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| War on Drug Begins in Afghanistan |
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Posted by FoM on April 10, 2002 at 20:48:01 PT By Anwar Iqbal, UPI South Asian Affairs Analyst Source: United Press International 
The Afghan government and its American allies have opened a new front in Afghanistan as the war on terror intensifies. Their new target: Afghanistan's poppy fields that have enriched Afghan warlords for decades. And it promises to be as difficult and bloody as the war on terror.In a message issued on Drug Abuse Resistance Education day Wednesday, U.S. President George W. Bush declared, "When we fight the war on drugs, we also fight the war on terror." Although the latest battle in the ongoing war against drugs began only this week, a dozen people have already been killed. At least four bystanders died Monday in the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad --victims of a bomb apparently intended to kill Defense Minister Mohammed Fahim. The minister was visiting the city the day the Afghan government launched a campaign to persuade local farmers to give up poppy cultivation. Eight people were killed in Helmund, a province known as the largest drug producer in Afghanistan, in a clash between farmers and government troops attempting to prevent poppy farming. Afghanistan's war on opium is just more of the same for the beleaguered country. War is nothing new for Afghanistan. First one, then another, then another. The Soviets invaded in 1979 and battled mujahadeen for 10 years before leaving in defeat as the Soviet Union crumbled. Then Taliban battled the mujahadeen for six years before riding triumphantly into Kabul and running their enemies into northern Afghanistan. Now the mujahadeen are back, with the help of the U.S. military, and the interim government is following the urging of the United States and attacking the opium crop -- the country's most profitable export and a staple for farmers for decades. For the last 20 years, heroin addicts have supported the wars. Junkies in Europe and the United States have paid dearly for the magic powder that started as a beautiful flower in Afghan poppy fields. The opium poppy crop paid for weapons to fight the Soviet tanks and helicopters, with some of the weapons coming from the American CIA. And opium paid for weapons for the mujahadeen and Taliban fighters. So a country seemingly addicted to war fed its habit with money from Westerners addicted to heroin. Now the interim government is sending armed troops to kill the goose that has laid the golden eggs for so many warlords over the years. So it looks like the same war with a different name: the war on drugs. Poppy farmers, upset over the interim Afghan government's decision to ban poppy cultivation, have blocked roads in eastern Afghanistan, stopping the traffic between Kabul and the city of Jalalabad. A U.N. official said earlier this week the roadblock forced the world body to halt temporarily the repatriation of 18,000 refugees from Pakistan. A spokesman for the Afghan foreign ministry said in Kabul earlier this week that the assassination attempt on the defense minister might have been engineered by local drug lords resisting government efforts to ban poppy farming. Such incidents draw attention to Afghanistan's drug producers, who had been pushed in the background during the war on terrorism. Since the early 1980s, when heroin was first introduced to the region, Afghanistan has been a major source of the drug smuggled to the Middle East and Western Europe. Some of it also reaches North America. According to the official U.S. government estimate for 2001, Afghanistan produced about 74 metric tons of opium from 1,685 hectares of land under opium poppy cultivation. This is a significant decrease from the 3,656 metric tons of opium produced from 64,510 hectares of land under opium poppy cultivation in 2000. The reduction followed a ban imposed by the former Taliban regime during the previous cultivation season. But U.S. and U.N. drug enforcement agents working in the region fear that the ongoing war on terrorism has given the drug producers a free hand and the opium production can go up unless the Afghan government enforces the ban rigorously. The U.N. Drug Control Program also estimated a reduction in 2000, pointing to a 10 percent reduction in land under opium poppy cultivation and the impact of a protracted drought in the region. Yet Afghan farmers produced more than 70 percent of the world's supply of illicit opium in 2000. Morphine base, heroin and hashish produced in Afghanistan are trafficked worldwide. The latest U.S. Justice Department report, which covers the previous cultivation and reaping seasons, describes opium products as the largest source of income in Afghanistan due to the decimation of the country's economic infrastructure from years of warfare. It blames the instability caused by the Soviet invasion of 1979, the civil strife that followed the Soviet withdrawal in 1989 and the lack of a centralized authority in Afghanistan as the main reasons for large-scale poppy cultivation in the country. Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan also are major sources for cannabis, which grows wild in the region and is cultivated in Afghanistan. Together, they produce about 1,000 metric tons of cannabis resin -- hashish -- each year, with Afghanistan providing most of it. Laboratories in Afghanistan and Pakistan's semi-autonomous tribal belt convert opium into morphine base, white heroin, or one of three grades of brown heroin, depending on the order received. Large processing labs dot southern Afghanistan and smaller laboratories are in other areas of Afghanistan, including the eastern Nangarhar province. In the past, many opium-processing laboratories were in Pakistan, particularly in the Northwest Frontier Province in regions mostly controlled by local tribal leaders. These laboratories appear to have relocated to Afghanistan, both to be closer to the source of opium and to avoid law enforcement actions by the Pakistani government. According to a report prepared by the Europe and Asia unit of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the morphine base is shipped to Turkey and converted to heroin and smuggled to European and North American markets. Some liquid heroin or heroin hydrochloride of high purity levels also is produced in Afghanistan. Although in 1999, Taliban officials claim destroying a large number of heroin processing labs in Nagarhar, independent sources said the labs were simply moved to less accessible areas where they continued to produced the drug. There are also laboratories in Helmund, another province where the Taliban claimed it had destroying them. Both U.N. and U.S. officials say that that the reported destruction of laboratories by the Taliban had almost no impact on opiate conversion in the region. Pakistan, which has almost 3 million drug addicts, is a major market for Afghan heroin. But a large quantity of heroin produced in Afghanistan is sent to Europe using land routes, as the landlocked country has no ports. It is estimated that 80 percent of opiate products in Europe originate in Afghanistan. Morphine base is transported overland through Pakistan and Iran, or directly to Iran from Afghanistan, and then into Turkey. Shipments of Afghan-produced morphine base also go by sea from Pakistan's Makran Coast. Routes north through the Central Asia Republics, then across the Caspian Sea and south into Turkey are also used. Heroin also continues to be trafficked from Afghanistan through Pakistan. A recent DEA report said, "The traffickers quickly adjust heroin smuggling routes based on political and weather conditions." Hashish originating in Afghanistan is trafficked throughout the region, as well as to international markets. Although the bulk of the hashish intended for international heroin markets is routed through Pakistan and Central Asia and sent by sea, train or truck, hashish has been smuggled in airfreight in the past. Afghanistan produces no essential or precursor chemicals. Acetic anhydride, which is the most commonly used acetylating agent in heroin processing, is smuggled primarily from Pakistan, India, the Central Asian Republics, China, and Europe. According to the World Customs Organization, China seized 5,670 metric tons of AA destined for Afghanistan in April 2000. The AA was found in 240 plastic boxes concealed in carpets. Afghanistan also became an attractive base of drug smugglers because it allowed easy money laundering. The country's banking system was destroyed by the years of war. It was replaced by an informal system known as hawala -- which means reference in Urdu and Persian -- or hundi system. It operates through an informal, traditional network that has been used for centuries by businesses and families throughout Asia. This system provides a confidential, convenient, efficient service at a low cost in areas that are not served by traditional banking facilities. U.S. and U.N. officials have estimated that since 1980s, when heroin was first introduced to the region, the drug traffickers have laundered billions of dollars through the hawala system. Relatively low cost of raw opium, heroin, hashish and precursor chemicals also make Afghanistan an attractive base for drug producers. During the previous season, the Iranian press reported that one kilogram of heroin could be purchased for $2,000 on the Tajikistan-Afghanistan border, but the price rose to $15,000 as it reached Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan. The same kilogram of heroin could be sold for $150,000 in Moscow, according to Russian press reports. And each dawn, as each addict slides up to his supplier in some alley or out-of-the-way spot and gets his supply for the day, some of the money he hands the dealer eventually makes its way back to Afghanistan. Source: United Press International Related Articles: EU Funds Afghan Opium Battle Afghanistan to Pay Farmers for Uprooted Poppies U.S. Fears Afghan Farmers Can't End Cash Crop Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help |
