Biden’s 1989 Call for International Action Against Drug Trafficking Resurfaces
During his time as a senator from Delaware, Joe Biden delivered a passionate speech in 1989 where he criticized foreign drug traffickers inundating the U.S. with addictive substances. He advocated for the formation of an “international strike force” aimed at tackling drug traffickers directly in their territories.
Biden urged, “We need to work with an international strike force to hunt drug lords in their homes. Narco-terrorists should have no safe haven; they know it.” This address also referenced then-President George H.W. Bush’s initiatives against the drug crisis affecting American streets.
Recently, those remarks have gained attention on social media amidst complaints from Democrats regarding military actions by the Trump administration against suspected drug-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean.
Biden’s comments were part of the Democratic response to Bush’s address on September 5, 1989, discussing the issues surrounding the crack cocaine epidemic. In that speech, Bush revealed plans to increase federal funding aimed at local and state law enforcement agencies to combat the drug problem, proposing a $1.5 billion enhancement in federal spending for law enforcement initiatives, alongside $65 million in emergency aid for countries like Colombia to counter cocaine cartels.
In his response, Biden described the situation as requiring “another D-Day” to effectively confront the war on drugs. He criticized the Bush administration for not taking stronger measures, claiming, “If the president says he wants a war on drugs, we need a decisive action not a narrow, doomed effort that leads only to stalemate.”
Back in 1989, Biden declared, “We talk about America’s drug problem with great concern, yet we fail to grasp its true nature as a major threat to national security.” He highlighted its impacts, mentioning military readiness and productivity across various sectors as affected by drug issues.
In intense rhetoric, Biden asserted, “America is literally under attack from a well-funded, well-supplied, and well-armed enemy. For the first time, we find ourselves on our own soil, losing a war.” He believed it was necessary to pursue drug traffickers in their home bases.
Fox News Digital reached out to Biden’s office on Friday for any comment about his past speech; however, no response was received right away.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration has faced criticism for its recent military operations aimed at vessels suspected of drug trafficking off the Latin American coast. Since September, at least 22 military strikes have occurred against such vessels, resulting in fatalities among suspected traffickers.
The administration has defended these actions as necessary operations against a transnational terrorist organization involved with drug cartels. Trump positioned the airstrikes as deterrence measures, and experts speculate that ongoing pressure may lead to significant changes in the Venezuelan regime under Nicolás Maduro.
However, Democrats have expressed concern regarding attacks from September 2, classifying the actions as potentially criminal under international law. Following an initial assault on a boat, a subsequent attack resulted in casualties among individuals not directly involved in trafficking, which sparked accusations of possible war crimes.
In a recent statement, Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nevada, remarked, “If reports are accurate, someone likely committed a war crime in these military actions.”
On the other hand, several Republicans suggest that the Trump administration is justified in its confrontational stance against Maduro. They are keen on obtaining more detailed insights into the military operations targeting suspected drug smuggling activities.
Trump, in preparation for the 2024 elections, has emphasized the need to block drug inflow at the U.S. border, announcing plans to send the Navy to support this initiative, claiming, “Drug cartels are waging war against America, and we will destroy them!”
