Curbing opium trade risks loss of (Afghanistan) support

[unhappycamper]

Marines walk through a poppy field in Marjah, Afghanistan on March 19. When U.S., Afghan and NATO forces stormed Marjah in February, they were told to seize large opium stashes but leave farmers' poppy fields alone.


Curbing opium trade risks loss of support
By Heidi Vogt - The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Mar 24, 2010 20:49:18 EDT

MARJAH, Afghanistan — Curbing the Taliban’s multimillion dollar opium poppy business was a major goal of a military operation to seize this former insurgent stronghold. With the town in NATO hands, the Marines face a conundrum: If they destroy the crops and curb the trade, they lose the support of the population — a problem for which they have no easy solution.

U.S., Afghan and NATO forces that stormed Marjah in February were ordered to seize large opium stashes but leave farmers’ poppy fields alone. Destroying crops and farmers’ livelihood would undermine the broader goal of winning the support of a population that long embraced the Taliban over an ineffective Afghan government.

“We just let them grow it,” said Capt. Carl Havens, the 38-year-old commander of Alpha Company of the 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment. “If we just went in and destroyed every poppy field, then they’d immediately turn against us.”

Before the offensive, the military estimated Marjah’s poppy crop was worth about $40 million, said Lt. Col. Jeff Rule, the head of Marine operations in Helmand province. Nationwide, the Taliban earn about $300 million a year from the opium trade, according to the United Nations.

Afghan government officials in Kabul say they’d like to start destroying crops immediately, but are holding back in Marjah because the town is still so volatile.


Rest of article at: http://marinecorpstimes.com/news/2010/03/ap_taliban_opium_marjah_032410/



unhappycamper comment: Great. It now appears we are in the drug protection racket. :(