US Military Targets Caribbean Cartels, Not Opioid Profiteers
The US military is once again flexing its muscles in the Caribbean, launching a new task force to combat drug cartels. The Hill’s breathless coverage makes it sound like a grand new offensive. Yet, this aggressive stance resurfaces every few years, a performative war on drugs abroad while the true architects of America’s addiction crisis remain unchallenged. No task forces are announced to 'crush'
pharmaceutical giants like Purdue Pharma, who were fined a paltry $8.3 billion for their role in the opioid epidemic—a sum easily absorbed profits, not a genuine deterrent. One might wonder why the US military isn't deploying special forces to pharmaceutical boardrooms or targeting the lobbyists who ensure lax regulation. Perhaps because these 'cartels' actually donate to political campaigns,
unlike the faceless 'enemies' in distant islands. It’s almost as if some drug dealers are more equal than others, especially when they contribute to the GDP and campaign coffers.