The Drug War Blunder

Throughout history what has been the biggest defeat faced by the United States? You may first think Vietnam or The War on "Terror". Technically, you may be right but in the grand scope of things the U.S. has spent more time and energy on this unyielding Drug War than any other conflict. Initiated under Richard Nixon the Drug War has quickly become a war on minorities and its symptoms include mass incarceration, perpetual poverty, and violence. The conflict has exacerbated the turbulent situations in low-income communities and tensions have led to increased citizen-government distrust. Under the Reagan administration, the pursuit of narcotics and those using/distributing them really revved up. Crack was heavily over-exaggerated by the media and the news portrayed the African American as it's key consumer. I believe the drug war as led to minority persecution and the abuse and misuse of American resources. Perhaps rehabilitation would show stronger results than incarceration.