Bumper year for Afghan poppies

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/0724/p06s01-wosc.html

Money from the opium trade may diminish US influence over the warlords, and aid Taliban.

BATIKOT, AFGHANISTAN – Gul Hazrat Bacha has turned his attention from his fields to building a new house for his family - a dream fulfilled by his recent opium poppy crop.
Only two years ago, Mr. Bacha and his four brothers grew wheat - and fell deeper into debt each year. Now, they make 12 times their former income, have paid back lenders, and see a future for the family. "Honestly speaking, whatever I have is because of poppy," says Bacha with a smile. "Money, happiness, and the house ... everything."

Afghan farmers are producing a bumper crop of poppies this year, despite a ban imposed by President Hamid Karzai's government, and just three years after the Taliban clamped down on cultivation.

The resurgence of this plant - used to make heroin - could unravel the relationships between warlords and the US military that have brought a modicum of peace to Afghanistan.

Poppy cultivation could not happen without the knowledge of powerful warlords who still control most of Afghanistan with their loyal militias. Sources say warlords, commanders, and corrupt officials buy opium from the farmers and provide safe passage to drug barons, who smuggle out either raw opium or refined heroin processed in makeshift factories.

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[DeathvadeR]

1. Chiva Chiva......

How can I please ya?

Plan A) word of this gets out and monsanto will get billions to dump Super ready round-up on the entire region, just like they are in columbia. Fuqin assholes...

Plan B) why in the hell doesn't the pharmacuetical industry employee the afghans to grow these poppies for them. I mean wouldn't it make economic sense to employee these farmers...which would help the countries economy while takeing advantage of one of the largest poppy agricutural areas on the planet and help eleminate the production for other means like blacktar?

which route do you think the US government will opt for?

[Nambe]

2. Dad says the CIA rifined opium and sent it to N Vietmam....

N Vietman shipped it to S Vietman and everybody got loaded.

When will the Afghans start refining and shipping to Iraq? Nothing like karma all over again.

[goforit]

3. I'm sure Poppy is cruising in the poppies as well as Mr. Blair!!!

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$...............

It's a record year for rip offs!!!!

[DagmarK]

4. Oh yes, Poppy is overjoyed at this new business venture!!!

Why, it's almost better than a barrel of oily monkeys!

[PartyPooper]

5. I thought you said, "Bumper year for Afghan puppies!"

And, I love dogs! :-(

[Julien Sorel]

6. Maybe the U.S. should call it a day and invite the Taliban back.

The country ran better under them, anyway.

Didn't Bush just give a speech a few days ago where he bragged about the Afghans living in freedom? I suppose this is an example of it.

[madrchsod]

7. "same as it ever was"

lived thru the first big wave of smack in the 60`s. i saved a few friends from od`n and lost a few along the way..there`s nothing worse than watching friends become junkies. with the amount of cheap coke from south america-mexico and then throw in the home grown meth, if this shit hits our shores in large amounts there will be larger war on the streets of america...i never thought those days would come back ,but it looks like they will.

[Bozita]

8. More spending needed in US drug war.

Gotta keep the prices up.