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| Comment #15 posted by mayan on April 11, 2002 at 17:18:38 PT |
| should read, "War for Oil Begins in Afghanistan"!!! [ Post Comment ] |
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Comment #14 posted by overtoke on April 11, 2002 at 09:41:32 PT:
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| (Comedy Central actually spoke of this last night!) Iraq supplies 1/6 the Oil used the the USA. (They provide oil to other countries as well.) They are capable of doing this even after we completely destroyed their facilities during the Gulf War. How? Because the company Halliburton (CEO DICK CHENEY) rebuilt everything and made sure we would still be able to get our oil. Is it a coincidence that he is vice president now? Is it a coincidence that we are at war? This m*therf*cker and a bunch of evil d*ckheads just like him want to make some more money. One more thing. Iraq pays $25,000 to each family of a suicide bomber. The average Iraqi makes about $1000 a year. (That money comes from the USA because WE BUY OIL.) Imagine how many desperate people in the United States would become a suicide bomber if they knew it would mean their familty would be set up financially for the next 25 years? [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #13 posted by FoM on April 11, 2002 at 09:15:24 PT |
| I know who hosts my personal web site http://www.freedomtoexhale.com/ and the best advice is to contact the person who hosts your web site. [ Post Comment ] |
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Comment #12 posted by paul peterson on April 11, 2002 at 09:08:31 PT:
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| Now just wait a minute. Who used poppy profits to buy what from whom? Did I just hear that our guys' friends used that money to buy helicopters from us to fight them? And now some Senator type is trying to get us guys to stop our black ooze addiction because otherwise buying that stuff supports terrorism? Then how can we get off that stuff, eh? Isn't there something we could grow here that mght "wean" us from that dependency thing? Aren't we compelled out of patriotism to kick the habit? I'm thinking about some efficient hydrocarbon producing green "biomass" sorta generator, couldn't our scientists clone something to do something about this thing? I'm thinking we need to invent a plant, that we could, like, use for natural fiber, natural food stuffs, how about having some petrochemical thingy we could just squeeze like a juice right out of the "seed"-lets call it a seed, yeah! And while were at it, get those scientists to make it have a good mix of chemicals that can-oh wow-cure cancer, help people with AIDS, how about give people their eyesight back, maybe cure the common cold, how about help stop those nagging headaches, muscle aches, and those brain disroders-epilepsy, alzheimers, parkinson's, tourettes, bipolar, depression, HOW MANY MORE THINGS SHOULD WE TRY TO CURE WITH THIS ONE, FANCIFUL MYSTERY DRUG, from the most versitile plant ever invented (if we could ever invent one, that is). I'm thinking we need all the best minds on this one, really. I'm talking about making this also into the best darned anti-inflammatory agent in the world, also, so we don't have to have people kill their kidneys with aspirin and stuff (5,000 people die each year from those things, I think). Why, no drug company would or could tackle this alone, could they? We need to get all the drug companies cracking on this one, really! So why don't we do a market share analysis, have each one poney up a pro rata share of dough, and each one gets a pro rata share of the dough when the thing gets done, eh? Sort of like that space program thingy or something, everybody gets a peice of the action. Why, we could even get Dow Chemical, or Duponte, to like, make money on the fiber and other stuff we get outa this thing, once we get over the hump that is, the scientific backlog, you know, inventing this thing (whatever it