Your report (A study named Mexico the second-deadliest country – but is it true?, 11 May) questioned the emphasis placed on drug homicides within the International Institute for Strategic Studies’ global study of violence and conflict. IISS prides itself on the rigour and independence of its research: our armed conflict survey draws on the input of impartial experts from over 180 countries. Our conclusions have been acknowledged and – to the extent it is possible – welcomed by government officials throughout the world, including in Latin America. The armed conflict survey is widely recognised as the most authoritative study of its kind.
Indeed, a recent trend of IISS’s research has been on the development of hybrid conflicts: the increasing growth of inter- and intra-state violence reaching beyond the classically understood definition of “war”. The Mexican military’s campaign against drug cartels would be one such example; as would the increasing number of cyber-attacks or providing proxy support to terrorist groups. Following this methodology, the inclusion of drug homicides is not merely justified; it is indispensable.
Of course, for many commentators the report’s main crime will be that it has drawn the attention and respect of the current US president. As such, I would humbly suggest that their objections lie not with our research, but with their own political prejudices.
Dr John Chipman
Director general and chief executive, The International Institute for Strategic Studies
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