Afghanistan Record Opium Production

While the Taliban were truly repressive regressive bad guys one thing they did manage to achieve in Afghanistan prior to the US lead invasion five years ago was the near elimination of poppy growth and the resulting opium production.

Since the Taliban were removed from full control of Afghanistan, with the US, British, and Nato forces moving in, the poppy fields are growing poppies at record levels and opium production has soared. What kind of “victory” is this?

Since being “liberated” Afghanistan has become the world’s first fully Narco State with an estimated 60% of its gross national product coming from the drug trade. This makes Columbia look like an also ran second rate amateur by comparison.

In an effort to win the “hearts and minds” of the Afghan farmers coalition forces have been reluctant to take an active role in eradicating opium production. The result? Poppy fields are producing more gum to be used in opium production than ever before.

Now with the resurgence of the Taliban in Afghanistan, being ever pragmatic, the Taliban have changed their altitude towards opium production. The Taliban are working in cooperation with the farmers and warlords as they use profits from opium production and drug sales in the West to finance their war against the “infidels”.

Hamid Karzai and his main supporters spend most of their time hiding away in Kabul or wearing fancy tribal robes touring about the world seeking more financial aid. His government has not focused on reducing the country’s high employment rate and has failed to provide even basic services to the majority of the improvised population.

Karzai’s efforts to secure financial aid are understandable. Additional aid is badly needed as many earlier pledges of aid were never honored. Tremendous resources have been diverted by the US and other nations to fight the ridiculous and prolonged war in Iraq rather than properly taking care of business in Afghanistan.

The Karzai government, still proclaimed as a “success” by the Americans, has never controlled much of the country side. That is the territory of the Taliban and the warlords. With the government’s inability to govern and to provide even basic security no wonder the nations farmers have returned to producing a cash crop. They have been placed into a survival mode and desperately need the money that poppy production provides.

Poppies, Opium, and the Taliban.

That’s a tough combination of foes for the American, British, and Nato forces to be up against. With the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan more porous than ever the Taliban are recruited, trained, and brainwashed in Pakistan and then deployed in Afghanistan. When conditions in Afghanistan become too hot they move back across the border into safe havens in Pakistan.

With more Taliban, more opium, and safe havens, the collation forces and the weak Karzai government over the long term don’t have a chance of controlling the rugged Afghanistan  countryside.

When “winning the hearts and minds” means that a blind eye is turned towards record poppy production and a major portion of the funds obtained from the sale of the by product, opium, are used by the Taliban to fight against your forces you are clearly in a no win situation. Especially when there is major demand for the opium from the European, Russian, and American markets.

What a vicious no win circle. By the way, what ever happened to the hunt for Osama? Remember that number one terrorist guy?

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