. That applies to whistleblowers or the ones bucking the system for good reasons. The DEA has been in trouble for decades and under Bush only got worse with cronies and political hacks put in charge (Look at FEMA and Brown as a perfect example). It is a rule of thumb when a chickens**** no-nothing takes over, go along or be punished and cast out. I saw this at work many years in the military and later working for the govt. I believe this is what is occurring within the current mismanagement of the DEA and patriotic, responsible agents have legitimate complaints. All the ones making comments about the whiners and so on are missing the larger picture.

[larmarch5]

I suspect these whiners are slackers that never got confronted by their bosses. How often have managers inherited real deadwood that never got weeded out during their probationary period. I tell my stepdaughter, you don't show up, do half/assed work, that's why you get "let go."

[returnofthejedi]

It is amazing to witness these guys who have T.V. shows that exude this bravado when they are pointing an m-4 in the face of an inner city youth, now complaining about having to fight the real drug dealers. What is the real purpose of the agency? Do they really believe in ridding the worlddrugs? Or is it more they want to rid the world of a s a certain segment of the American population. Karma is a real thing guys. They have no problem being"outgunned" by the so called gang membrs. I don't see the difference!

[YeahDonkey]

Good luck boys, keep your heads down, I hear the local Poppy grower is armed a little better then the local Medical Marijuana Clinic.

You can always quit and work for me in my "fields"..­..........­...I pay better than minimum wage and lunch is always a lot of fun.

[returnofthejedi]

You took the words right out of my mouth.

[hellboundtrain]

Since alcohol and tobacco are legal, make all of the rest legal. Tax them. Set up clinics for those that go overboard with their indulgence, similar to the alcohol recovery clinics that are available now.

Set the people free that are now imprisoned who have committed non-violent crimes in pursuit of their pleasure.

Try being sensible. How many lives have been destroyed with the system set up as it is now?

[SmolderingRuin]

More bad news for Afghanistan.

[S1m0n]

Good. Is there any way we can get them ALL to afghanistan?

[Osusuki]

Initially, I agreed with many of the other comments here which boil down to "poor baby." After reading the article, however, I think there may be an argument made that the DEA, rotten as it is in concept, has developed a corrupt and ineffective internal management style that may be the reason for its lack of success. It is not right, for example, to try to force pilots out of any organization because of their sexual orientation. Neither is it right to take someone who was recruited to fly airplanes and turn him into a ground pounding door buster just because he would rather not put himself in situations where he could be killed. I have no love for the DEA as an organization, but I must admit there are two sides to this argument.

[LegallyPalin]

Awww. If they don't like it, they can always quit and get a real job installing solar panels or something useful. DEA is a useless agency anyways, the war on drugs is a huge failure!