Afghanistan produces record poppy harvest (Full Version)

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Level -> Afghanistan produces record poppy harvest (8/4/2007 2:28:22 PM)

Another record poppy crop in Afghanistan
By MATTHEW LEE, Associated Press WriterSat Aug 4, 12:27 PM ET



Afghanistan will produce another record poppy harvest this year that cements its status as the world's near-sole supplier of the heroin source, yet a furious debate over how to reverse the trend is stalling proposals to cut the crop, U.S. officials say.

As President Bush prepares for weekend talks with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, divisions within the U.S. administration and among NATO allies have delayed release of a $475 million counternarcotics program for Afghanistan, where intelligence officials see growing links between drugs and the Taliban, the officials said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070804/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_afghanistan



mnottertail -> RE: Afghanistan produces record poppy harvest (8/4/2007 2:33:53 PM)

well, supply and demand, the american troops will use it up.



BlueCollar -> RE: Afghanistan produces record poppy harvest (8/4/2007 2:39:20 PM)

And what we (ie: the western powers) should be doing with it is buying it all up for legal applications (it is used extensively in the phamacutical industry),burning whatever we have in excess, and slowly wean the farmers off of it and onto other crops that can sustain them.  The problem with Poppy is that it's one of the few plants that can grow in the arid conditions of Afghanistan and the people there are given so much for it.  Simply destroying crops and punishing the farmers does nothing but increases resentment towards the countries involved.



slaveboyforyou -> RE: Afghanistan produces record poppy harvest (8/4/2007 2:43:47 PM)

The government needs to start a new campaign to encourage heroin addicts to switch to good 'ol homegrown alternatives like Oxycontin.  The pharmaceutical companies could start their own campaigns with commercials showing scary images of terrorists with big piles of American cash next to poppies.  A good tagline would be, "If you don't use Oxycontin, the terrorists win."  Hell for that matter, why aren't we producing our own poppies?  I know they grown them in Mexico.  With NAFTA, we should be able to provide some incentives to Mexico to replace Afghanistan as the number one poppy producer.  All the illegals that are here now could be encouraged to return home and start their own poppy farms.   



kittinSol -> RE: Afghanistan produces record poppy harvest (8/4/2007 2:48:00 PM)

Ron, I wish I could kiss you. That's exactly the first thing I thought too (nonobstant tous les films sur le Vietnam que j'ai vu dans ma jeunesse, vous savez?).



Level -> RE: Afghanistan produces record poppy harvest (8/4/2007 2:51:35 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: BlueCollar

And what we (ie: the western powers) should be doing with it is buying it all up for legal applications (it is used extensively in the phamacutical industry),burning whatever we have in excess, and slowly wean the farmers off of it and onto other crops that can sustain them.  The problem with Poppy is that it's one of the few plants that can grow in the arid conditions of Afghanistan and the people there are given so much for it.  Simply destroying crops and punishing the farmers does nothing but increases resentment towards the countries involved.


Well said.



mnottertail -> RE: Afghanistan produces record poppy harvest (8/4/2007 2:57:11 PM)

quote:

vous savez?


non.



kittinSol -> RE: Afghanistan produces record poppy harvest (8/4/2007 3:03:41 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: mnottertail

quote:

vous savez?


non.



Merde alors. Voulez -vous savoir?



BlueCollar -> RE: Afghanistan produces record poppy harvest (8/5/2007 1:09:39 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Level
Well said.


Thanks, but I have to give the real credit to Gen. Romeo Dellaire (ret.) for mentioning the proposal at a recent lecture.



farglebargle -> RE: Afghanistan produces record poppy harvest (8/5/2007 1:21:52 AM)

Of course, any such policy denies the reality of the situation, namely all government suppression and regulation provides nothing other than price supports to the farmers/producers.

The FIRST THING is to get rid of wasteful Government Regulation, and let the market decide.




Level -> RE: Afghanistan produces record poppy harvest (8/5/2007 4:03:08 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: farglebargle

Of course, any such policy denies the reality of the situation, namely all government suppression and regulation provides nothing other than price supports to the farmers/producers.

The FIRST THING is to get rid of wasteful Government Regulation, and let the market decide.


Isn't that what is happening, IE demand (we want heroin) and supply (we'll grow and sell heroin)?



Politesub53 -> RE: Afghanistan produces record poppy harvest (8/5/2007 4:31:38 AM)

Much of the heroin growing isnt done in areas under Taleban control, They dont control the most fertile parts of the Country. It takes place with the connivence of people within the Afghan Government.

There are only a few soloutions that will work. Firstly buy all the Heroin and burn whats not required for legal use in medicenes. Or secondly go in and destroy all the crops.

Taking the first route leaves the West open to getting screwed financially, and the second route just turns more of the locals against us. The real answer to the problem, long term, lies in educating kids to the dangers from an early age, and strictly enforced laws against the dealers.
[;)]



LadyEllen -> Scotland produces record whisky output (8/5/2007 4:57:26 AM)

Scotland will produce another record whisky output this year that cements its status as the world's sole supplier of the whisky source, yet a furious debate over spending the additional tax revenues .....
(before anyone picks up on that, only Scotch is whisky, the rest is whiskey)

E



Level -> RE: Scotland produces record whisky output (8/5/2007 4:59:01 AM)

That does it, we're invading Scotland.........[:D].... for your own good.



mnottertail -> RE: Scotland produces record whisky output (8/5/2007 5:02:34 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Level

That does it, we're invading Scotland.........[:D].... for your own good.


Handing over the plants to the irish so that jameson can be produced, and order restored to the free world



LadyEllen -> RE: Scotland produces record whisky output (8/5/2007 5:24:34 AM)

Please feel free to invade Scotland at your earliest convenience.

And you thought you had problems with the locals in Iraq and Afghanistan.......

E



mnottertail -> RE: Scotland produces record whisky output (8/5/2007 5:27:36 AM)

we will drop coin on the ground and boot their asses back to Killarny.

We're big spenders, we are, us yanks.

Ron



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