Central Asia can be defined as the former Soviet Union countries and is famously known as Eurasia, a general term used by the United States government, especially after the Cold War (Swanson, 2006). The region has been a major interest in the United States for a very long time, and this can be traced back to the 1990s when the United States helped the region to improve their economy and the political arena when the Soviet Union collapsed (Pereira, & Beach, 2011). The interests of the United States in the Central Asia Region increased significantly after the 9/11bomb attacks in the United States. The region became a major concentration for the United States as it launched its war on terror against the Talibanists in Afghanistan. The United States then put up military bases in countries such as Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan to support its military operations in Afghanistan (Cornell, 2004).
Drug trafficking is a big problem in Central Asian countries, especially in countries such as Afghanistan. This has a great impact on the United States’ interests in the region due to its effect on the security and stability of the region. The region has witnessed long years of the drug trade, and this is contributed by the easily passable borders of the Central Asian countries and the high demand for illicit drugs. The permeability of these borders affected the level of cooperation of Russia to curb the menace in their country because Russia has the highest levels of drug addiction. Russia has not cooperated in fighting drug trafficking, unlike the United States that is campaigning against drugs in the region. The United States set up an anti-narcotics center in the region. Still, Russia was against this move because they believed that the United States would increase its influence in the region. This is imperative for the United States as they can manage their interests in the region by championing against drugs in the region (Latypov, 2009).
Drug trafficking in the Central Asian Region is a big threat to the United States’ fight against terrorism in the region. The United States has got special interests in this region because they want to stem out terrorists and reduce insecurity in the region. The region is known as a hide-out for terrorists and also a training ground, especially to countries such as Afghanistan (Chossudovsky, 2005). The use of drugs in the region poses a huge threat to the security of the region and the stability of the Central Asian nations. Hence, the United States has taken part in the fight against drug trade in the region because the money earned from the sale of the drugs is used to fund the operations of terrorists in the region. Terrorist’s activities have a huge impact not only on the United States’ economy but also on the whole worlds’ economy. Therefore, the United States needs to engage in anti-narcotics initiatives in the region because the terrorist activities affect them politically, economically, and even socially.
In conclusion, the drug trade in the Central Asia region is extremely significant to the interests of the United States in the region. Drug trafficking in the region affects the interests of the United States, especially in the fight against terrorism and security in the region. It is, therefore, important for the United States to get involved in the fight against drug trafficking in the region because this is the major source of financing for the terrorists.
References
Chossudovsky, M. (2005). The Spoils of War: Afghanistan’s Multibillion Dollar Heroin Trade. Web.
Cornell, S.E. (2004). The United States and central Asia: in the Steppes to stay? Cambridge Review of International Affairs, 17(2), 239 – 254.
Latypov, A. (2009). Understanding post 9/11 drug control policy and politics in Central Asia. International Journal of Drug Policy, 20(5), 387 – 391.
Pereira, G., & Beach, H. (2011). Drug Trafficking. South Florida Sun – Sentinel, p. A.22.
Swanson, J. (2006). Drug Trafficking In the Americas: Reforming United States Trade Policy.The George Washington International Law Review, 38(4), 779.