Does anyone possibly believe that even if a plane was shot down by the Venezuelan air force every day or two, it would make he slightest difference in curbing illicit drug use and all the associated suffering and loss of life in the US or anywhere else in the world?   Has anyone bothered to ask how much success was attributed to the shooting down of the Peruvian aircraft before - alas - we shot down the wrong plane and killed a bunch of missionaries?  What's perhaps surprising is that at the time, no one suggested that missionaries were a bunch of leftie do-gooders whose preaching of love and tolerance "encourages drug use"-  and knocking off some of them might be a useful strategy in fighting our war on drugs?    And even if killing missionaries wasn't all that helpful, what are a few preachers' lives compared to boldly moving forward to create a drug-free society. Hey -  stuff happens!      

If a pilot won't obey an order to land from a legitimate law enforcement or military authority, what is that authority supposed to do?  Does a country's right to enforce its laws suddenly disappear when the suspect is no longer in contact with the ground?

On the ground, this would be, "Stop or I'll shoot!"

Kerlikowske is really nuts now. He is advising that CIA operatives should be shot down.

Kerlikowske is really nuts now. He is advising that CIA operatives should be shot down.

Mr Chavez should stick to his policy of helping the poor and down trodden and forget about Amerika's drug war.It won't stop the US from trying to kill him,discredit him and overthrow him and it sure won't stop any errors from being blamed on his cowboy attitude.If he has a problem with drugs in his country then by all means try to do what he can to solve them.As for shooting down an aircraft which could be ignoring orders for any number of reasons,one plane load of nuns is one too many.Sorry Mr.Chavez but the United States will hate and try to harm and overthrow you no matter how many drug addict nuns you kill.