Afghan opium crop hits new record

Afghan opium crop hits new record

www.theage.com.au

"AFGHANISTAN produced record levels of opium in 2007 for the second straight year, led by a staggering 45 per cent increase in the Taliban stronghold of Helmand province, according to a UN survey...."

(visit the link for the full news article)

This is simply staggering...

It makes one wonder whether Coalition forces are serious about tackling opium production within Afghanistan. And frankly, it makes me wonder whether some within the "Coalition" aren't benefiting in some ways with the increase of opium production in Afghanistan.

Lets face it, we know where the large majority of this stuff is going to end up, that is in Coalition countries

It reminds me of the stories of the CIA running drugs during the Vietnam war and what not

What are folks take on this story, do people think some within the Coalition are indeed deliberately going soft on reducing the growing of opium poppies ? Or worse, are some openly encouraging increased production and benefiting financially from this ?

Peace

www.theage.com.au
(visit the link for the full news article)

[edit on 27-8-2007 by Rilence]

prior to the coalition invasion of Afghanistan, the Taliban leadership
had the Opium trade on the ropes...

the coalition allowed for the free & democratic production of Opium to rebound.


hmmmm...... makes for CT thinking don't it

It sure does St Udio

It may well be a nice little earner for those who are allowing this to happen, a couple of % per tonne or whatever

All those little percentages are pretty lucrative I'd reckon, and there isn't a whole lot anyone who doesn't like it (i.e you and me) can do about it

Well theres a tried and tested method of funding those black projects/incursions into Iran.
Heroin has caused more deaths than 911/taliabn/Iraq AQ.
It causes more damage to our societies.
If western governments were serious about getting this crap off our streets,they could have done so easily by now-
It goes like this..any country who produces opium,we approach them legally,to buy 100% of it-then we purify it and use it in medicines-any surplus is put into the incinerator.
We can afford it,and it would help put poor countries back on their feet.

But oh no.They don`t want a drug free,clear thinking population in the west do they?Otherwise people may start to see the bigger picture,and God forbid decide they don`t like what is being done by the rulers of the world.

Anyone who believes western powers do not deal illegal drugs to fund wars just needs to google:

Iran Contras

or the opium wars.

The increase in opium production can be put down to the Coalition failing to take control of control of the all important rural areas. The best way to stop opium production is to build infrastructure so that when people grow alternative crops when they have access to markets. Instead of sending more troops to Afghanistan and building the likes of roads the Iraq side show was embarked upon and now we have situation where victory isnt possible in Iraq or Afghanistan.

Make no mistake it is a lot easier to deal with the opium crop then it is to deal with people that are intend on massacring there fellow man . The Briggs plan should be implemented in Southern Afghanistan see this thread for more on that matter.

The fact that the Taliban are willing to support Opium growth when it suits them would indicate that there primary interest is suppressing peoples freedoms.

[edit on 27-8-2007 by xpert11]

[edit on 27-8-2007 by xpert11]

The only thing surprising here is that they didn't even bother to cook the numbers. The hypocrisy and complicity of the US in the "war on drugs" is appalling.

Opium one of the biggest cash crops in the world, those who think we occupied afghanastain solely to look for Bin Laden are wrong. We were there to secure two things, natural gas and the opium trade. Just as in Iraq, we are there for the oil. I hate to accuse the US government of drug trafficing however it has done so in the past and I believe they are doing so now. One would think that the production of opium would have ceased with an occupying military force yet it has sky rocketed, how so? Porous borders, I think not.

This makes me sick to my stomach, I have had 3 friends die of overdoses from heroin and many friends(to many to count) who are recovering heroin addicts.(I was a promoter of the east coast rave scene in the early and late 90's so I was around all sorts of drugs and druggies) This is the most dangerous drug on the streets and it is easier to find bags of dope than marijuana in my area. How sick is that and since sept. 11th I have heard from some of my addict friends that it has never been easier to get. One would think with all the increased "security" it would be difficult to smuggle drugs into the US. Well its not and seems to be easier than ever......

reply to post by Starwatcher


Well spoken Starwatcher,
There is money to be made in opium,and ultimately the biggest and most powerful "gangs" on the planet are the governments.

I am sorry you knew people who died from the filth of heroin-Three friends died you say?
I am sorry for them,I know two people who did the same here-in rural Wales,about as far away from Heroin producing countries as you can get..
In a land of fields and stone walls,blue sky and mountains.
The plague is everywhere, by design I am afraid to say Bro.