Global drug trafficking intersects with a vast array of international security issues ranging from war and terrorism to migration and state stability. More than just another item on the international security agenda, drug trafficking in fact exacerbates threats to national and international security. In this light, the book argues that global drug trafficking should not be treated as one international security issue among many. Rather, due to the unique nature of the trade, illegal drugs have made key threats to national and international security more complex, durable, and acute. Drug trafficking therefore makes traditional understandings of international security inadequate.
Each chapter examines how drug trafficking affects a particular security issue, such as rogue nations, weak and failing states, protracted intrastate conflicts, terrorism, transnational crime, public health, and cyber security. While some texts see drug trafficking as an international threat in itself, others place it under the topic of transnational organized crime, arguing that the threats emanate from criminal groups. This book, on the other hand, provides a thorough understanding of how a vast array of threats to international security are exacerbated by drug trafficking.
Industry Reviews
Focusing on the convoluted but powerful intersection between drug trafficking and international security, Paul Kan emphasizes the changed nature of security and elucidates the role of drug trafficking in creating insecurity and disorder. Informative, perceptive, and far-reaching, this volume is not for the faint-hearted: it will greatly appeal to some and irritate and provoke others. Is drug trafficking no more than a hyped up threat or is it a genuine and enduring security challenge? Read this book and decide for yourself.
