US DELIBERATELY PROMOTING DRUGS IN AFGHANISTAN

Introduction:

One of the side effects of the war against the Taliban and al Qaeda has
been the reappearance of the poppy crop in Afghanistan. Jim Trautman is a
freelance writer in Ontario who frequently reports on military issues. On
Commentary he accuses the US of deliberately promoting drugs in Afghanistan.

Jim Trautman:

An interesting picture appeared in Canadian papers not too long ago. It
showed a combat patrol in the Tora Bora area of Afghanistan walking through
fields of opium poppies. The troops weren't there to destroy the poppies;
they were looking for members of al Qaeda. Hadn't they heard the Bush
administration's line that supporting drugs means supporting terrorism?

On this side of the world drugs are bad. Since September 11th, the Bush
administration has been increasing the number of U.S. military advisors in
Columbia. Their role has been expanded to accompany the Columbian military
to root out and destroy drug trafficking operations.

Earlier this month the Bush administration succeeded in having its
candidate elected in Bolivia. The campaign centered on whether the coca
crops should be increased. Their candidate was against it.

So, why turn a blind eye to Afghanistan? The answer is simple. The U.S.
needs the support of the warlords who really run the country. One
government source has told me the Bush administration paid each warlord at
least $3 million dollars deposited into various Middle East bank accounts.
Other sources have said the U.S. has agreed to increase poppy production.

Opium poppies are a major money-making enterprise. On just one hectare a
farmer can make ten times the money of other crops including wheat. And the
warlords will reap far greater profits shipping the crop west as heroin and
opium.

America has a long history of making deals with the devil and then covering
them up. American and British officials continue to claim that the opium
poppy crop is being destroyed. But, independent officials have noted that
the fields have not been reduced, but expanded. The so-called opium
eradication program has been a failure. Ironically when the Taliban were in
power before September 11th, their soldiers destroyed the poppy crops in
the areas they controlled. Remember U.S. Secretary of State, Colin Powell,
congratulating the Taliban for helping to cut off the flow of drugs to the
West.

Close to 90% of the heroin produced from this and future poppy crops will
find its way into the European market where it will create thousands of new
addicts.

How ironic that Tony Blair - described as George Bush's lapdog by a large
faction in his own party - has been silent on this issue. I guess drugs
cultivated in one part of the world are terrorist weapons and the ones now
sanctioned in Afghanistan are somehow supporting democracy and everything
that's good. For Commentary, I'm Jim Trautman in Guelph, Ontario.