Narco‑terror Labels as War Authority

Presidents can convert organized‑crime threats into a de facto law‑of‑war framework by publicly designating narcotics cartels as ‘terrorist’ or ‘unlawful combatants’ and declaring an armed conflict, thereby invoking military authorities and bypassing traditional legislative declarations. This maneuver bundles criminal indictments, FTO designations, and conventional force to justify cross‑border kinetic operations and extraordinary detentions. — If adopted as a playbook, it normalizes a legal and operational pathway for future administrations to use criminal law and terror labels to legitimize unilateral military actions and extraterritorial arrests, reshaping checks on the executive and international norms.