I've got a bad feeling about this . . .MUNICH (AP) — In an effort to strike at a key income source for Taliban militants, the top NATO commander said Sunday that operations to attack drug lords and labs in Afghanistan will begin within the "next several days."
Gen. John Craddock, who also heads the U.S. European Command, also said that the U.S. and its allies are making progress in their efforts to fill the need for more troops, equipment and intelligence gathering in Afghanistan. He, however, would not disclose any specific commitments he got this weekend as world leaders met at a security conference here.
NATO defense ministers, during a meeting last fall in Hungary, authorized troops in Afghanistan to launch the drug attacks, but there had been questions about whether allies would be willing to follow through. Money from Afghanistan's booming illicit drug trade has been blamed for pumping up to $100 million a year into the coffers of resurgent Taliban fighters.
"Activities and actions will occur soon that will be helpful," Craddock told reporters. "We've got to get started."
read:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gVXI7N6EjTNLgyJVgIO2ypSEO5gwD967C9500Did the American people really sign on to a war against Afghanistan's drug lords? That actually seems even more ludicrous than expecting to 'defeat' the Taliban. Are we really prepared to sacrifice soldiers for this dubious aggression? The Afghanistan occupation is set to become a war on drug lords? Really? Where did the American people authorize the use of military force for drug eradication in Afghanistan?
I think this is madness and a sure invitation to a wider conflict - as if we actually needed more military aggression right now.related:
NATO High Commander Issues 'Illegitimate' Order to Kill Afghan Drug Dealers
http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,604183,00.htmlNATO Chief Launches Probe Into Leaked Afghan Document
http://www.easybourse.com/bourse-actualite/marches/update-nato-chief-launches-probe-into-leaked-afghan-document-606525Afghan Opium Poppy Production Expected to Fall
http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-02-01-voa18.cfm