(AKI) - By Giovanni Del Re - Afghanistan's drugs trade has become a key obstacle in international efforts to stabilise the country, according to NATO's top European commander, General John Craddock. "I requested additional authorisation to permit ISAF to directly go after drug bosses and drug traffic facilities," Craddock told Adnkronos International (AKI).
Craddock was on a visit to the Afghan capital, Kabul, for meetings with commanders from the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). "Afghanistan is gaining in capability and size but is it adequate to the task?" Craddock asked.
"The authorisations for ISAF in the operation plan are to provide assistance to Afghan anti-narcotics forces, but these authorisations are not enough," Craddock added. "The UN estimates a total of 60 to 100 million dollars go to the insurgency," he said. "They buy the explosives (and) the bomb makers pay the soldiers who pull the triggers who kill our soldiers. We cannot let this go on, we must do this to reduce risks for ISAF soldiers."
"The issue is still controversial. Some countries are dragging their feet. I am very engaged on the issue and will speak with every single ally until they understand what is at stake."
Italy, France and Germany are reportedly among the main objectors to ISAF targeting the Afghan drug lords, according to unnamed AKI sources. ISAF currently has 53,000 troops from 40 countries in Afghanistan, NATO's largest ground operation outside Europe.
Around 100 million dollars from the drugs trade have been poured into the insurgency, especially the Taliban, strengthening them as a fighting force against the international troops. The United Nations estimates that revenues from Afghanistan's drugs trade amounted to 5 billion dollars in 2007, equivalent to half the country's national income.
A massive 90 percent of the heroin that reaches Europe comes from Afghanistan.
| Yet the French, Germans and Italians don't want to do anything about it. |
One positive trend is that the number of provinces free from opium has increased from 13 to 18 out of 34, according a recent UN report on the drugs trade.
The head of the UN's anti-drugs agency UNODC, Antonio Maria Costa, has called on NATO to give more concrete assistance in eradicating opium cultivation in Afghanistan. Costa suggested that ISAF consider expanding its anti-drug support to destroying heroin processing facilities and to intercepting drug convoys, as well as identifying and disrupting major traffickers.
He also said international forces in Afghanistan needed to regain military control of the provinces where opium is still being cultivated on a large scale. |
