Applying Operational Art to the War on Drugs

摘要

The Department of defense (DOD) has been assigned specific drug interdictionsupport missions as part of the national drug control strategy. Counter-narcotics operations are 'operations other than war (OOTW),' that also may be considered a type of low intensity conflict. Military force employment at the operational level has primarily fallen to the Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Atlantic Command (LANTCOM), and the Commander-in-Chief', U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM). By reviewing the geographic, political and societal characteristics of the theater of operations and the cocaine-trafficking cycle, the cocaine trade's centers of gravity, or critical elements can be identified as: cultivation capability; the product (cocoa leaf or cocaine); and consumer demand. An analysis of ongoing counter-drug operations, the narcotrafficking cycle and the principals of OOTW provides a-structure through which operational art may be applied to attack the cartels' centers of gravity. Although some success has been realized, a unified level of effort does not exist between surveillance and interdiction assets, and concise objectives have not been determined. LANTCOM and SOUTHCOM should be provided with the resources to correct noted deficiencies, and the confidence of national leadership that their forces can play a decisive role in a protracted war on drugs.