There are too many people in jail. The United States has more prisoners per capita than any other major country. Drugs corrupt agencies enforcing drug laws A recent tragedy in Texas demonstrates how dangerous a military buildup can be to civilians. The Drug Policy Forum of Texas provides a story on the shooting of Esequiel Hernandez by a U.S. Marine and general information on the militarization of the drug war. --War on Drugs: Military Perspectives and Problems @DRCNet A Case File: C.I.A. and Drugs - by Mike Ruppert, a former LAPD narcotics detective Contributes to the illegitimacy of government (January 10, Reuters) The U.S. Department of Justice filed lawsuits in a bid to shut down six California marijuana distribution clubs on the grounds they violated federal drug laws. ... In the 1996 election Clinton got 5,119,835 votes in California while Proposition 215 (Medical Use of Marijuana) got 5,382,915 votes. This is Opposition to the Declaration of Independence statement that "governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed". Federal Judges Who Criticize the "War on Drugs" John Curtin, NY, who likened the war on drugs to the Vietnam War Warren Eginton, CT, favors marijuana and cocaine legalization Nancy Gertner, MS: too costly and depriving Americans of liberty John Kane,Jr, CO, favors an end to the punishment of drug users Whitman Knapp, NY: urges thinking about decriminalization James Paine, FL: wants decriminalization and government regulation of drug sales Richard Posner, IL: Favors legalization of marijuana and hallucinogens Stanley Sporkin, DC: objects to unfairness of jailing "a lot of secondary violators of the drug laws. . .We are reaching the point where we are going to have to open the prison doors and let these prisoners out." Robert Sweet: calls drug war an attack on personal liberty Juan Torruella, PR, calls drug war expensive and largely ineffective. Vaughn Walker, CA, the drug war has only worsened problems associated with drug use. Jack Weinstein, NY, calls for a thorough examination of current drug policy and possible alternatives --details and other NewsBriefs from the NATIONAL DRUG STRATEGY NETWORK Human Rights & the Drug War - an exhibit dedicated to the Prisoners of the Drug War and their families and to all those working to regain their freedom and restore respect for all Human Rights. There's No Justice in the War on Drugs - By Milton Friedman, January 11, 1998 New York Times OpEd The Global Coalition for Alternatives to the Drug War! U.S. War on Drugs @yahoo