Critical Thinking & Application Paper

Drug Wars
I. The Central Ethical Issue to Resolve: What should General Barry Norman do about
Afghanistan’s poppy plants?
a. Should General Norman pursue the authorization to use mychoherbicides to destroy
Afghanistan’s poppy plants?
b. Whether or not General Norman should pursue the use of mychoherbicides to
curtail the amount of opiates produced in Afghanistan is the central ethical issue
because of the numerous potential outcomes.
i. Outcomes include but or not limited to the violation of the rights of others
(i.e. the people of Afghanistan, people in surrounding areas).
ii. Also the potential devastation that these organisms could cause to wildlife
and other plant life.
iii. Not to mention if the organisms should mutate and spread beyond the
control of the military application.

II. Research
a. “The most important objective is—or at least should be—the eradication of the
remaining Al Qaeda and Taliban forces in that country. But the United States and its
coalition partners are now also emphasizing the eradication of Afghanistan’s drug trade.
These antidrug efforts may fatally undermine the far more important anti-terrorism
campaign.” [ CITATION Car04 \l 1033 ]
b. “In addition, regional warlords who have helped the United States combat Al Qaeda and
Taliban forces derive substantial profits from the drug trade. They use those revenues to
pay the militias that keep them in power. A drug eradication campaign could easily drive
important warlords into alliance with America’s terrorist adversaries.[ CITATION Car04 \l
1033 ]”
c. "We spend millions of dollars every year on counter-narcotic efforts, including drug-crop
eradication and interdiction, especially in our joint efforts in Colombia, Afghanistan and
elsewhere, yet the flow of illegal and lethal narcotics continues to be a major problem in
our country," stated congressman Burton. "The advent of mycoherbicides and other
counter-narcotic alternatives offers us the possibility to cut off the source of these drugs
literally at their roots.[ CITATION Kiger \l 1033 ]"
d. The Sunshine Project’s scientists, however, warn that such tactics are "a recipe for
environmental disaster." They point to the risk that drug-destroying organisms will harm
 other plants and insects as well, and estimate that the anti-opium fungus’s spores would
persist in the soil for as long as 40 years, making the spread of the fungus difficult to
control. In addition, they say that a biowar against drugs could lead to a rise in life-
threatening fungal infections among humans with compromised immune systems — such
as patients in Afghan hospitals. Worse yet, a scientific paper written by two Sunshine
Project scientists warns that "these biological agents are lowering the political threshold
for the use of biological weapons and are likely to have tremendous environmental and
health impacts. The pursuit of crop-killing fungi as weapons would be a further slide down
a slippery slope that, by following the same logic, could easily lead to the use of other
plant pathogens, animal pathogens or even non-lethal biological weapons against
humans.[ CITATION Kiger \l 1033 ]"
e. “U.S. federal, state and local governments have spent hundreds of billions of dollars trying
to make America “drug-free.” Yet heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine and other illicit
drugs are cheaper, purer and easier to get than ever before.[ CITATION Fas08 \l 1033 ]”

