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Iraq is becoming a drug transit hub:
War-torn Iraq is emerging as a key conduit in the global drugs trade as criminal gangs exploit its porous border with Iran to channel their illicit goods to the Middle East, Africa and Europe.I think we can count on this continuing for the foreseeable future, whether or not the Iraqi government succeeds in forcing the United States to adopt a timetable for troop withdrawal. It's all about state capacity, and despite some recent successes in Shiite areas, the Iraqi government still lacks the ability to control its own borders and territory. Moreover, the drug trade almost invariably attracts terrorists, due mostly to the availability of large amounts of illicit money.The Iraqi authorities say that since the 2003 US-led invasion the trade in illegal opiates, cannabis and synthetic pharmaceuticals has risen steadily, and that many drugs originating in Afghanistan enter Iraq via Iran.
--Robert Farley
