Kay Bailey Hutchison: “Mr. President, the question is not whether we are winning the war on drugs. If that were the question, the answer would…”

“Mr. President, the question is not whether we are winning the war on drugs. If that were the question, the answer would be no, and everybody who has spoken would be in agreement. The question is, What is our best strategy to win the war against drugs? I just submit to you that the answer is not making an enemy of Mexico. Mexico is not 2,000 miles from our border. Mexico is our border. Mexico is our second largest trading partner. We are not dealing with an easy issue. The sophistication of the drug dealers who are coming in from South America through Mexico into our country is phenomenal. We have found tunnels as deep as 60 feet below ground through solid rock across our border. We have found stashes of illegal drugs buried on the beaches. We have found high-performance boats and satellite communication. It is not like someone isn't trying. It is a very difficult problem. If we are going to win the war on drugs, or have any chance, the only way we can do it is through cooperation. And I don't think harsh rhetoric against our neighbor is the best way to do it. Do I think we are successful? No; we are not successful. We are not successful in controlling demand. And certainly Mexico has not been successful in controlling supply. Mr. President, it isn't the time to start hurling charges back and forth across the Senate Chamber to solve this problem. What we must do is try to sit down in cooperation.”