AFGHAN HEROIN TRADE SHOULD BE PREVENTED

It appears eliminating one blight on humankind, the al-Qaida terrorists and
their Taliban government sponsors in Afghanistan, may have opened the door
for another evil to make a comeback.

Though the Taliban for a few years used their country's large-scale heroin
trade to help fund their government, they cracked down on it about 18
months ago. Taliban leaders banned cultivation of opium poppies needed to
make heroin. With the Taliban virtually eliminated, many Afghan farmers are
returning openly to cultivation of poppies. Some who never gave up the
practice have begun shipping heroin again. Much of it will find markets in
Europe and the United States. Already, Pakistani soldiers have intercepted
one major shipment of heroin and morphine coming out of Afghanistan.
Doubtless, more is in the pipeline.

Officials in the U.S.-led alliance that toppled the Taliban realize they
walk a tightrope in dealing with Afghanistan. Too many demands on that
nation's new government could turn it into another enemy.

Still, it is not unreasonable for the United States to insist that the new
Afghan regime take steps to stop cultivation of opium poppies and cut off
the traffic in heroin. In exchange, Washington and other European
governments could consider assistance to Afghan farmers who need to find
profitable replacements for heroin. As matters stand, the lure of big
profits for growing poppies is virtually irresistible to some farmers in
the Middle East.

Americans went to war in Afghanistan to destroy one great evil. They should
not allow their efforts to be turned against them by those eager to resume
trafficking in heroin and other illegal drugs. Heroin was, in a way, a
vicious terrorist long before Osama bin Laden was born. U.S. officials
should make it a priority in their relationship with the new Afghan
government to find ways to shut down the heroin industry.