Drugs and Contemporary Warfare - by Paul Rexton Kan (Paperback)

About the Book

Broad coverage of the role of drugs in warfare and counterterrorism

Book Synopsis

The relationship between drugs and today's wars has grown more noticeable since the end of the Cold War and will likely gather strength in this era of increased globalization. Many violent groups and governments have recently turned to illicit narcotics in their entrepreneurial quests to stay viable in the post-Cold War world. It is no coincidence that many of the most violent and ongoing conflicts, from the Balkans to the Hindu Kush, from the Andes to the Golden Triangle, occur in areas of widespread drug production and well-traveled distribution routes. Interdisciplinary in its approach, Drugs and Contemporary Warfare investigates the convergence of drugs and modern warfare, the violent actors involved in the drug trade, the drugs they produce and distribute, and how these drugs enter into battlefield conflicts and give rise to combat narcosis. Paul Rexton Kan then examines counternarcotics operations and suggests solutions to curb the drug trade's effects on contemporary conflict. He offers several broad strategies that refine assessments, policies, and operations to promote improvement in social, economic, and political conditions. The hope is that these strategies will help citizens create sustainable societies and robust governments in war-afflicted countries struggling under the drug trade's shadow. In a world searching for peace, the answer may not solely be on the battlefield but also on the front line against illegal narcotics. With a foreword by Moisés Naím, editor in chief of Foreign Policy magazine and the author of Illicit: How Smugglers, Traffickers, and Copycats Are Hijacking the Global Economy.

Review Quotes

"Drugs and Contemporary Warfare offers one of the first systematic attempts to incorporate drugs into the theory of armed conflict. It offers a new perspective on wartime and post-war behavior, based on a solid theoretical foundation. Kan's book would be a welcome addition to the bookshelves of any student of modern conflict."--Chris Albon, MountainRunner.us-- (8/5/2009 12:00:00 AM)

"A sobering, important guide."--Midwest Book Review-- (5/22/2009 12:00:00 AM)

"Dr. Kan's book is a revealing look at a world where two powerful forces--the drug trade and violent conflicts--are shaping each other and forcing political leaders, military officers, and scholars to reconsider notions of what causes war, why modern wars are prolonged, and how they might be brought to an end."--Donald R. Gardner, Major General, USMC (Ret), president, Marine Corps University-- (10/31/2008 12:00:00 AM)

"Many books have been written about war and many books about drugs but none about the connections between them. Paul Kan fills this gap and does so with style. His analysis is not only highly revealing and incisive in its explanations of these connections but also offers original and important insights about each of his main themes. This is an important and valuable contribution and is a must read for scholars and students of both war and drugs."--Phil Williams, professor, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, University of Pittsburgh-- (10/31/2008 12:00:00 AM)

"Paul Kan's new book is a valuable contribution to the literature on asymmetric warfare, conflict resolution in civil wars, and postconflict peace-building. He demonstrates that narcotics are more bloody than diamonds."--Tom Farer, dean, Josef Korbel School of International Studies, and author of Confronting Global Terrorism and American Neo-Conservatism: The Framework of a Liberal Grand Strategy-- (10/31/2008 12:00:00 AM)

"Recommended."--Choice-- (2/23/2010 12:00:00 AM)