The Drug Warriors

No, I'm not talking about Nancy Reagan's special appearance on Different Strokes, I'm talking about the enemy using drugs to have the courage to fight. There's an interesting new study from the Army War College talking about insurgents, militias, and child soldiers flying high on dope while they blast away with their AK-47s (H/T to Small Wars Journal). I'd figure stoned people would want to sit around watching Scooby Doo while eating Geno's pizza rolls, but the study focuses on conflicts worldwide and what are the drugs of choice. Sierra Leonne and Liberia seem to prefer cocaine and heroin in their bloody conflicts. There's also evidence of jihadis using meth in Iraq. One marine has this to say about Fallujah:

For example, U.S. Marines reportedly had to change their tactics when notified that the insurgents in Fallouja were probably high and thus less likely to be stopped by standard shots to the torso. One Marine stated that “on the second day of the fight, word came down to focus on head shots, that body shots were not good enough,” while another compared it to “‘Night of the Living Dead’, people who should have been dead were still alive.”

This brings to mind the infamous Shawn Nelson, who stole a tank in San Diego and took it for a joyride through the streets of San Diego. He was tweakin' out on methamphetamine as well. The cops had to pop the turret and shoot the guy in the head to get him to stop (note: years later the police officer still has no regrets). Medieval times of "gentleman waging war on the battlefield" are certainly in the past.

Meth and Weapons of War, not a Good Combo