Drug-Trafficking and Transnational Crime in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran
| Date | May 13, 2011 |
| Time | 10:00 am - 11:00 am |
| Location | U.S. Capitol Building - Congressional Staff Only |
May 13, 2011 — Matthieu Aikins and Umar Riaz joined us for a discussion on transnational threats and their destabilizing effect on Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran. Aikins is an international freelance journalist who has reported on his personal interactions with drug-traffickers and border police along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. Riaz is a visiting fellow at the Stimson Center and a law enforcement officer from Pakistan. He served as a federal civil servant in supervisory positions for five years in Pakistan's Frontier Province and in tribal areas bordering Afghanistan.
Aikins initiated the conversation by reflecting on his travels across Afghanistan and recounting his interactions with drug-traffickers in Spin Boldak, a key border town in the south of Afghanistan. He explained how he managed to integrate himself into a local group of traffickers where he witnessed first hand the workings of the cross border drug-trafficking industry. During his journey, he noted the controversial role played by high ranking government officials, including Brigadier General Razik. He explained how Razik, who commands the Afghanistan border security, was the primary point of contact for many of the drug-traffickers, and also happens to be an important ally of NATO. This creates the dilemma for US and NATO operations of how to deal with an individual who is involved in drug-trafficking and the possible financing of extremist groups, but who is also a key figure in ensuring stability along the border.
Riaz continued the dialogue by explaining the difficulty in addressing figures like Brigadier General Razik. He described how narcotics' trafficking is considered a lesser evil, and the priority of the border security forces is to curtail the trafficking of explosives and weapons. The reason for this is that the military authorities are primarily responsible for the oversight of border security, not a regular law enforcement force, thus creating different priorities in enforcement. Riaz continued by explaining the economic benefits of the drug trade. According to figures, nearly 50% of Afghanistan's GDP derives from the opium trade. The cultivation and trafficking of narcotics is closely tied to all arenas of society, making it difficult for a crack down without severe economic consequences. Due to the high demand for drugs, and the mafia-like structure that supports their cultivation, it is also extremely difficult for locals to find an alternative lifestyle.
The panelists then addressed questions including the role of drug-trafficking within society. In addition to financial gain, the trafficking builds relations across boundary lines. Politicians will use trafficking as a means of gaining political support and creating friendly ties with local tribal leaders. Aikins and Riaz also responded to the question of how the trafficking affects US strategy. The concern is the creation of new trade routes for drugs will soon be used for the trafficking of other resources. With minimal regulations, the possibility for the trafficking of arms and ammunition becomes an unnerving reality.
Other questions that were raised included the extent of relations between law enforcement officers of Afghanistan and Pakistan, the effect of crop substitution programs and alternative livelihood programs, and the impact of US aid on the drug-trafficking industry across the tribal areas.
Security for a New Century is a nonpartisan discussion group for Congress. We meet regularly with U.S. and international policy professionals to discuss the post-Cold War and post-9/11 security environment. All discussions are OFF-THE-RECORD. It is not an advocacy venue. For more information please contact Mark Yarnell at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or (202) 224-7560.