Apologies. I've been spending way too much time today looking at pictures of Stephen getting his hair cut, watching assorted videos of Stephen promo-ing, and reading so many news articles about the Colbert Report's first show in Iraq that I've probably been spoiled for each and every punch line we'll hear tonight, that I'm having a hard time shifting gears (and did'ja see about the Brooks Bros. Camoflage suit?). Jon's guest, Gretchen Peters (and her book, "Seeds of Terror: How Heroin Is Bankrolling the Taliban and al Qaeda"), deserves more attention than just a clips-and-links list. But, well, that's what you're getting.
This, from her blog at ForeignPolicy.com, seems to be the most concise summary of Peter's thesis out there:
The Obama administration has promised "a new way of thinking about the challenges" facing the United States in Afghanistan and Pakistan. But it's also high time it starts thinking in a new way about America's enemies themselves. The Taliban and al Qaeda have long portrayed themselves as holy warriors, battling under the flag of Islam. Most people in the West have accepted this characterization, imagining them as long-bearded fanatics, while Washington constantly refers to them as "terrorists" and "extremists." No doubt they are. But, having studied their operations at the village level in Afghanistan and Pakistan for more than three years, another descriptor also seems useful to me: criminal. When you examine the day-to-day activities keeping their networks financially afloat and probe how they interact with local communities in Afghanistan and Pakistan, the Taliban and al Qaeda start to look a lot more mafiosi than mujahideen.
Barnes and Noble has several reviews, including Publisher's Weekly:
Journalist Peters draws on 10 years of reporting from Afghanistan and Pakistan for this important examination of "the nexus of [drug] smugglers and extremists" in the global war against terrorists. Citing firsthand testimony, classified intelligence reports and specialized studies, Peters builds a solid case for her contention that the "union of narco-traffickers, terrorist groups, and the international criminal underworld is the new axis of evil." Ground zero is Afghanistan, where the rejuvenated Taliban depend on opium for 70% of its funds and there is "overwhelming circumstantial evidence" of Osama bin Laden's involvement in the drug trade. Peters argues that the failure to halt this money flow to terrorist networks is "the single greatest failure in the war on terror," and warns that stanching the flood of drug money into terrorist coffers is essential. The author offers a less-than-convincing strategy to sever the link, including "military strikes against drug lords," "alternative-livelihood programs" for small farmers, regional diplomatic initiatives and a public relations campaign. Prescriptions aside, Peters has exhaustively framed one of the thorniest problems facing policy makers in this long war.
The booksite and publisher's page list (and occasionally link to) quite a few appearances, reviews, mentions, etc. (there's also an excerpt), and Peters had a NYTimes op-ed titled "Take the War to the Drug Lords." A handful of reviews caught my attention, for one reason or another.
Maybe I should've taken a closer look at the other Gretchen Peters Google found for me, the musician (yes, you've heard of her). Might've made for a more entertaining (and, um, cohesive) write-up. But I'll actually be paying attention to Jon's interview tonight. Might take a look at the book, too. |