The Pentagon has long been quietly seeking to expand its role in the US war on drugs. A decade before President Donald Trump boasted of "hunting" alleged "narcoterrorists" on boats off the coast of Venezuela, the Defense Department was actively looking for new ways to get involved in the fight against international organized crime.
A recently declassified report from the Institute for Defense Analyses, a federally funded think tank, reveals that top military brass believe that direct military action is key to disrupting transnational organized crime. The report, which interviewed dozens of high-ranking members of Mexican and Colombian cartels, as well as money launderers and other figures in the drug trade, makes several recommendations.
The Pentagon's plan includes expanding targeting - or "kinetic" - operations against top lieutenants in cartel organizations, a proposal that was initially floated in 2013 but never made it into the final report. Despite this omission, the report does include discussion of the concept, with one author describing it as a way to counter cartel leaders without having to deal with the complexities of corruption.
The military's involvement in counternarcotics efforts has grown significantly under Trump's presidency, and the Pentagon has increasingly seen itself as a key player in the war on drugs. In 2023, Republican lawmakers proposed legislation that would have authorized outright war against transnational gangs in Central and South America, without success.
According to experts, this approach is bound to fall short. "As long as there's demand, the supply is going to keep coming in," said William Simpkins, a former acting administrator of the DEA who co-authored the report with Joseph Keefe. This suggests that simply taking out cartel leaders may not be enough to stop the flow of drugs into the US.
In fact, many experts believe that the Trump administration's approach has been a significant shift towards a more militarized and authoritarian approach to counternarcotics policy, which could have far-reaching consequences for civil liberties and human rights.
A recently declassified report from the Institute for Defense Analyses, a federally funded think tank, reveals that top military brass believe that direct military action is key to disrupting transnational organized crime. The report, which interviewed dozens of high-ranking members of Mexican and Colombian cartels, as well as money launderers and other figures in the drug trade, makes several recommendations.
The Pentagon's plan includes expanding targeting - or "kinetic" - operations against top lieutenants in cartel organizations, a proposal that was initially floated in 2013 but never made it into the final report. Despite this omission, the report does include discussion of the concept, with one author describing it as a way to counter cartel leaders without having to deal with the complexities of corruption.
The military's involvement in counternarcotics efforts has grown significantly under Trump's presidency, and the Pentagon has increasingly seen itself as a key player in the war on drugs. In 2023, Republican lawmakers proposed legislation that would have authorized outright war against transnational gangs in Central and South America, without success.
According to experts, this approach is bound to fall short. "As long as there's demand, the supply is going to keep coming in," said William Simpkins, a former acting administrator of the DEA who co-authored the report with Joseph Keefe. This suggests that simply taking out cartel leaders may not be enough to stop the flow of drugs into the US.
In fact, many experts believe that the Trump administration's approach has been a significant shift towards a more militarized and authoritarian approach to counternarcotics policy, which could have far-reaching consequences for civil liberties and human rights.
I'm all about tech and innovation, but this is some crazy stuff! So the Pentagon wants to take on organized crime with direct military action? 
That's just gonna lead to more problems down the line. I mean, what about the civilians caught in the crossfire? It's like they're just throwing good money after bad 
. And have you seen the stats on the war on drugs? It's not like it's ever been effective 
. We need to focus on the root causes of addiction and work towards prevention, not just hunting down cartel leaders. 
What do you think, folks? Should we be supporting the military in this fight or should we be looking at alternative solutions? 
, and I gotta say, it's pretty concerning. They're talking about using direct military action to disrupt transnational organized crime, which sounds like a recipe for disaster. I mean, how can you just take out cartel leaders without addressing the root of the problem? It's all about supply and demand, folks 
. If there's still demand for these drugs, then the supply is just going to keep coming in.
This whole thing is kinda complicated. I get why the Pentagon wants to take action - it's clear that these cartels are causing problems on both sides of the border 
. But, at the same time, you gotta consider the bigger picture here. If we're just targeting cartel leaders and taking out their top lieutenants, aren't we just creating more power vacuums? It's like, how many different groups are gonna step in to fill that void?
. We need to be thinking about this as a global problem, not just an American one. If we really want to stop the flow of drugs into the US, we need to be working with international partners and finding more holistic solutions.
Not too hardline, not too soft. Just... nuanced. 
. And now they're even considering targeting cartel leaders without dealing with the corruption? Give me a break 
... I'm all for getting rid of these guys, but the military is not the answer. We need to be talking about addressing the root causes of addiction and poverty, not just throwing more troops at the problem 
plus what about collateral damage and innocent civilians getting caught in the crossfire? we cant just keep sending more troops and money to the same old problems. its time for a new approach that involves cooperation and dialogue not guns and bombs 
. Maybe we should focus on economic development and social programs to reduce demand in the first place 
. I mean, I get it, they want to take down these cartel leaders, but think about it - what happens when you just take out one guy? The next one steps up and takes his place 
.
... the demand is still there, and the supply will just keep coming as long as people want it. Plus, have you seen the human rights abuses we're already witnessing in Central America? The militarization of counternarcotics policy is a recipe for disaster 
. The data shows that 75% of US prisons are now filled with inmates who were caught smuggling goods 
, but that's not even addressing the root cause of addiction... it's just treating symptoms. We need to rethink our approach and focus on prevention and treatment, not just military might 
.
It's gonna lead to more collateral damage and human rights abuses, not to mention the fact that it's only gonna push the cartels around, making them more determined to keep fighting.
It's just not right. We need to focus on getting to the root of these problems, like economic inequality and lack of opportunities, rather than just resorting to military force. 
. And isn't it also gonna impact the US economy since most of these drugs come in from other countries? 
I'm so tired of politicians always trying to "solve" problems with more military action 
. We can't just keep throwing money and bullets at the problem without thinking about how it's going to affect everyday people 
. Maybe it's time for us to take a step back and reevaluate our approach 
so it seems like the Pentagon is trying to go all out against cartels now? I dont think that's a good idea at all, its just gonna make things worse 
. I mean, if we take out the top guys, who's gonna fill their shoes? It's like tryin' to stop a leak in a pipe by just pluggin' one hole - it's never gonna work 
. And what about all the corruption and stuff that goes on with the military gettin' involved in this? It's a slippery slope 
... we gotta think about how this affects our own citizens, not just try to solve the problem for ourselves 
.
. Direct military action against cartel leaders? That sounds like a recipe for disaster. I mean, what if we're not even targeting the right people? What if we end up killing innocent civilians or worse? And let's be real, how effective is that really gonna be in stopping the flow of drugs? We know from history that taking out the top dogs doesn't always solve the problem...