SCHROCK SAYS STEMMING AFGHAN OPIUM WON'T BE EASY

U.S. Rep. Ed Schrock expressed doubt Thursday that the Afghan government
will fulfill its vow to rid the nation of its soon-to-be-harvested opium
poppy crop.

``My personal hope was to eradicate that stuff,'' Schrock said Thursday in
a telephone interview from an air base in neighboring Uzbekistan. ``But
this is the largest cash crop in the country and it will be a hard sell''
to convince Afghanistan's people to abandon it, Schrock said.

Schrock, a Republican who represents Virginia's 2nd District, which
includes portions of Virginia Beach and Norfolk, left Monday for an
eight-day tour of Afghanistan. Joining him were congressional members from
Massachusetts, Nevada, Pennsylvania, California, Texas and Florida. Schrock
is scheduled to return to Washington on Monday.

Starting Monday, the Afghan government's decree said, farmers will be
offered $250 per ``jirib'' of poppy, an Afghan land measure equaling about
one-fifth hectare, or a half-acre. Poppy farmers this growing season have
said they expect at least $1,700 per jirib of opium.

But enforcing the drug ban will be difficult, Schrock said, ``because their
police system is pretty much nonexistent.

He said enforcing the law ``is something I guess other countries, including
America, are going to have to help them out with.''

The congressional delegation initially visited Moscow, where Russian
leaders thanked the United States for leading the fight in Afghanistan
against terrorism.

``The Russians are delighted we are having the victories we are having,''
Schrock said. ``They look at this like we are fighting their battles, that
we are winning the battle they couldn't several years ago.''

They, too, are concerned about Afghanistan's opium poppy harvest, due for
harvesting within weeks.

``That will raise hundreds of millions of dollars so these terrorist guys
can continue their activities,'' Schrock said. ``That is a real concern to
Russia, especially because a lot of those drugs coming into their country
account for a lot of the crime they have up there -- and they want to see a
stop put to that.''

As expected, said Schrock, Afghanistan's infrastructure is in ruins.

``It is just a total disaster,'' he said of rural Afghanistan. ``It seems
like every building we saw was shelled or destroyed. The road system is
cratered by bombs. People are roaming aimlessly. I guess they have no place
to live.''

Schrock had discussions with U.S. troops and said they are performing well.

``They feel they are being supported and they are aware of the public
opinion here,'' he said. ``We made it clear to them that Americans are very
happy with what they are doing. But we know it is tough for them.''

Schrock said he was able to deliver medical supplies donated by Sentara
Healthcare and school supplies donated by students from John B. Dey
Elementary School in Virginia Beach.

``I couldn't bring it all. There was too much,'' he said. ``But we gave
them a ton of stuff.''

Especially appreciated were school supplies for children who are just now
going back to classes. For the first time in years, young girlshave been
allowed in school.

``They didn't have anything, and they need all the help they can get,'' he said.