PAYING FOR POPPIES

Regarding the Jan. 3 article "Record Afghan poppy crop expected again
in '08": The Afghan poppy crop is increasing by one-third, and the
Taliban gets 20 percent to 60 percent of its money from heroin. All
this according to the Associated Press.

On National Public Radio, the U.S. ambassador favored aerial
spraying. Gen. Dan McNeill said NATO "would not be involved in
eradication of poppies from the fields but could bear down on drug
growers and dealers connected to the insurgency."

Good luck. Spraying means poisoning and depriving the poor farmer of
his livelihood. Why don't we simply buy the poppies and have a big
bonfire? The cost would be less than running the war in Iraq for two
weeks. We would make friends -- not enemies.

If the Taliban takes the money from the farmer, then the Taliban
makes an enemy. Aren't we supposed to win the hearts and minds of the people

David Page