Human trafficking in Southeast Asia and U.S. national security

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Authors
Snoke, Joshua H.
Subjects
Southeast Asia
human trafficking
trafficking in persons
transnational organized crime
national security
Advisors
Dahl, Erik
Date of Issue
2015-03
Date
Publisher
Monterey, CA; Naval Postgraduate School
Language
Abstract
The United States government finds human trafficking to be an important subject and is placing increasing focus on the issue. The Southeast Asian portion of the Western Pacific encompasses a substantial portion of global trafficking, much of which has a final destination in the United States. This thesis asks the following question: How does trafficking in persons (TIP) affect U.S. national security interests and regional stability in Southeast Asia? To answer this question, this thesis examines how trafficking affects U.S. national security; the importance of combatting human trafficking in Southeast Asia to regional stability and to U.S. national security; levels of involvement the United States might seek to address the problem of human trafficking in Southeast Asia; and the possibility of an increase in maritime security efforts and interagency coordination in Southeast Asia to effectively combat human trafficking. U.S. national security is tied to regional stability through effects on economic interdependence and state partnerships. TIP threatens both, through its influence in transnational organized crime and the misuse of humans as an illegal resource. The thesis concludes by considering possible solutions to the problem that could be adopted by the United States military.
Type
Thesis
Description
Series/Report No
Department
National Security Affairs (NSA)
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NPS Report Number
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Distribution Statement
Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.