On the one hand, he has picked some tough anti-drug warriors for his administration. When the administration is ready to make an announcement, we'll let people know. Bush has made some recent statements that have been well received by those who feel the United States' approach to fighting drugs has to radically change. I don't believe we ought to be discriminatory. On the other hand, there is little in what Bush has done so far to support any theory that his administration is going soft on drug enforcement.
Illegal drugs are the enemies of innocence and ambition and hope.
I will exert presidential leadership to send the clear and consistent message that drug abuse is dangerous and wrong. Also last week, Bush selected as his top adviser to Latin America John Maisto, a former ambassador to Venezuela whose most recent job was advising the military's U.S. Southern Command in Miami on training Colombian brigades for that fight. Earlier this month during his confirmation hearing, Secretary of State Colin Powell affirmed his support for Plan Colombia and talked about expanding it to neighboring countries. Domestically, Bush has also signaled a tough approach to fighting drugs. He told Drug Enforcement Administrator Donnie Marshall, who is an advocate for using federal resources to interdict drugs and bust drug kingpins, that he would be retained.