A Proposed Military Strategy for the War on Drugs
Abstract
The current War on Drugs is the response to the endemic problem of illegal narcotic trafficking in the United States. This problem has taken on monumental proportions due to the vast amounts of money received by the narco- traffickers and the violence they have displayed. The number of individuals in society that use drugs is increasing thereby, reducing overall productivity of the nation. The Congress of the United States overwhelmingly passed H.R. 5210 in Oct 1988. This bill contains numerous initiatives, one of which is assigning the Department of Defense as the lead agency for surveillance and detection of narcotics trafficking. Thus, bringing the military further into this unconventional war. Considering the problem is a demand problem what, if anything, can the military do. Attacking the supply would only raise the price. The process of stopping the flow of narcotics into the country could jeopardize the free commerce of legitimate international trade. This study examines the military involvement in the Drug War in relation the elements of national power. Further, this study recommends a strategy to employ the military in the drug war with a mission that it is capable of performing. Keywords: Law enforcement; Military operations.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 08, 1989
- Accession Number
- ADA208039
Entities
People
- Warren Kurtz Jr.
Organizations
- United States Army War College