The Provider

America's long-running (and endlessly futile) War on Drugs is on the verge of claiming another casualty: the government of Jamaica. The Caribbean nation's capital is partly in flames today, as residents of Tivoli Gardens battle police with fire bombs and heavy weaponry. The reason for the bloodshed is the government's call for the surrender of alleged drug lord Christopher "Dudus" Coke, who is set to be extradited to the U.S.

For the impoverished residents of Tivoli Gardens, Coke is a key...