I am very pleased to share my commentary about DEA’s FAST program and US Special Forces in Military Times. Recognition for these heroes is long overdue.

“The link between terrorism and drug trafficking organizations, or DTOs, is now at the forefront of public debate due to President Donald Trump’s recent designation of cartels as foreign terrorist organizations.

His suggestion to deploy U.S. Special Forces to dismantle cartels has met with speculation. In fact, U.S. Special Forces and federal law enforcement agents have cooperated successfully against international DTOs in the past — and their sacrifices are unfortunately being forgotten.

The 9/11 terrorist attacks brought attention to something overlooked for many years — the connection between terrorist activities and international drug trafficking. As the Global War on Terror developed, it became clear that Afghanistan-based drug traffickers were supporting the Islamic terrorist organizations through the opium and hashish trade.

With Afghanistan producing more than 80% of the world’s illicit opium, Islamic terrorists relied on drug trafficking to fund weapons, supplies and recruit fighters. The strong connection between drugs and terror prompted a 2010 report from the Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control to state that “the Taliban operates as a drug cartel and…the drug trade in Afghanistan must be addressed with the same level of resolve as the insurgency.”

Read the full story from Military Times here!