Drug Trafficking and the Financing of Terrorism Essay
Drug Trafficking and the Financing of Terrorism Essay
3188 Words13 Pages
“International and Domestic Terrorism Organizations and their supporters engage in a myriad of crimes to fund and facilitate terrorist activities. These crimes include extortion, kidnaping, robbery, corruption, alien smuggling, document fraud, arms trafficking, cyber crime, white collar crime, smuggling of contraband, money laundering and certainly drug trafficking.”
— Steven C. McCraw, Assistant Director, Office of Intelligence, FBI, May 20, 2003
Terrorism, according to the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, is “the unlawful use or threatened use of force or violence by a person or an organized group against people or property with the intention of intimidating or coercing societies or governments, often for ideological or political reasons” (Follendore). Terrorism was more myth than reality for most Americans until the attack of 9/11. The act of terrorism is meant to subdue societies with fear but it is impossible to instill fear without tools. Without capital, terrorists are unable to act; even terrorists are reliant upon money. Since their country of origin dislikes most terrorist groups, it is hard to set up businesses and become successful independently so an outside income source is required. Drugs and drug trafficking are huge moneymakers that are also tax-free. The drug trade is cash-based and full of money. James Bovard says in an essay that “because narcotics are illicit, they tend to attract violent, ruthless people and organizations to carry out their production and marketing.”
— Steven C. McCraw, Assistant Director, Office of Intelligence, FBI, May 20, 2003
In 2002, the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy spent more than three million dollars to buy two commercials for the Super Bowl (Bovard). One of the commercials viewers posed the question of where terrorists get their funding. The answer suggested by that commercial was
…show more content…Terrorism, according to the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, is “the unlawful use or threatened use of force or violence by a person or an organized group against people or property with the intention of intimidating or coercing societies or governments, often for ideological or political reasons” (Follendore). Terrorism was more myth than reality for most Americans until the attack of 9/11. The act of terrorism is meant to subdue societies with fear but it is impossible to instill fear without tools. Without capital, terrorists are unable to act; even terrorists are reliant upon money. Since their country of origin dislikes most terrorist groups, it is hard to set up businesses and become successful independently so an outside income source is required. Drugs and drug trafficking are huge moneymakers that are also tax-free. The drug trade is cash-based and full of money. James Bovard says in an essay that “because narcotics are illicit, they tend to attract violent, ruthless people and organizations to carry out their production and marketing.”
