Friday Open Thread

“bullet” Look, I’m no fan of Chavez, so it really says something that I am more likely to believe him regarding the drug war than the credibility of our own government.

President Hugo Chavez accused the United States on Sunday of sending Colombian right-wing paramilitary forces into Venezuela to destabilize border areas and arm shantytown gangs in the capital Caracas.
With his most concrete charge to date in a months-old diplomatic dispute with Colombia, Chavez said the U.S. ally supported the campaign that also included selling cocaine to buy support in slums.

“bullet” Travel guru Rick Steves creates a half-hour infomercial-style program: “Marijuana: It’s Time for a Conversation.” (Rick has long been a supporter of legalization.)
“bullet” How do you host an AIDS conference without including drug user communities? That question is becoming a major issue for an upcoming regional AIDS conference in Moscow, since Russia bans the use of methadone and buprenorphine.
“bullet” Shorter Mexican Bishops: People should stop being greedy for drug profits and instead give money to the church so the church can continue supporting the drug war that makes drugs profitable.
“bullet” “drcnet”