AFGHAN DRUG LORDS THREAT TO CANADIAN TROOPS, SAYS GRAHAM

Afghan drug lords threat to Canadian troops, says Graham

Defence Minister Bill Graham says Canadian troops in Afghanistan will
be facing a "much more dangerous mission" as they begin to expand
their role in the south.

The troops "are under no illusion," said Graham, that their new role
in Kandahar "will be more in the nature of a combat mission."
Afghan man walks through a poppy field in the Nangharhar province of
Afghanistan. (AP file photo)

Underscoring the level of danger was news that five medical workers
were gunned down near Kandahar on Wednesday as they were returning to
the city from treating refugees at a nearby camp. Three other medical
workers were wounded. All eight were from the U.S.-sponsored Afghan
Help Development Services.

Graham made his comments during a conference call with reporters from
the Afghan capital, Kabul. The defence minister said he has received
nothing but praise for the Canadian soldiers, both from the Afghan
government and from other NATO commanders.

But Graham also said that as the troops move out to provide help to
local authorities, they will become targets for remnants of both the
Taliban and well-armed drug lords.

The opium problem in Afghanistan has ballooned since the U.S. invasion
four years ago toppled the Taliban regime.

The Taliban banned the growing of poppies by issuing a death penalty
for farmers caught growing the flower, but the practice has resumed.
Afghanistan is reported to be responsible for the production of 87 per
cent of the world's opium and heroin supply. The problem has grown so
large that some experts warn Afghanistan is close to becoming a
"narco-state."

"That, [the heroin and opium trade] has caused serious concerns over
the stability of the country," Graham told CBC Online. It also leaves
open the possibility of corruption at the highest levels. The job of
the Canadian military "is to provide stability," said Graham. That
could mean Canadian troops being involved in efforts to eradicate the
drug trade.

Graham said he spoke about the opium problem when he met Wednesday
with Afghan President Hamid Karzai who says there is "co-operation
between the drug trade and terrorism."

"If we fail, we will fail as a state eventually and we will fall back
in the hands of terrorism," said Karzai, underlining how important he
feels the battle against the drug trade has become.

Graham's visit to Afghanistan came at the same time as a rocket attack
that struck near the new Canadian embassy in the capital. The defence
minister said it was unlikely the embassy was the target of the four
rockets since they are "very inaccurate weapons."

The attack wounded two guards outside the embassy. The other rockets
did minor damage.