might turn out to be, something like what I am envisioning couldn't be real could it, right now, like if we looked real hard in the jungle or something, right?) By the way, anybody know a good way to find out who hacked into a web site and made it disappear? Mine just disappeared yesterday outa nowhere. Why, just last week I sent a letter to the DEA offering my services to teach them about medical marijuana, and today "poof" my web site with information about this kind of thing was gone, without a trace. I sent a letter today to the FBI to see if they can find out who committed this crime, I call it, against my FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS, that's it. GEORGE MASON, the founding father of our BILL OR RIGHTS, he first wrote about this stuff when he authored the VIRGINIA CONSTITUTION in 1776, and our other friends used his material for the FIRST, etc. I'm thinking somebody didn't like the CONTENT of what I wanted to say in my INTERNET NEWSPAPER. Maybe I started talking too much about RELIGION or something, these guys haven't a clue about those things, because they have been so busy with whatever they are busy about these days, I think. Maybe it was because I started sending my flyers and things to FEDERAL DISTRICT COURT JUDGES and MAYORS and people like that. Maybe it was because I have said some things about REGULATORS and how some people are committing crimes of FRAUD & PERJURY in the courts, and the people committing these crimes are run by the COURTS. Maybe I said too much, and that was too much, and I have been silenced as a result. Anyway, if I don't keep posting something every day, I would assume that they have me locked up somewhere, giving me some soggy bread dipped in milk for food, and I'll lose my suntan, too. Oops-there's a knock at the door, gotta go. END OF TRANSMISSION. PAUL [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #11 posted by MikeEEEEE on April 11, 2002 at 07:52:32 PT |
| qqqq isn't like the guy I used to see in New York City saying "The end times are here, Jesus will save you!"
Ancient mystics have left us warnings, maybe they're a test, a test of will to see if human beings still care to help one another. Next time you hear doomsday ononsense, think about what these guys in gov are doing, what's scary might not be money aspect -- the profit they'll gain by military spending, but that they might actually use these weapons. RUMSFELD WANTS NUCLEAR-ARMED MISSILES FOR STAR WARS... http://www.commondreams.org/headlines02/0411-01.htm [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #10 posted by MikeEEEEE on April 11, 2002 at 07:42:06 PT |
| That could explain what's inside the minds of some of these policy makers.
[ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #9 posted by goneposthole on April 11, 2002 at 06:56:27 PT |
| I am sure that it is, I have never been there. If Alaska is such wasteland, Mr. Talent should suggest we give it back to the Russians. If we would give Missouri back to the French, they would gladly take it. Maybe not such a bad idea, either. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #8 posted by BGreen on April 11, 2002 at 06:21:55 PT |
| I was born and raised in Missouri. It's a beautiful state, but the only thing that grows in more places and environs than cannabis is a$$holes, and Missouri has it's share. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #7 posted by goneposthole on April 11, 2002 at 06:05:46 PT |
| Why, if all of this heroin is being bought and sold in Europe, doesn't France, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Yugoslavia, Russia, Poland, Hungary, Czech, Slovakia, The Netherlands, The Vatican, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Luxemborg, Denmark join forces and bomb Afghanistan right to hell? They don't seem to be that concerned. I don't hear them complaining. Maybe I'm not listening. "It's not an environmentally sensitive area; it's more of a wasteland"- Jim Talent I think he was referring to Missouri. John Ashcroft being from there and all. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #6 posted by qqqq on April 11, 2002 at 02:48:42 PT |
