If not now, when?

[Comrade Ogilvy]

As I understand it, the U.S. has 30,000 troops in Afghanistan, NATO has another 30,000, and the Afghan army must have at least 30,000 by now. On top of that, they have total air superiority and satellite coverage... yet, 90% of the heroin comes from there. If they can't at least bring that number down under those conditions, when will they ever be able to?

Uhhh....I think they are busy fighting terrorist instead of plants...maybe they should all be deployed in the U.S. fighting meth labs.

 

[lightcreatedlife@hom]

Just as a sidebar, doesn't a large amount of opium poppy production happen in Thailand and Myanmar, in the Golden Triangle?

How do you do the link thing with the "Golden Triangle" name?
I got this statement from a web production source.

"According to intelligence estimates, heroin production has decreased significantly in most source areas, particularly in Southeast Asia and South America. In fact, worldwide heroin production outside Afghanistan decreased approximately 60 percent (126 mt to 50 mt) from 2001 through 2004. Conversely, heroin production in Afghanistan increased sharply following the defeat of the Taliban, from 2001 (7 mt) to 2004 (582 mt) (see Table 8). Because of the apparent sharp decline in heroin production in most source areas and a sharp increase in heroin production in Afghanistan, more than 92 percent (582 mt of 632 mt) of estimated worldwide heroin production in 2004 occurred in Afghanistan."

The guy thinks that most of the heroin from Afghanistan is going to Europe right now, but with the decrease in production in other areas, that it may soon take up the slack here.
I think that the increase in production makes the U.S. and NATO look inept at best, and involved at worst.

 

[Comrade Ogilvy]

I think that the increase in production makes the U.S. and NATO look inept at best, and involved at worst.

Exactly....another conspiracy uncovered.

 

[lightcreatedlife@hom]

It's not just a black and white issue the way the popular media makes it out to be. If the money wasted on the "drug war" was put into rehabilitation and education much could be accomplished. Furthermore it's my opinion that current illegal drugs should be legalized and sold by the government. That would be the end of large scale organized crime around the world. The US government could use the money on the drug program rehabilitation program as well. Many of America's problems with drugs and violence would be solved if such simple steps were taken.

That might help some of the violence for terroritory, though there maybe an increase in robbery related violence. It would also create a full range of "legal drug addicts." Legal can be taken for okay, and "crack" is too potent for a good quality readily available source. The store would have to always be open, or someone would be able to illegally fill the gap.

 

[lightcreatedlife@hom]

Yup, "It's the Economy, Stupid!"

We've won the war, now we have to win the peace. The best way would be to establish an economy. Persian rugs won't do it anymore, too labor intensive for the market. But can't the same weavers make wire harnesses for cars? Or sumthin?

Give these people jobs, and hope, maybe they will go to work instead of committing suicide bombings. Make an economy that will support farmers through food stuffs, and the farmers won't grow poppies.

I'm wondering where Afghanistan is getting the food to feed itself, since it is growing something else? I know that there are some countries that would like to sell their crops, but complain about the hold, and advantages, of those who already dominate the markets. Is there enough room for them to compete? Room enough for them to get their economies rolling?

 

[Zep]

Maybe they are building their economy by selling what is high-value and in most demand, to the market that will actually pay them for it. I guess nearly 600 tonnes (600,000kgs) per year is gonna nett them a LOT of ready cash! So they do seem to be being completely pragmatic about the situation.

 

[lightcreatedlife@hom]

Uhhh....I think they are busy fighting terrorist instead of plants...

I don't want them to fight the plant, just plot them, I want the farmer payed off. Although... there is nothing like the potential of "other action" that a soldier can provide.

maybe they should all be deployed in the U.S. fighting meth labs.

Meth labs, the fast growing threat. If it ain't one thing, its another.

 

[lightcreatedlife@hom]

Maybe they are building their economy by selling what is high-value and in most demand, to the market that will actually pay them for it. I guess nearly 600 tonnes (600,000kgs) per year is gonna nett them a LOT of ready cash! So they do seem to be being completely pragmatic about the situation.

That is the good news. If its just about cash, the U.S. and NATO got plenty. If the data is right, those farmers make $2,000 a year, just one billion dollars could pay off a lot of farmers. Another billion could pay for a large monitoring force.