The War on Terrorism Takes Aim at Crime

The United States has expanded the global war on terrorism to include fighting drug and crime syndicates that operate in countries across Asia, the Middle East, Europe and the Americas. Officials are targeting these networks because evidence shows a complex nexus between crime, drugs, and terrorism. The link between these networks has strengthened since the end of the Cold War, when terrorist groups lost state sponsorship and began relying on funds from crime and drug-based enterprises. Critics wonder, however, if the US is not diluting its anti-terrorism efforts by expanding its operations. "First there was Al Qaeda, then the axis of evil – Iraq, Iran and North Korea – and now there are drug traffickers and other criminal syndicates," one official said. And, while no one disputes the link between terrorism and crime, critics wonder whether the United States has the expertise, political support, and resources to fight another borderless enemy. – YaleGlobal