III. Analysis.
a. Solution 1: Remove the black market appeal of illicit narcotics
i. Afghani People:
1. The drug trade is significantly impacted.
2. Therefore the revenue from the poppy fields would decrease and people would be
resolved to finding alternative Sources of income.
ii. Afghanistan Government:
1. The drug lords would have reduced revenue therefore less power and influence in
government.
2. Insurgency would lose vital funds to purchase arms and continue terrorist acts.
3. Afghani government could establish a stronger foothold in regions controlled by
those involved in drug trade.
iii. Plant & Wildlife
1. Healthy and more necessary for life sustaining crops could take the place of poppy
fields.
2. No need for genetic and or synthetic herbicides to be introduced to the ecosystem.
3. Wildlife safe from ingesting harmful herbicides and or dangerous plants.
iv. Humans Worldwide
1. Illicit drugs would be easier controlled and limited access through government
controlled clinics.
2. The water supplies are not contaminated by dangerous herbicides.
3. People & communities suffering from drug addiction would be somewhat safer and
they could get the necessary help to wean them off illicit drugs.
b. Solution 2: Early prevention measures and education
i. Afghani People:
1. Less appeal for the cultivation of poppy fields.
 2. People would be armed with the knowledge of how to utilize or seek other
resources indignant to their area.
ii. Afghanistan Government:
1. Stronger and less corrupt & fractured government.
2. Strengthen their ability to empower the people they govern.
iii. Plant & Wildlife
1. Better farming and safer practices for raising livestock.
2. Less chances of contamination from dangerous herbicides.
iv. Humans Worldwide
1. People would be better armed with the knowledge of the dangers of illicit drugs
and how the drug trade has a detrimental consequences for the for communities.
2. Benefit from knowledge and skills previously unavailable
b. Solution 3: International alliance imposing embargo conditions for countries that
violate international drug laws
i. Afghani People:
1. Consequences can result in trade embargos that would reduce the amount of aid in
the form of food, medicine, and other items vital to the infrastructure of a country.
ii. Afghanistan Government:
1. The Afghan government would be required to improve their position in more
regions in the country.
2. Increase the amount of aid received from ally countries.
iii. Plant & Wildlife
1. Open trade agreements could bring much needed supplies and materials necessary
to grow life sustaining crops and livestock.
2. Allow the possibility of agriculture exports.
iv. Humans Worldwide
1. Safer and more profitable relationship with Afghanistan.
2. Possibility of more Agri-commerce opportunities for investors and business
opportunities.
b. Solution 4: Appeal to Afghanistan Government to implement stricter drug laws and
search for vital alternative resources
i. Afghani People:
1. The people would be forced to govern themselves according to universal drug laws.
2. Drug lords would have to seek more covert ways to operate their business not
blatantly in the open.
ii. Afghanistan Government:
1. Worldwide recognition for doing its part to make the world and its inhabitants
safer.
2. Reduce and hopefully eliminate terrorist strongholds in their nation.
iii. Plant & Wildlife
 iv. Humans Worldwide

Stakeholders Solutions
Remove Black Early prevention International Appeal to
Market appeal measures and alliance imposing Afghanistan
for illicit narcotics education embargo conditions Government to
for countries that implement stricter
violate drug laws and
International drug search for vital
laws alternative resources
Afghani People The drug trade is Less appeal for the Consequences can The people would be
significantly cultivation of poppy result in trade forced to govern
impacted. Therefore fields. People would embargos that would themselves according
the revenue from be armed with the reduce the amount of to universal drug laws.
the poppy fields knowledge of how aid in the form of Drug lords would have
would decrease and to utilize or seek food, medicine, and to seek more covert
people would be other resources other items vital to ways to operate their
resolved to finding indignant to their the infrastructure of a business not blatantly
alternative Sources area. country. in the open.
of income.
Afghani The drug lords Stronger and less The Afghan Worldwide recognition
Government would have reduced fractured and government would be for doing its part to
revenue therefore corrupt required to improve make the world and its
less power and government . their position in more inhabitants safer.
influence in Strengthen their regions in the country. Reduce and hopefully
government. ability to empower Increase the amount eliminate terrorist
Insurgency would the people they of aid received from strongholds in their
lose vital funds to govern. ally countries. nation.
purchase arms and
continue terrorist
acts. Afghani
government could
establish a stronger
foothold in regions
controlled by those
involved in drug
trade.
Plant & Wildlife Healthy and more Better farming and Open trade
necessary for life safer practices for agreements could
sustaining crops raising livestock. bring much needed
could take the place Less chances of supplies and materials
of poppy fields. No contamination from necessary to grow life
need for genetic dangerous sustaining crops and
and or synthetic herbicides. livestock. Allow the
herbicides to be possibility of
introduced to the agriculture exports.
ecosystem. Wildlife
safe from ingesting
harmful herbicides
and or dangerous
plants.
Humans Worldwide Illicit drugs would People would be Safer and more
be easier controlled better armed with profitable relationship
and limited access the knowledge of with Afghanistan.
through the dangers of illicit Possibility of more
government drugs and how the Agri-commerce
controlled clinics. drug trade has a opportunities for
The water supplies detrimental investors and business
are not consequences for opportunities.
contaminated by the for
dangerous communities.
herbicides. People & Benefit from
communities knowledge and skills
suffering from drug previously
addiction would be unavailable
somewhat safer and
they could get the
necessary help to
wean them off illicit
drugs.

