Monrovia, Feb. 17 -- FREETOWN - A Nation on the Brink

The skies over Sierra Leone are darkening, not with storms, but with the shadows of an unfolding narco-crisis that threatens to destabilize not just the country, but the entire Mano River Union. The presence of Dutch drug kingpin Jos Leijdekkers-one of Europe's most wanted criminals-has placed Sierra Leone at the heart of an international drug trafficking scandal. The country's government, scrambling to contain the fallout, has found itself accused of complicity, cover-ups, and an inability-or unwillingness-to root out the rot. But this crisis is no longer Sierra Leone's alone.

The warning signs are already flashing red for neighboring Liberia. If Sierra Leone fails to act decisively...