Opium Harvest Boom in Afghanistan

[Heibges]

Originally Posted by jimbuna

ROFLMAO :rotfl: :rotfl:

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: That could have been right out of "Train Spotting".:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

[bradclark1]

Originally Posted by Chock

I was under the impression that when the Taliban were in control, they banned opium production, and its resugence came about when they were kicked back a bit.

Chock

"Of particular worry is the Taliban's involvement in the drug trade. Drug profits now support elements of the Taliban and fund attacks on U.S. and NATO forces. While counter-narcotics efforts intensified last year, results to date are insufficient. More must be done."

http://www.voanews.com/uspolicy/2007-03-09-voa3.cfm

The talibans train of thought is they are death on their own using drugs, hash etc because it's against the koran, however it's okay to grow and sell poppies/extract because opium is used by infidels.:hmm:

[Heibges]

Do you guys remember that story about the Canadian Army trying to burn the marajuana fields in Afghanistan, and how the plants interferred with Thermal Imaging Systems?

[P_Funk]

I think that any attempts to stem the growth of opium in Afghanistan is going to be counter-productive to the fight against the Taliban. The reason that the Taliban is currently benefitting from the growth is because American anti-drug policy is alienating Afghans. If you look at the economy of the country if you tell them they can't grow poppies then you might as well be saying "go ahead and starve".

The Taliban is being pragmatic, but we aren't if we try and stop this. If anything we should be embracing it and trying to funnel this 'illegal' economy into legitimate pharmaceuticals. The reality is that you can either fight the Taliban or you can fight the drug trade, you can't fight both at the same time. If we keep trying to stop the growth of poppies then we'll just make it impossible to eliminate Taliban influence.

[Heibges]

They should form AOROL. Afghani Organization to Reform Opium Laws.

[Tchocky]

That's not a pretty picture, pFunk

[Reaves]

Even if drug production was stemmed in Afghanistan it would only pop up in one of the many other failing countries out there. Supply and demand.

[Heibges]

Originally Posted by Reaves

Even if drug production was stemmed in Afghanistan it would only pop up in one of the many other failing countries out there. Supply and demand.

I agree with you fully, but believe the issue is who is using the money from the sale of opium in Afghanistan.

If the Taliban is buying weapons with it, then we should stop it, but I don't see really how we can.

We can't stop the flow from South/Central America to the US with the whole Navy/Coast Guard/DEA/National Guard at our disposal, I see little hope for doing so on the other side of the world.

[P_Funk]

Originally Posted by Heibges

If the Taliban is buying weapons with it, then we should stop it, but I don't see really how we can.

I know how. You stop trying to destroy the poppy fields. You make friends with the farmers and therefore stop giving the Taliban a desriable face as the only party to support their only economic option.

As long as you let the Taliban be the good guys to these farmers we'll be the bad guys. Its like prohibition in the US. It didn't work and it only made the mafia richer than they could ever have dreamed.

[Heibges]

Originally Posted by P_Funk

I know how. You stop trying to destroy the poppy fields. You make friends with the farmers and therefore stop giving the Taliban a desriable face as the only party to support their only economic option.

As long as you let the Taliban be the good guys to these farmers we'll be the bad guys. Its like prohibition in the US. It didn't work and it only made the mafia richer than they could ever have dreamed.

I see. We buy it from them at a higher price than the Taliban is giving them. Rather like the "Guns for Toys" programs they have in many US cities around Christmas. That is a good idea.

I just wonder if the farmers would still be too scared of the Taliban to do business with us, regardless of the price.

[Reaves]

Originally Posted by Heibges

I agree with you fully, but believe the issue is who is using the money from the sale of opium in Afghanistan.

If the Taliban is buying weapons with it, then we should stop it, but I don't see really how we can.

We can't stop the flow from South/Central America to the US with the whole Navy/Coast Guard/DEA/National Guard at our disposal, I see little hope for doing so on the other side of the world.

Which is why focus should be on removing the Taliban or the weapon runners who supply them. The farmers are just trying to make a living with the cards they are dealt. Bring order to the chaos and farmers will start growing more legitimate produce.

The question is how do we bring that order and what is the cost?

[Tchocky]

It will be a big job to get Afghanistan off of heroin. you can't shut off something so lucrative and necessary without repercussions.

Still, cheap smack helps no one.

[Heibges]

Originally Posted by Reaves

Which is why focus should be on removing the Taliban or the weapon runners who supply them. The farmers are just trying to make a living with the cards they are dealt. Bring order to the chaos and farmers will start growing more legitimate produce.

The question is how do we bring that order and what is the cost?

The problem is "lucrative" crops tend to not be lucrative for very long, and terrible for the soil. But this has been a problem even in the Western World for 300 years, so what can you do? The fact is, the Industrial Revolution really hammered the agricultural economy.

[geetrue]

Originally Posted by geetrue

I bet the farmers don't get very much compaired to the drug runners

I was right ... average income per farmer family is $3,000 to $4,000 a year

This article is five years old, but points out the problem: http://www.rawa.org/opium-again.htm

Revenue for each of the 200-250,000 families involved in poppy production is estimated
at around US$3,000-4,000 per year, Costa said.

From today's MSNBC article
2006 Opium production 6,100 metric tons
2005 Opium production 4,100 metric tons

From the above article
2002 Opium production 3,400 metric tons
2001 Opium production 185 metric tons

[Heibges]

Originally Posted by geetrue

I was right ... average income per farmer family is $3,000 to $4,000 a year

This article is five years old, but points out the problem: http://www.rawa.org/opium-again.htm

From today's MSNBC article
2006 Opium production 6,100 metric tons
2005 Opium production 4,100 metric tons

From the above article
2002 Opium production 3,400 metric tons
2001 Opium production 185 metric tons

I'm sure the Drug Runners make much more than the farmers, but I would think $3000 USD in Afghanistan is still a boatload of money.