IV. Application.

Part I: Act utiliatarianism,

As the Act Utiliatarianism Theory states; the right thing to do in any situation is the
action that produces the greatest possible good for the greatest possible number
[ CITATION Ben08 \l 1033 ]. I believe that this theory is most suited in this case because it
allows the General to take in account the totality of the choice of using mychoherbicides
that may or may not impede the cultivation of opium crops and could possibly lead to
disaterous ramifications should they spread beyond the controlled application.

Utility Principle: Always act in order to promote the greatest amount of satisfaction and
the lease amount of dissatisfaction for the greatest number of people.

Application: The textbook ‘Ethics Applied identifies the following steps: [ CITATION Gor08 \l 1033 ]

1. Identify the ethical decision to be made: The ethical decision to be

made is how to produce the greatest amount of good during the
strategic operations of the Drug War in Afghanistan.
2. List all possible optional actions: One option would be to consider a
less lethal application of an herbicide that would focus on destroying
only opiate plants. Another option would be to consider a military
operation that would enact troops to set controlled fires to destroy
the opium crops. Yet another option is to establish new industries in
 the area to offer financial stability and incentives that make the
opium industry less appealing.
3. List all people affected by these optional responses: In regards to the
first option of using a less lethal herbicide with a more precise
targeting of opium would affect the drug lords, sharecroppers, the
people in surrounding communities and worldwide. The crops would
be seriously diminished resulting in less revenue for the drug lords
and sharecroppers and the amount of narcotics on the streets of
major cities worldwide would be significantly reduced. Option 2
would also affect the drug lords, sharecroppers, those in the
surrounding communities and people worldwide. The crops would be
seriously diminished resulting in less revenue for the drug lords and
sharecroppers and the amount of narcotics on the streets of major
cities worldwide would be significantly reduced. The third option
would affect the drug lords, sharecroppers, surrounding communities
and people worldwide because the drug lords would no longer have a
stronghold on the communities they operate in. The sharecroppers
would have other opportunities to pursue in order to provide for their
families and themselves. People in the surrounding communities and
worldwide would see a reduction in crime, new abusers and they may
also benefit from the new business opportunities within the affected
region.
4. Determine the net utility of each option:

Drug Lords Sharecroppers Community Worldwide

Herbicide -10 -5 +8 +8
Fire -10 -5 +8 +8
Industry -3 +7 +10 +10

5. Choose and follow the option that produces the highest net utility:
The choice that results in the most people being happiest is the
choice of introducing new industry to the affected regions and giving
the people real measurable opportunities to sustain themselves and
make the drug trade less appealing.
 Part II: The Natural Rights Theory

As the Natural Rights theory emphasizes the exclusive protection of and reliance upon
basic human rights, the fundamental duty to avoid violating the rights of others
[ CITATION Loc08 \l 1033 ]. I believe that this theory is most suited in this case because the
rights of others must be weighed considerably in the Generals decision. The propensity
for the herbicides to contaminate the water table and become harmful if ingested by
humans and wildlife constitutes grave consequence should the herbicides mutate or
spread beyond the control of the intended crops.

Central Principle: The only moral duty is to respect, and not violate, the rights of others.

