Title: Mexican Drug Cartels Are Violent — But They’re Not Terrorists - War on the Rocks
Headings: Mexican Drug Cartels Are Violent — But They’re Not Terrorists
Mexican Drug Cartels Are Violent — But They’re Not Terrorists
Scott Englund
Are Mexican Drug Cartels Terrorists, Insurgents, or Something Else?
Is the Distinction Important?
Labeling Cartels as “Terrorist Groups” Won’t Work

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The United States government should not designate drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations for two reasons. First, drug cartels are not terrorists or insurgents trying to remove or replace the government. They are criminal organizations focused solely on maximizing their income. Secondly, designating the cartels terrorists will do nothing to restrain cartel violence, and may actually make matters worse. It would also poison relations with Mexico, an imperfect — but vital — partner in combating drug trafficking. Using such a designation as a predicate for U.S. military activity in Mexico would be, to say the least, unwelcome and ineffective. Though the cartels are violent organizations that pose a risk to U.S. interests, misapplying a terrorist organization designation would be a serious mistake. Are Mexican Drug Cartels Terrorists, Insurgents, or Something Else? Mexican drug cartels are not terrorists or insurgents because their goal is to maximize profit, not fundamentally change society and politics. The Secretary of State is directed to designate an entity a “foreign terrorist organization” if an organization engages in, or has the capacity and intent to engage in terrorist activity or terrorism that threatens the security of the United States or its nationals at home or abroad.