A Total War on Drug Cartels
Abstract
Illegal drugs are no longer just a domestic problem. The drug trade business is a multi-billion dollar enterprise that is run by international criminals. The drug lords behind these operations non-nation-state actors, have become more powerful than the nation-states in their respective regions. The current War on Drugs strategy has offered little hope for any decisive victory; instead it has dealt primarily with domestic drug prevention, treatment, and market disruption. While solutions to this growing problem are complex, there is a need to take a bigger picture approach to this global situation; as a nation we need to declare a "Total War on Drug Cartels." In this paper, I will demonstrate that because illegal drug trafficking is so inextricably linked to international crime and terrorism, there is a critical need to increase Department of Defense initiatives, in conjunction with the other elements of national power to develop a decisive anti-drug cartel strategy that will provide security for our nation and its citizens at home and abroad.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 10, 2005
- Accession Number
- ADA431820
Entities
People
- Kevin G. O'connell
Organizations
- United States Army War College