222. Memorandum From Richard R. Peterson to the Open Forum Panel1 2
SUBJECT:
- The Department’s Role in International Narcotics Control
The President has repeatedly committed himself and his Administration to the fight against the illicit international trafficking in narcotics. In response to the President’s commitment, several Federal agencies concerned with the drug problem have proposed elaborate overseas programs and are requesting substantial numbers of positions and large sums of money to implement them.
Unfortunately, these mushrooming efforts do not appear to be resulting in a well-thought-out, well coordinated interagency program. Each agency seems to be viewing the problem from its own perspective, intent on promoting its own interests and creating its own overseas bureaucracy to the detriment of the overall US government attack on illicit narcotics. Indeed, there is reason to suspect that personnel already assigned to some of these programs are neither trained nor qualified to function effectively overseas. This conclusion seems implicit in the April 13 memo (attached) from Mr. Krogh, the Executive Director of the Cabinet on International Narcotics Control to Messrs. Macomber, Ingersoll, Rain and Ludlum, regarding the need for specialized training for narcotics agents assigned overseas. It is also apparent from a reading of the incoming traffic that there is still considerable interagency controversy as to the real requirements of these proliferating programs.
The Secretary, at the March 20, 1972 meeting of the Cabinet Committee on International Narcotics Control, stressed the importance of improving the coordination of government anti-narcotics programs. Our ambassadors have [Page 2] consistently emphasized this same requirement and have pointed out the need for better handling of the sensitive political issues involved in obtaining the cooperation and support of host governments. The ambassador has general supervisory responsibility for each post’s narcotics plan but it is doubtful that most have either the time or the requisite expertise to exercise effective review and control over the whole spectrum of US Government involvement in most producing, transit or victim countries.
The Department has, of course, already achieved a good measure of success in the war on narcotics, particularly in the recently concluded renegotiation of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs. I believe, however, that consistent with the Secretary’s role as Chairman of the Cabinet Committee on International Narcotics Control, it is incumbent upon the Department to move even more vigorously into the narcotics control area and try to bring order out of the growing chaos.
The Department is endowed with a reservoir of highly intelligent, politically sensitive officers who have the requisite language facility and the proven ability to function effectively in a foreign environment. I believe that it would be far more sensible to train experienced foreign service officers to handle most narcotics matters than to provide political, cultural and language training to other agency personnel as suggested in the Krogh Memo (attached). Of course, I do not envisage the FSO/Narcotics Control Officer as undertaking the collection of covert intelligence or the training of local anti-narcotics forces. However, such officers reporting directly to the ambassador and working under his authority, could provide the necessary internal coordination and political guidance now sadly lacking at many posts. In addition the FSO/Narcotics Control Officer would assume primary responsibility for political liaison with the host government on narcotics matters.
New positions should be created specifically for narcotics officers and the officers assigned to these positions should not be encumbered with other responsibilities. Furthermore, both pending and future requests [Page 3] for additional positions by other agencies should be re-viewed to see if the proposed functions could be better carried out by FSOs trained in narcotics control matters.
The problem of international narcotics control poses a challenge to the Department’s ability and determination to respond enthusiastically and imaginatively to the President’s priorities and to the changing foreign policy demand of the 70’s.
Below are some specific recommendations for actions the Department can and must take to meet that challenge.
Recommendations:
- 1.
- That S/NM consultation with the bureaus be asked to identify those posts at which Narcotics Control Officer could be usefully employed.
- 2.
- That the agreed number of Narcotics Control Officer positions be established immediately, and the Department seek the requisite increase in its Opred ceiling.
- 3.
- That these officers be assigned as full time narcotics control program coordinators at posts where narcotics production, refining, transport and consumption poses a significant problem.
- 4.
- That FSI be directed to construct a three to four week course in International Narcotics Control to thoroughly familiarize the Narcotics Control Officers with all aspects of the international drug problem.
- 5.
- That an instruction be sent to the field stating the Department’s intention to undertake overall coordination and supervision of overseas narcotics control programs, and informing posts of the role of the new Narcotics Control officers.