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Afghanistan
NATO to target drug barons in Afghan south
2006-07-30
KABUL - NATOÂ’s expansion into southern Afghanistan will target drug warlords who are the root cause of growing violence, the forceÂ’s commander said on Saturday. NATO will embark on the biggest mission in its history on Monday when it takes over security from the US-led coalition in six southern provinces, extending its authority to almost all of the country.

British Lieutenant-General David Richards said he hoped to see improvements in the south within three to six months, which would allow the 26-nation alliance to proceed with the final phase of its deployment into the east by the end of the year.

Richards told a news conference in Kabul that the violence was inextricably linked to drugs. “Essentially for the last four years some very brutal people have been developing their little fiefdoms down there and exporting a lot of opium to the rest of the world,” he said. “That very evil trade is being threatened by the NATO expansion in the south. This is a very noble cause we’re engaged in and we have to liberate the people from that scourge of those warlords.”

“We do not want to target the farmers. Those people are in debt because of the drug barons,” Richards said.

Richards said the key elements of NATO’s new role in the south, with the backing of up to 9,000 troops from 37 countries, would be to provide security to foster development, reconstruction and good governance. This will enable an “alternative economy” to that offered by the drug barons to develop, he said. “(But) they are going to fight very hard to keep what they’ve got,” said Richards. “I am not trying to achieve instant victory because I can’t do that. Within three to six months I think we’ll have a very clear idea (of how we are progressing).”
I think this is a misguided pipe dream but what do I know? I don't see how you can wean farmers away from growing poppies, as there just isn't any other crop that generates this kind of profit potential. The farmers sure won't make a living growing soybeans. But I don't have any suggestions on how to do things better.
Posted by:Steve White

#2  MMmmmm, I remember a TV special on just how Opium is Grown, they slit the buds with razors and scrape off the hardened sap a few dys later, that sap is the Opium.

Crop Dusters with weed killer would work, but it's a short range solution, a hundred miles or so range per crop duster, makes it pretty easy to attack the airplane some night and burn it, desperate Farmers would not hesitate to destroy the plane.
Posted by: Redneck Jim   2006-07-30 10:19  

#1  Why can't they convert a few KC-10's into cropdusters and just go ape? There must be a reason or they would have done it by now.
Posted by: gorb   2006-07-30 04:05  

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