The Marshall Plan was, albeit successful, an afterthought not conceived prior to conflict. De'Ba'athification, on the other hand, was preconceived and an utter failure. Maybe a plan ain't needed. There are plenty of lessons on what not to do regarding wars and the aftermath.
The US Military is very competent at blowing things up. Fixing societal ills we (not job of military) have a less stellar track record.
This Cartel thing is more akin, to me, to the FBI bringing down gangsters of the 1920-30's than a foreign war. The issue is that the Cartels are large paramilitary criminal organizations that are unrivaled - much short of the US Military - and Mexico a sovereign country.
Marty, Dr. G, and others are looking to another, perhaps more promising, direction as the answer.
Do we, as a society and a government, have the political and philosophical ability (consensus) and the competence to provide addicts with their fix (methadone, et al) universally and then rehab them?
The US Military is very competent at blowing things up. Fixing societal ills we (not job of military) have a less stellar track record.
This Cartel thing is more akin, to me, to the FBI bringing down gangsters of the 1920-30's than a foreign war. The issue is that the Cartels are large paramilitary criminal organizations that are unrivaled - much short of the US Military - and Mexico a sovereign country.
Marty, Dr. G, and others are looking to another, perhaps more promising, direction as the answer.
Do we, as a society and a government, have the political and philosophical ability (consensus) and the competence to provide addicts with their fix (methadone, et al) universally and then rehab them?