U.S. Army Involvement in Counterdrug Operations -- A Matter of Politics or National Security?
Abstract
Whether or not the U.S. Army should be involved in counter-drug operations is dependent upon whether the international drug traffic affects the national security of the U.S. and its allies. It doesn't take a great deal of research to realize that national security is indeed at risk because of terrorist actions directed against government, police, and military forces of our allies and because the cancer of corruption permeates these same organizations when influenced by the megabucks of drug traffickers. BLAST FURNACE was an operation conducted in Bolivia, July - November 1986, in which U.S. Army helicopters transported Bolivian police and U.S. DEA agents on strike missions to locate and destroy illegal cocaine production laboratories. While this operation had limited success during that four month period, it had virtually no impact on the international drug trade once the U.S. forces left country. An assessment of that operation leads to the conclusion that the introduction of U.S. military forces into the sovereign territory of a source country is neither an effective nor appropriate approach. A uniquely organized counterdrug security assistance program in two or three of the major drug producing/source countries, dedicated to a long term commitment, may be a realistic approach to achieving a reduction of illegal drugs at the source.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 30, 1988
- Accession Number
- ADA191514
Entities
People
- Michael H. Abbott
Organizations
- United States Army War College