Application: The textbook ‘Ethics Applied identifies the following steps: [ CITATION Gor08 \l 1033 ]

1. Consider all possible optional actions: One option would be to

consider a less lethal application of an herbicide that would focus on
destroying only opiate plants. Another option would be to consider a
military operation that would enact troops to set controlled fires to
destroy the opium crops. Yet another option is to establish new
industries in the area to offer financial stability and incentives that
make the opium industry less appealing.
2. Eliminate any options that clearly violate anyone’s negative rights:
Based on the options above we would have to eliminate the first two
options. Both of these options still have the potential to violate the
rights of the people who rely on the opium crops as their sole source
of income, which in turns affects their quality of life.
3. Determine whether any remaining options represent positive rights:
The third option represents a possible course of action that will result
in the most positive rights for all affected.
4. Actions that do not violate any positive or negative rights are
morally permissible: The action that does not violate any positive or
negative rights is the third choice because this choice while it does
less direct approach to reduce the opium production it does provide a
scenario where everyone wins.

V. Decision Making: w The United States and the War on Drugs is thought by some to be a
impossible feat. The mere assumption that targeting individuals or groups for their role
in the drug trade will somehow reduce the amount of drugs flowing into the U.S. or the
number of people addicted to those drugs is ludacris. There is absolutely no 100%
 resolve to effectively eliminate the drugs that come across our borders from other
countries. America is a capitalistic society whose entire economy is based on supply and
demand. There are a complexity of moral and ethical issues that people are not
equipped to tackle, leading to the skyrocketing demand for illicit drugs. If a person can
make what they deem as a successful life from the sale and or distribution of drugs who
are we as a foreign society to tell them differently. Some people feel they are ethically
bound by the duty to pursue actions with the greatest satisfactory outcome for them
personally. However when we take in account the true devastation that this activity has
worldwide, we have to make decisions that best protect people as a whole. Therefore
the General is obligated by his status as a military officer, a father, son and or husband
as well as being a member of the human race, to make the decision that would serve
the greater good without violating the rights of innocent people.

VI. Evaluation. Identify possible arguments against the resolution you chose. Explain what
those arguments are and how you would defend against them. You should have a
minimum of THREE opposing arguments. This can be a list of answers. The answers
should be 3 – 5 sentences each.

VII. Reflection. I learned from this particular assignment the intricate process it takes to
determine if an action or situation is ethical and whom the situation or action affects
and how. I learned that this process can be a helpful tool in solving dilemmas that we
face in our own lives and the benefits of the process at home, work and in recreation. I
can improve my problem-solving process by weighing the facts and attributing a
measurable unit of value in relation to happiness and mapping out how certain actions
would affect those that I care about.
Works Cited
Bentham, Jeremy. "Act Utilitarianism." Goree, Keith, Nicholas Manias and Jane E. Till. Ethics Applied. St
Petersburg: Pearson Custom Publishing, 2008. 115, 135-42.

Carpenter, Ted Galen. "How the Drug War in Afghanistan Undermines America’s War on Terror." 10
November 2004. CATO Institute. 25 February 2010 <http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?
pub_id=2607>.

Fasullo, Anthony. "What's Wrong With the Drug War?" 2 October 2008. 27 February 2010
<http://www.drugpolicy.org/drugwar/>.

Goree, Keith, Nicholas Manias and Jane E. Till. Ethics Applied. Edition 6.0. St Petersburg: Pearson Custom
Publishing, 2008.

Kiger, Patrick J. "Biological Warfare Against Opium Fields." 30 October 2007. Discovery.com. 27 February
2010 <http://blogs.discovery.com/good_idea/2007/10/biological-warf.html>.

Locke, John. "Natural Rights Theory." Goree, Keith, Nicholas Manias and Jane E. Till. Ethics Applied. St
Petersburg: Peason Custom Publishing, 2008. 153.

Rhawn Joseph, Ph.D. America Betrayed. San Jose, CA: University Press, 2003.