Mission Accomplished yet again

[headscratcher4]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060719/ap_on_re_as/afghanistan

This is a news story that has almost gotten lost in the wealth of good news from the Middle East. It seems that U.S. and Afghan government forces retook two towns that had been captured/invaded by the Taliban.

I guess this really is the last throes of that insurgency...and the Administration's strategy of luring the Taliban into the open where we can get 'em seems right on target. Any day now, Afghanastan will be safe enough for the resurgent drug lords to bring the poppy harvest in.

 

[gumboot]

Any day now, Afghanastan will be safe enough for the resurgent drug lords to bring the poppy harvest in.

I doubt it. The PRTs are fighting the drug trade pretty hard.

-Andrew

 

[Alphaba]

I doubt it. The PRTs are fighting the drug trade pretty hard.

-Andrew

I just saw a well-done TV report on opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan, showing notably an Afghani counter-narcotics team at work and, hum, I am afraid headscratcher4 is fully right.


As to the role of ISAF Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) (which was briefly commented in the TV report), I am truly unsure "fighting the drug trade pretty hard" describes it accurately:

The revised Operational Plan adopted by NATO Foreign Ministers on 8 December 2005 focuses mostly on peacekeeping security operations in coordination with the Afghan security forces. The rules of engagement do not provide for taking military action against drug production, processing, and trafficking.
[...]
ISAF has shown a reluctance to get involved in the drug war.

Source: An excellent recent paper by Ali Ahmad Jalali, a former Interior Minister of Afghanistan

 

[Rob Lister]

Um, just so you all know, I not at all sure Headscratcher tongue is not at least contemplating a meeting of his cheek.

That said...

This seems like little potatos to me. The Afgan drug trade has existed as long as the poppy has been popular. It will continue to exist. For those that really dispise (I only dislike it at certain levels), it is my humble opinion that that under the new regime, so long as it remains stable, will effect much lower levels of production. But rest assured, production will always be there so long as there is a market for it...and there is.

 

[kalen]

Sounds like the poppy growers could easily be recruited to fight the Taliban. The only catch would be that they'd be left alone to grow their poppies. It's a great way to finance an armed resistance: a lesson that was learned 25 odd years ago.

 

[gumboot]

As to the role of ISAF Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) (which was briefly commented in the TV report), I am truly unsure "fighting the drug trade pretty hard" describes it accurately:

You may be right. My apologies. Let me rephrase.

The New Zealand PRT at Camp Kiwi, Bamyan Province, is fighting drug production very hard.



-Andrew

 

[Skeptic]

Sounds like the poppy growers could easily be recruited to fight the Taliban. The only catch would be that they'd be left alone to grow their poppies. .

Er, when the Taliban were in power, they banned growing poppy as "unislamic" (they won't let anyone have any fun, would they?), with the usual consequences for those farmers who disobeyed.

 

[WildCat]

Er, when the Taliban were in power, they banned growing poppy as "unislamic" (they won't let anyone have any fun, would they?), with the usual consequences for those farmers who disobeyed.

The growing was banned, but not the sales. And there was a huge glut of harvested opium at the time, which is why there was no shortage even when the Taliban were in power.

And I was unaware that we went into Afghanistan primarily to end poppy growing.

eta: and why would anyone think we can stop opium production in Afganistan, when we can't even stop marijuana growing right here at home? Scratch your head over that one!

 

[Mephisto]

Poppies, schmoppies!

I'm just glad we're making the world a safer place!

"A purported Taliban statement said the hard-line militia would open "new fronts" in its fight and threatened "severe" action in coming days. Police and soldiers should stop helping "foreign occupation forces" and seek forgiveness from the Taliban, said the statement e-mailed to an Associated Press reporter in Pakistan by Mohammed Hanif."