| ..do not read if you are sensitive to hardcore pessimism...this aint gonna be pretty.... ...yup,,it's time to face up to the way things are looking....like a grumpy and bitter old troll,,like a pissed off garden gnome.,,like an angry elf,who escaped from santas' sweatshop,,,,fourQ is gonna tell it like he sees it......and from the 2+2Q point of view,,,,;Oil drilling in Alaska is a diversion from things that really matter....,,,I mean,,does anyone think that the shrub empire can be stopped by sheeple????..NO WAY!..Alaska oil drilling is a puppet issue!.....Face it,,,,the war on terror is like some kind of Platinum Titanium Master-Visa-Express card!..I pity the pitiful millions of bleating American Sheeple who have not yet recognized that all their investments toward retirement,and the future,,is no more secure than an Enron investment!!. ..A few days ago,,.I asked if anyone was aware of the amount of money that has been budgeted for defense??? . I guess no one knows,,or they dont really care,,,or they have seen the facts and figures,,,and they cannot believe it... they refuse to accept it! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!...I'd tell you the numbers,,but that would be useless,and unimpressive like this probably is anyway!,,,,go ahead!,,hassle with looking up what the defense spending budget is,and then compare the amount to everything else....I've been the village idiot for years,,walking about the town square banging the gong ,,trying to introduce people to the monstrous levels of fuckedness .....but I decided that those who are curious will look up,or be aware of the actual numbers,,and no matter how loud the village idiot bangs his gong,and yells out freaky warnings,,no ones seems to give a crap!,,but then,,,,I remember that there may be only two or three readers who have bothered to wade this far into my akward ramblings,,,and soon no one will bother to try and understand....I say,,let's go for it and suck Alaska dry,and build a huge pipeline out of elk hides and baby seal pelts....no big deal s [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #5 posted by BGreen on April 10, 2002 at 22:20:21 PT |
| Jim Talent, R-MO, is running against Sen. Jean Carnahan, D-MO, for the Senate seat taken away from Ashcroft by a dead man, the late Gov. Mel Carnahan. Talent, referring to the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, said: “It’s not an environmentally sensitive area; it’s more of a wasteland.” THROW THE BASTARDS OUT!!!!!!!!!!!! [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #4 posted by FoM on April 10, 2002 at 22:05:02 PT |
| Without going overboard why do we need to drill more oil when we can use renewable resources? There is so much land where I live that isn't being used for any crops. Weeds and grass grow ( no pun intended) but no crops. It wouldn't take long to grow Hemp that can be used. I don't feel Alaska is the solution but growing our own fuel. It won't make big oil people money but it would help us survive independently of other countries or Alaska. Alaska is a country that is beautiful and I don't want to see it destroyed. Can't one place stay just beautiful and wild and free? [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #3 posted by MikeEEEEE on April 10, 2002 at 21:53:15 PT |
| I heard about that Alaska oil drilling too. From what I saw the bill was given the big business seal of approval -- from the special interests. It's all about money, how they justify it is an intelligent excuse, another political acceptance story for the masses -- a simple accept this because of that. Below the surface story deals are being made, somebody profits. I wonder if there are still any places untouched like that wildlife refuge. I don't think these politicians know the word compassion, they hide behind moral religious beliefs, in effect saying, I'm a good soul because I go to church. Meanwhile, they destroy lives and wildlife, it's a sad time for the world. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #2 posted by FoM on April 10, 2002 at 21:25:19 PT |
| We know that oil can fuel terrorism but what worries me is they are bringing this up so we won't mind drilling in Alaska. The oil that comes from Alaska now I think doesn't come to us but goes to Japan! They even used Japanese steel to make the pipeline. I watched a program on the pipline tonight on one of the Discovery Channels and that's where I saw they used Japanese steel. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #1 posted by MikeEEEEE on April 10, 2002 at 21:20:08 PT |
| Tonight on CNBS a Senator (I don't remember his name) said that by buying oil we're supporting terrorism, because oil rich islamic countries give money to terrorist organizations. If this logic holds true, we shouldn't buy oil either. Since logic doesn't hold true in this equation, we may say: drug war + terror war = BS story leading to political agenda. Linking the two wars is an obvious failure, not only because they've included the failed drug war, but they're including another war that will fail: the basis being they can't fight an ememy they can't see. The drug war cover story or perception as usual creates a presence in an area that the forces want, or want watched. [ Post Comment ] |
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