Comments on: Drug War and Terror War http://www.davejustus.com/2007/01/17/drug-war-and-terror-war/ None Sine Causa Thu, 08 Jan 2009 17:43:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: probligo http://www.davejustus.com/2007/01/17/drug-war-and-terror-war/#comment-6514 probligo Sat, 20 Jan 2007 22:36:12 +0000 http://www.davejustus.com/2007/01/17/drug-war-and-terror-war/#comment-6514 Yeah, agreed. Just the minor detail that the opium trade from Afghanistan is not being driven (entirely) by the Taliban. The bulk of it, if wikipedia is accurate (and I believe that in this instance it is) then it is the "warlords" who get the greatest profit from the trade... Just a small point I know. Yeah, agreed. Just the minor detail that the opium trade from Afghanistan is not being driven (entirely) by the Taliban.

The bulk of it, if wikipedia is accurate (and I believe that in this instance it is) then it is the “warlords” who get the greatest profit from the trade…

Just a small point I know.

]]> By: Dave Justus http://www.davejustus.com/2007/01/17/drug-war-and-terror-war/#comment-6453 Dave Justus Fri, 19 Jan 2007 13:55:49 +0000 http://www.davejustus.com/2007/01/17/drug-war-and-terror-war/#comment-6453 I am not sure how that counters anything that I said Progligo. I am not sure how that counters anything that I said Progligo.

]]> By: probligo http://www.davejustus.com/2007/01/17/drug-war-and-terror-war/#comment-6425 probligo Thu, 18 Jan 2007 23:25:18 +0000 http://www.davejustus.com/2007/01/17/drug-war-and-terror-war/#comment-6425 Dave, not quite the right trail... <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opium_Production_in_Afghanistan" rel="nofollow">From wikipedia</a> (and I know how much to trust wikipedia...) comes this, which ties fairly accurately with the news reports in NZ. <blockquote>Following the US-led coalition war that led to the defeat of the Taliban in November 2001, essentially collapsing the economy, the scarcity of other sources of revenue forced many of the country's farmers to resort back to growing opium for export.(1,300 km² in 2004 according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime). Afghanistan is presently the greatest illicit opium producer in the world, before Burma (Myanmar), part of the so-called "Golden Triangle". The main obstacle to eradicating poppy cultivation in Afghanistan is the US forces' need for the warlords and their forces in hunting terrorists. In the absence of Taliban, the warlords largely control the opium trade but are also highly useful to the US forces in scouting, providing local intelligence, keeping their own territories clean from Al-Qaeda and Taliban insurgents, and even taking part in military operations. </blockquote> Dave, not quite the right trail…

From wikipedia (and I know how much to trust wikipedia…) comes this, which ties fairly accurately with the news reports in NZ.

Following the US-led coalition war that led to the defeat of the Taliban in November 2001, essentially collapsing the economy, the scarcity of other sources of revenue forced many of the country’s farmers to resort back to growing opium for export.(1,300 km² in 2004 according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime). Afghanistan is presently the greatest illicit opium producer in the world, before Burma (Myanmar), part of the so-called “Golden Triangle”.

The main obstacle to eradicating poppy cultivation in Afghanistan is the US forces’ need for the warlords and their forces in hunting terrorists. In the absence of Taliban, the warlords largely control the opium trade but are also highly useful to the US forces in scouting, providing local intelligence, keeping their own territories clean from Al-Qaeda and Taliban insurgents, and even taking part in military operations.

]]> By: Dave Justus http://www.davejustus.com/2007/01/17/drug-war-and-terror-war/#comment-6386 Dave Justus Thu, 18 Jan 2007 12:43:13 +0000 http://www.davejustus.com/2007/01/17/drug-war-and-terror-war/#comment-6386 I know that there was a big deal in early 2001 or late 2000 about the Taliban wiping out the poppy fields. I think it might have been motivated in part by the international displeasure at the destruction of the Buhda statues. In any event, I am positive that they made major strides against poppy cultivation, and were aplauded for that by our government. Certainly they are profiting from the poppy trade now, and I wouldn't be surprised if they had also used it during their original rise to power in Afghanistan in the 90s. I know that there was a big deal in early 2001 or late 2000 about the Taliban wiping out the poppy fields. I think it might have been motivated in part by the international displeasure at the destruction of the Buhda statues. In any event, I am positive that they made major strides against poppy cultivation, and were aplauded for that by our government.

Certainly they are profiting from the poppy trade now, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they had also used it during their original rise to power in Afghanistan in the 90s.

]]> By: honestpartisan http://www.davejustus.com/2007/01/17/drug-war-and-terror-war/#comment-6370 honestpartisan Wed, 17 Jan 2007 22:26:29 +0000 http://www.davejustus.com/2007/01/17/drug-war-and-terror-war/#comment-6370 I like the idea, too. But I was under the impression that the Taliban profited from the drug trade. I like the idea, too. But I was under the impression that the Taliban profited from the drug trade.

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