"When you're at war, you need a fucking enemy"

"the neighborhood you're supposed to be policing, that's just occupied territory"

I've recently been watching The Wire, a series as brilliant as its reputation. The third season, in particular, should be required viewing for anyone talking about the drug war. This scene hits particularly hard. Maj. Howard "Bunny" Colvin, a veteran cop who's legalized hard drugs in a few small "free zones" in a desperate attempt to decrease violent crime, lays it out.

The increasing militarization of police forces is one of the most important — and most ignored — social trends of our era. It affects literally everything, and is a key factor in (or symptom of) our current political breakdown, especially at the lower levels. This is one of the only times I've ever seen a television show address it in any realistic fashion.