Responding to figures of rising illicit drug use among adolescents, Republican Presidential nominee Bob Dole vowed to greatly increase the role of the military in combating drugs.
“We will make drug interdiction a priority for our intelligence services, beefing up not just technical operations but also human intelligence operations,” said Dole during a recent campaign speech. “We will expand the use of military technology, including reconnaissance and satellites and area surveillance and listening posts to track drug movements toward our borders.”
Dole also advocated using the National Guard in domestic drug interdiction efforts. “Working with the governors, we will create designated National Guard units with appropriate training and equipment to provide a rapid response capability. If we need the National Guard to move in, they’ll have the training.”
“Dole’s proposals are nothing new,” commented NORML Deputy Director Allen St. Pierre. “Increasing the use of military technology to interdict drugs began under the Bush administration at the cost of millions of taxpayers’ dollars, yet yielded few tangible results. Also, the National Guard has been utilized in domestic drug enforcement — generally marijuana eradication — since Congress authorized its use in 1988 by sidestepping the Posse Comitatus Act of 1879 that forbids the use of federal troops in civilian law enforcement.”
Dole defended his proposals by alleging that the threat of drugs, like the threat of terrorism from abroad, was an area where the military had a proper role.
For more information, please contact Allen St. Pierre of NORML @ (202) 483-5500. Copies of NORML’s position paper: “National Guard Involvement In The Drug War” are available upon request.