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| A US Soldier in an Afghan Poppy field (File Photo) |
By Jon P. Cheatwood
Transnational crime is just one of the new challenges the U.S. military must consider in the rebalance to Asia.
Rising poppy cultivation in Myanmar’s Golden Triangle is feeding violence and instability in that country. Recent fighting in the Kokang region and the declaration of martial law is troubling, as is the displacement of communities caused by this violence. The problem for the United States: Few U.S. officials are likely to truly understand how increased cultivation relates to the violence, or the ripples that this trade can cause within the regional security environment. Drug trafficking is an issue that exists beneath the surface of traditional Asia-Pacific security concerns. It is not discussed with the frequency of North Korean missile programs or China’s rise, yet it matters as it is equally likely to upset stability. It will matter when armed groups funded by this trade place a young democracy at risk, presenting a new headache for the United States in Asia. It will matter if the U.S. military deploys troops to confront such instability in Southeast Asia.
Pentagon officials and military leaders are more comfortable focusing on traditional conflict scenarios. War is much easier to comprehend when your enemy is wearing a uniform and battle-lines are clearly defined. Transnational crime, food insecurity, and threats posed by communicable disease are increasingly defining the changing face of security. These challenges must be accounted for when U.S. military leaders in the Pacific think about the region.
Read the full story at The Diplomat