The original 1972 edition of this book, which focused almost exclusively on Southeast Asia, has long been recognized as a classic of its kind by observers of U.S. foreign policy. In this new edition, McCoy (Southeast Asian history, U. of Wisconsin at Madison) has moved beyond his original intent of simply exposing the CIA's role in politically protecting drug lords in order to advance their covert operations objectives. He now attempts to explain the wider political and economic dynamics of the global trade in narcotics, paying as much attention to the failed policies of drug prohibition as to the continuing habit of the U.S. government to work with drug traffickers when it finds it convenient for its geostrategic or other political interests. Annotation (c) Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)