Angry Planet The War On Terror on Drugs
Sep 19, 2025
Mike LaSusa, Deputy Director of Content at InSight Crime and expert on organized crime, sheds light on America's evolving War on Drugs, particularly its recent adoption of War on Terror tactics. He discusses the legality and morality of a drone strike in Venezuela that killed 11 alleged terrorists, unpacking the implications for U.S. drug interdiction methods. LaSusa critiques labels like 'narco-terrorist,' the sustainability of violent approaches, and the challenges of addressing addiction as a public health concern in a system rife with contradictions.
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Drone Strike Marks Tactical Shift
- The U.S. used a drone strike to destroy a boat it said carried drugs, killing 11 people.
- That action signals war-on-terror tactics are being repurposed for the drug war, a significant shift.
Target Middle Links, Not Just Heads
- Focus interdiction on intelligence, prosecutions, and building cases, not only kinetic strikes.
- Targeting key brokers or middle managers can disrupt networks more sustainably than killing low-level crew.
Tren de Aragua Is A Prison-Born Gang
- Tren de Aragua is a Venezuelan prison gang that expanded beyond prisons into diaspora communities.
- It grew under a system where prisons were effectively handed over to gang leaders, allowing them to build empires behind bars.