Narco-Terrorism, a Global Scourge

¶ … Forum on Terrorism

International relations refer to interactions among countries and other global entities. These interactions almost always center on international issues or problems like crime, which affect all of them. Through international relations, nations can influence one another reach decisions most beneficial to all. One most disturbing issue, which affects all nations and impact international relations, is narco-terrorism.

Billions of dollars have been infused into the war on drugs yet too little has been achieved (Cillufo 2000). More than 50 federal government bodies have pooled their resources into this war but chronic loopholes remain. No defined authority lines, overseeing agency, a drug czar or a mandate account for it. Experts believe that a unifying strategy is called for with sustained international cooperation. Diplomatic initiatives must support it unrelentingly. The United States cannot stage this fight aloe. All affected countries need to strengthen their respective legal institutions and social organizations. They need to be helped with problems in their own lands. Transparency is one of the needs of the hour. The United States must supply military funding for these countries and for domestic reforms. Reforms should strengthen their legal systems and democracy. These nations should organize themselves and contribute their share in the fight. These global threats are a common global concern. All nations must view it this way, adapt and mobilize their respective resources proactively.

Globalization has both blessed and brought trouble to the world. Transnational boundaries have been blurred to the benefit of crime. And more chillingly, organized crime and the narcotics trade have banded together, as evidence shows (Schmid 2004). There are similarities as well as differences between these two threats but they can and have thrived in common environments. They grow in societies characterized by official corruption, incomplete or weak legislation, poor enforcement of existing laws, lack of transparency in financial institutions, poverty and lack of respect for law. The lack of political will, poor border policies and regional issues enhance these threats.

These two global threats complement each other (Sanderson 2004). The sale of narcotics remains the most solid and reliable source of funds for terrorism and criminal activity. One solid evidence presented by the Drug Enforcement Administration is methamphetamine production and distribution in Hezbollah initiatives. It revealed the existence of Hezbollah-operated methamphetamine laboratories in the rural areas. One more glaring and frightening proof of their strong link is the increased opium production in Afghanistan a decade ago. Reports disclosed that these labs turned out 3,500 metric tons of opium from 225,000 acres. These represented 76% of the global supply of heroin and opium in 2001 alone. The volume increased to 5,500 tons in 2003.