Drug cartels and gangs like MS-13 are not terrorist groups

Early this year, both the White House and the Department of State released similar statements designating drug cartels and other groups as foreign terrorist organizations. These actions were met with much support by many who understand the dangers posed by the powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl and gangs such as Tren de Aragua (TdA) and La Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13).

Cartels are indeed responsible for the deaths of too many of our youth, and the unbridled violence perpetrated by gangs such as MS-13 are well known on Long Island. Yet, should we invoke the concept of terrorism in dealing with this issue?

And why does it matter what we label these groups? One could argue that bad guys are bad guys, regardless of what we call them. But it does matter, because the proper label helps governments and law enforcement agencies focus properly on the different threats these organizations present.

When it comes to terrorism, the term means different things to different people. This is why academics have learned that trying to define or classify terrorism to everyone’s satisfaction is impossible. Whereas some blame this difficulty on politics, others attribute it to the popular aphorism, "One man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter." The latter conundrum aside, definitions offered by some very different sources exhibit some striking similarities.

The FBI defines terrorism, domestic or international, as the unlawful use of force or violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government or civilian population in furtherance of political or social objectives. Similarly, dictionaries define the term as the unlawful use of force or violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives.

Both definitions include three distinct elements: 1) the method — force or violence; 2) the target — governments and civilian populations; and 3) the purpose, which is twofold — to create fear and bring about political or social change. All three elements provide us with a simple definition that enables an intelligent discussion of terrorism — terrorism is the use of force or violence committed by individuals or groups against government or civilian populations to create fear in order to bring about political or social change.

Using that definition, it's clear that cartels and similar organizations are not trying to bring about political or social change regardless of the fact that some argue so. They contend that the countries home to these cartels and organizations are trying to destabilize the United States. But cartels and gangs like traditional organized crime groups such as La Cosa Nostra want to feed off society, not change it. The same applies to traditionally defined narco-terrorism groups that use terrorist methods to accomplish their goals. The legalization of drugs would be anathema to their bottom line and very existence.

We should not focus on the methods these violent groups use, but rather on the intent of their actions. By that standard, international cartels and other groups are not terrorist organizations. Naming them as such diminishes the dangers posed by groups that are genuine existential threats to the security of the United States, such as the 9/11 attackers and their ilk, and diverts our focus from true terrorists who seek to do our nation harm.

This guest essay reflects the views of Harvey Wolf Kushner, a global terrorism expert who chairs the Department of Criminal Justice at Long Island University.