Guatemala declares equivalent to Martial law

[grumpyMSG]

So the Zetas, a notorious Mexican drug gang, have taken to running a province in a neighboring country and the Guatemalan government has responded:
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2010/12/19 ... latestnews

There have been lots of discussions on this forum about what the government can and can't do and what it should or shouldn't do. Here is a real problem happening on our side of the planet. Could something like this happen here? Was our country's appetite for illicit drugs a contributing factor? Would legalizing drugs have prevented this or sped it up?

[Taggure]

Just wait Clinton or Obama will blame this all on us here in the U.S.

[OakRidgeStars]

[zephyp]

Once upon a time drugs, now big time illegal, were indeed legal here in the US. Or perhaps better put - unregulated. A commonly available headache remedy sold at the local drug store was heroin tablets...

[Yarddawg]

Coca-Cola once contained 9 milligrams of cocaine!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coca-Cola

[gunderwood]

Coca-Cola once contained 9 milligrams of cocaine!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coca-Cola

Yes, the real original formula.

[jsmithusaf89]

This does not suprise me. I was down south in the late 80's early 90's. Not much has changed there, just getting better media attention now. Back then it was a civil matter, now that we are policing the whole damn world its our responsibilty to "oversee" this matter. I don't believe this is a problem caused by Americans seeking a weekend thrill or having an addiction. This is simply a money driven means to an end. They simply want their 15 minutes. They have the means and capability to squash any gorillas or drug cartels. I've seen it in action myself. Just watch and see, it'll get done!

[GS78]

...I thought they had martial law already.....

[CowboyT]

They do, anytime Generalissimo or El Presidente feels like it.