U.S. Discovers 'Drug Kingpin' Title Applies Just to Enemies
CBS News, citing 'federal authorities,' enthusiastically covers the U.S. posture towards Nicolás Maduro as a major drug trafficker. The implication: America is simply upholding the rule of law. (Funny how 'capturing' a foreign leader and his wife in a hypothetical scenario gets headline treatment instead of, say, diplomatic engagement.) This 'drug kingpin' narrative is a well-worn playbook for
regime change in Washington, consistently applied to leaders like Manuel Noriega in Panama (1989) who dared to cross American interests. It rarely, if ever, applies to U.S.-backed dictators or allies who engage in documented drug trafficking, arms dealing, or financing of terror outfits. One might ask why this specific label never seems to stick to officials in nations receiving billions in U.S.
aid; perhaps the DEA's jurisdiction ends where geopolitical convenience begins.