The Latin American Narcotics Trade and U.S. National Security (review)

168 SAIS REVIEW The Latin American Narcotics Trade and U.S. National Security. Edited by Donald J. Mabry. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1989. 203pp. Paperback. Reviewed by Kristin Olson, M.A. Candidate, SAIS. Donald J. Mabry's writing outshines his editing in The Latin American Narcotics Trade and U.S. National Security. Some of the book's chapters, including Mabry's "The Role ofthe U.S. Military in the War on Drugs," provide outstanding analysis and a sound basis for further research. However, the book lacks an adequate introduction and continuity between chapters. The authors' most provocative points, which are buried in the middle and ending chapters, would benefit from illumination in the introduction. Finally, the most compelling arguments regarding the direction of United States narcotics policy are found in the conclusion. After hurdling the obstacles of an introduction that neglects to fulfill its function, a second chapter that lacks organization and comprehensive analysis, and a poorly articulated third chapter, the book becomes truly interesting and insightful. The authors' shared view—that official U.S. narcotics policy is overly skewed toward targeting drug producers and suppliers in Latin America rather than the sources of drug demand in the U.S.—is expressed cogently in the book's middle and final sections. This skewed direction of U.S. narcotics policy, the authors argue, has seriously damaged U.S.-Latin American relations, and threatened traditional U.S. vital interests in the region, such as the establishment of democracy and economic stability. The thought-provoking issues raised in these chapters include: the linkage of countries' level of "cooperation" with the U.S. narcotics authorities to the proportion of U.S. aid that they receive; the unfair expectations placed on Latin American nations in comparison with other drug-producing areas, such as Turkey, Pakistan and East Asia; the fairness of demanding expensive forms of drug combat from Latin American governments facing fiscal crises; the relationship between the American military presence and the polarization of Latin American societies; and the question of drug legalization. A stronger linkage between the chapters, however, and an identification of how each chapter's themes fit into the overall framework of the book, would have better informed the reader about the significance of these issues. The book gives particular attention to the views of two Mexican collaborators, Samuel I. de Villar and Jose Luis Reyna, in the section, "The View from Mexico." This section is disappointing because no overview ofthe spectrum ofMexican public opinion is provided. As a result, the two essays by the Mexican academics appear to represent random, brash viewpoints unconnected to Mexican government or popular opinion. Moreover, Villar and Reyna's advocacy of the legalization of drugs is weakly supported. Reyna's matrix diagram argument for legalizing drug consumption represents overly simplified and inappropriate logic. Villar's mention of Marion Barry and William Buckley as pro-legislation advocates in the U.S. offers little support to the notion that legalization is becoming acceptable among the American people. Furthermore, Villar presumes too much in accepting the U.S. Surgeon General's stand against the prohibition BOOK REVIEWS 169 and criminalization oftobacco smoking as reason why the Surgeon General might support the legalization of heroin, cocaine and marijuana markets. Mabry explains that the views ofthe two Mexican writers are highlighted "because Mexico is the major focus of U.S. narcotics diplomacy." He is justified in emphasizing Mexican drug policy given the 2000-mile U.S.-Mexico border and the fact that a great deal of the drug trade is conducted across this border. However, he largely ignores the drug-producing countries in Latin America, namely Colombia, Bolivia and Peru, and the participation of these countries' governments in U.S.-Latin American anti-drug traffic strategy. For example, the U.S. has sent military equipment, advisors and Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) agents to Colombia, Bolivia, and Peru as part of a stepped-up effort against drug producers and suppliers. Newspapers bring daily reports of murders in these countries which are tied to the "War on Drugs." It appears that alliances have developed between leftist guerrillas and drug traders, who usually favor right-wing economic and political policies, complicating the Drug...