Guatemala has floated the idea of legalizing the drug trade, leading to much wailing and gnashing of teeth in Washington. The Guatemalan president, General Otto Perez Molina, is a tough character who was elected on a promise to take back the countryside from narco gangs. He has been as good as his word but now he wants to change his approach and put the traffickers out of business a different way.

Some observers think he is bluffing in an attempt to squeeze more aid out of Uncle Sugar. I am not so sure. I know a lot of people in that part of the world, including one of the very highest officials in neighboring Honduras. They are beyond fed up with the war on drugs and the US’s insatiable demand for illegal cocaine. For us, the war on drugs is a figurative war, a slogan from the Reagan years. For many of the countries in Latin America, though, it is a literal shooting war, with jet planes, armor, and even guided missiles in daily use, and thousands of casualties. They believe that our social problems have turned their countries into war zones, and they are ready to put an end to it. Can’t say as I blame them.