Colombia is rightly recognizing that the War on Drugs has been nothing more than an engine for the creation of criminals, violence, impoverishment, and a vast police state.  It’s also given the excuse for a DEA invasion of the country, as the agency pours taxpayer billions into the South American Drug War and supplies the Colombian military with training and weapons.  The only solution for the citizens of Colombia, who bear the brunt of the failed experiment in coca prohibition, is complete legalization of cocaine production.  It’s the same solution for Mexico and the rest of Central and South America: legalize drugs and violence and oppressive police state tactics will end.  But they shouldn’t wait around for the approval of the world.  They should act on their own, and ignore the empty threats from the US Prohibition State.  The quality of life of the poorest, most vulnerable citizens is at stake.

A “gypsy cop” is a cop who has been given the option to resign after some scandal, usually a brutal beating/shooting of an innocent, and gains employment far away at another PD, who prefer to hire someone without the cost of training them.  They then stay at that department until another outrage forces them to pack up and move again.  Cop Block has the story of just such a cop, who was given the option to resign following the release of video of an attack on a motorist during a routine traffic stop (It’s very important to note that this particular cop would still be with the same department had the victim not had the presence of mind to record the encounter).  The hair-trigger cop, Greg Brown, violently pulled the motorist out of the vehicle after becoming agitated by the driver’s questions and comments.  long-story-short, the video surfaced and the Eaton County cop was given the option to resign even though he should’ve been fired.  Because he was given the resignation option, he was able to gain employment 77 miles away in Lenawee County, Michigan.  It’s only a matter of time before another incident occurs involving Brown’s sensitive temper and an innocent to happens to act in any manner other than immediate submissiveness.  And the blame will lay at the feet of the police departments who keep hiring these wandering thugs.

FBI director Comey implied the amount by saying that the hackers were paid more than he’ll make in seven years. New York Times

Three teen girls who stole a car and went for a joyride drove into a pond where they drowned.  The cops who pursued them were caught on their dashcam standing around talking while the car sunk into the water, despite their story that they attempted to save their lives. Autoblog

After Obama not-so-subtly threatens Britain against leaving the EU. Zero Hedge

Iraq is too unstable to withdraw, said Obama while in Saudi Arabia.  Convenient for the Saudis, who depend on US-instigated destabilization of their neighbors for their regional dominance. Breitbart

Justin Raimondo exposes their malign influence. Antiwar

Relevant sentences: “The American people are waking up to the fact that the 9/11  hijackers – who came to this country with little knowledge of English, and few resources – had some significant assistance from at least one foreign intelligence agency, and the Saudi connection, which is the subject of the redacted 28 pages, is now in the spotlight. In response, the Saudi lobby is manning the barricades, with articles like “Saudi Arabia Is a Great American Ally” in Foreign Policy magazine, which basically argues that we need these head-chopping barbarians because Iran is worse. On the legislative front, Senator Lindsey Graham (R-Perpetual War) is blocking a Senate bill that would give the green light to a lawsuit by the families of 9/11 victims to sue the Saudis. Graham and Senator John McCain have long worked hand-in-hand with the Saudis to garner US support for “moderate” Islamist rebels fighting to overthrow the government of Syria’s Bashar al-Assad. And when the Saudis launched their terror-bombing of Yemen, Graham was right there cheering them on – and lamenting that “they no longer trust us” because they didn’t give us a heads up.”

As Obama’s groveling trip to Saudi Arabia makes clear, they own our government, while the citizens of the Empire provide the blood and treasure that fuel endless war.

Sheldon Richman on the divisive nationalism implicit in that phrase.

Here are some nuggets to stifle that Earth Day gag reflex:

Earth Day and the triumph of Dogbert: “It is Earth Day, when pieties flow like wine, when the self-applause of the right-thinking is deafening, when the antihuman core of modern environmentalism shines bright, and when the destructiveness of groupthink becomes ever more pronounced. And when an understanding of its true meaning is served by the profound wisdom of that noted political philosopher and sage observer of the human condition, Dogbert: “You can’t save the earth unless you’re willing to make other people sacrifice.””  h/t Cafe Hayek

Mark Perry thanks god for the blessings of fossil fuels

18 environmental predictions from 1970 that were completely wrong