Small Wars Journal

The Dark Side of Globalization

Thu, 06/06/2013 - 9:37pm

The Dark Side of Globalization, Washington Post Op-Ed by Admiral James Stavridis.

... Convergence may be thought of as the dark side of globalization. It is the merger of a wide variety of mobile human activities, each of which is individually dangerous and whose sum represents a far greater threat.

The most obvious example of this kind of convergence is narco-terrorism. Drug cartels use sophisticated trafficking routes to move huge amounts of heroin, cocaine and methamphetamines. Terrorists can in effect “rent” these routes by co-opting the drug cartels through money, coercion or ideological persuasion. These organizations can then move personnel, cash or arms - possibly even a weapon of mass destruction- clandestinely to the United States...

Read on.