One of the reasons that the NATO forces are in Afghanistan is to reduce the production of opium. Afghanistan is the major supplier of illegal heroin. These figures from a written parliamentary answer from the British Foreign Office therefore make interesting reading.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime's 2005 Afghanistan Opium Survey reported that 109,103 hectares of land was used to cultivate opium poppy in 2005, of which 5,103 hectares was eradicated. Their 2006 Afghanistan Opium Survey reported that 180,300 hectares of land was used to cultivate opium poppy in 2006, of which 15,300 hectares was eradicated.
There have been a lot of stories lately about NATO telling poppy farmers that they aren't planning to touch their crops. I wonder what the real story is?
ReplyDeleteI suppose the libs will whine about this issue, and out of the other side of their mouths push legalization of drugs.
ReplyDeleteWhat creativity! What hypocrisy!
Afghanistan is a very poor country. Suggestions for moving the drug enterprise out and legitimate industry in are welcome
I read that under the Taliban there was just 17 hectares of opium poppies under cultivation.
ReplyDeleteI suppose the CIA have to fund black operations somehow.