[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Spock: *
No point in playing the blame game, it was not the US soldiers that are harvesting this crop, its the Afghanis themselves... You all love em so much that you dont have the heart to blame 'em for their own actions.
[/QUOTE]
Interesting observation. Is it that they grow it and they utilize it?
What do you think?
Have a look at Tajikistan where deals with opium are made on markets, streets in front of UN/US eyes.
Don't tell me people are surprised at the increase in poppy 'harvest'.
What's it called................. ahh yes, 'having your fingers in many pies'.
This is just another addition to Americas vast commodity trade!
Only him??? 
Bad Talib bad bad good NA good good very good :rotfl:
http://abc.net.au/ra/newstories/RANewsStories_793323.htm
Afghanistan’s Poppy farmers bring in bumper crop
** Afghanistan has reclaimed its position as the world’s biggest producer of raw opium which can be turned into either morphine or heroin. **
The United Nations’ International Narcotics Control Board says the country produced some 3,400 tonnes of opium last year, the same order of magnitude as during the mid 1990s.
It reports that even without 2002’s big opium poppy harvest, Afghanistan has enough of the drug in stock to supply the world’s market of addicts for at least two years.
Opium production has long fueled the turmoil in Afghanistan and reached its peak in 1999 and 2000, when output respectively reached 4,600 and 3,300 tonnes.
** In 2001 it dropped to 185 tonnes after the ruling Taliban banned the growing of opium poppies.
After the overthrow of the Taliban, production surged again in spite of two new decrees issued in 2002 by President Hamid Karzai to ban opium poppy cultivation. ** (this shows you who is running the show)
The board says the bans could not be properly implemented in large areas of Afghanistan because of the political upheaval in the country.
Here is the conspiracy theory for you. War on Iraq will be funded thru the poppy cultivation in democratically elected, US stamped, and free Afghanistan making it way to US as heroine 
**Poppy cultivation set to increase in Afghanistan **
KABUL: Afghanistan is set to produce a record harvest of poppies used for opium production, with increases in cultivation reported in most provinces, a government report said on Thursday.
According to an evaluation of 22 of the country’s 32 provinces by the Afghan counter narcotics directorate (ACND), 17 reported a rise, in particular the remote northwestern province of Badakhsan borders China, Pakistan and Tajikistan. The report said of the province, “There are worrying reports of farmers planting poppies instead of wheat.”
The report, jointly compiled by ACND and the United Nations, also said many key opium cultivation centres such as southwestern Helmand, southern Kandahar and central Oruzgan had shown a decrease. Opium smuggled out of Afghanistan mainly finds its way to Europe and the United States as heroin. —AFP
Is this Taleban commander bragging for effect, or is this relatively accurate? i am not too sure of his tall claims; seems a bit exaggerated.
Taleban ‘aims to regain power’, Rahimullah Yusufzai, BBC, 28 March 2003
…] A few weeks ago, former Taleban officials started issuing official statements by using emails and faxes.
Mullah Dadullah, a known Taleban commander, said the Taleban had regrouped under the leadership of their supreme leader, Mullah Mohammad Omar, and were now attacking US-led coalition troops with renewed vigour and ferocity.
He has previously led assaults on opposition strongholds in northern Afghanistan and elsewhere in the country.
Dadullah took credit for a number of recent attacks on coalition forces and said the Taleban would fight until “Jews and Christians, all foreign crusaders” were expelled from Afghanistan.
…] He said Taleban fighters were making use of arms and ammunition that they were able to hide after losing power.
I don't think Taliban can gain power if they don't have enough money... Those clans switch sides to the highest bidder.... Thats why the tussel between NA and Taliban went on for 5 years coz they were constantly switching sides.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Abdali: *
Those clans switch sides to the highest bidder....
[/QUOTE]
True.
Thanks for your answer, Abdali. He was probably just exaggerating.
It came with the package! its called NA.
UN warns on opium fears
By Haroon Rashid
BBC correspondent in Islamabad
The United Nations’ drugs monitoring body says there is continuing concern about a resurgence in poppy cultivation in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
they should make cheech and chong the president and PM respectively.