IN AFGHANISTAN

Afghanistan produces about 70 percent of the world's opium. Revenue from
opium production helped finance both the Taliban government and the
al-Qaida terrorist network. Narcotics have also provided huge windfalls to
the leftist guerrillas in Colombia. The White House claims that many
terrorist groups are funded by illicit drugs.

In Afghanistan, poppy production is up from last year. It seems like the
new Afghanistan administration, backed by President Bush, could have
eliminated the growing of opium poppies by now. A crop of opium poppies
doesn't hide out in the hills like al-Qaida.

Now I'm wondering what is really going on there. Are we getting the whole
story?

Howard Flint