Army Lt. Gen. Barry R. McCaffrey is a leading contender to be the nation’s next drug czar, reports a recent story in The Washington Post. The Post article quotes an unnamed senior administration official who said McCaffrey is “looking good” for the position. McCaffrey is one of the country’s most decorated generals and in the past has taken a hard-line stance against drugs. He recently criticized the United States’ current drug interdiction efforts during a public forum at the Heritage Foundation, a Washington DC Republican think-tank.
Many political analysts speculate that appointing a tough, no-nonsense military figure to head the federal “war on drugs” would be a wise strategic move for the Clinton administration, which has often been criticized for appearing “soft” on the illegal drug issue.
If McCaffrey is selected for the position, he would be the nation’s fourth drug czar, after William Bennett, former Florida governor Bob Martinez, and Lee Brown.