Record illegal drug production in Afghanistan

[Julian2]

The Taliban prior to Sept. 11, 2001 was totally against growing opium. When the USA invaded the country, the USA made allegiance with the Taliban's major enemy. That was the Northen Alliance. I always found this to be a very strange tactic. Now, Afghanastan is back to being number one in opium production thanks to USA intervention.

It's quite simple, the enemy of our enemy is our friend.

The war lords of the Northern Alliance then started growing opium which the Americans turned a blind eye to, as it was a means of providing a reward for these people rather than them receiving large amounts of cash from the US; which was becoming a little strapped due to the rather expensive invasion and reconstruction of Iraq.

[Bangkoktraveler]

Almost accurate. The Northern Alliance was already producing opium. Basically all of the opium coming from Afghanastan was coming from the Taliban's bitter enemy, the Northern Alliance prior to 9/11/2001. The USA decided to go with another 'evil' in order to catch the evil Ben Ladin.

[TheCorinthian]

Ironic isn't it. Arming Sunni insurgents in Iraq. Backing Turkey against the PKK. Musharraf voted out. Russia reasserting itself. Iran going nuclear. Chinese and Arabs buying US banks. The whole War on Terror has been one irony after another.

 

 

Yes but that is not the War on Terror. That is the Way of the World.

[chuckwoww]

Ironic isn't it. Arming Sunni insurgents in Iraq. Backing Turkey against the PKK. Musharraf voted out. Russia reasserting itself. Iran going nuclear. Chinese and Arabs buying US banks. The whole War on Terror has been one irony after another.

 

 

Yes but that is not the War on Terror. That is the way of the world.

 

I wish I knew for sure. Sometimes it looks like the same mistakes just get repeated over and over.

 

[TheCorinthian]

Ironic isn't it. Arming Sunni insurgents in Iraq. Backing Turkey against the PKK. Musharraf voted out. Russia reasserting itself. Iran going nuclear. Chinese and Arabs buying US banks. The whole War on Terror has been one irony after another.

 

 

Yes but that is not the War on Terror. That is the Way of the World.

 

I wish I knew for sure. Sometimes it looks like the same mistakes just get repeated over and over.

 

 

My point entirely.

[bust]

The word was that the motives for the Taliban to ban production was possibly only a move to raise prices by restricting production.

It does seem likely that the Taliban had large stocks of processed opium on hand, perhaps even a year's worth, as was widely reported.

 

However the largest source of income for the Taliban came from the smuggling of consumer and other durable goods.

 

In the late 90's the NA controlled a portion of the opium trade. 20-30% of Masudâ??s war budget was derived from the trade in opium

to Central Asian. The majority of his funds came from controlling the precious stone mining in the Panshir Valley.

 

So given the current state of the opium trade I would say Frank Lewis all over again.

 

Best way will be to watch the statistics of heroin OD's in the USA over the next few months.

They shy rocketed during Vietnam.