battle for the poppy fields

[namvet]

Marines are in a fight to drive the desperate Taliban forces from their most valuable financial resouse. the poppy fields.

GARMSER, Afghanistan — U.S. Marines are trading gunfire and artillery shells with Taliban militants in the volatile southern province of Helmand, the world's largest poppy-growing region.

I guess defoliants are illegal???? its the fastest way to destroy the entire crop.

source

[Elspeth]

Marines are in a fight to drive the desperate Taliban forces from their most valuable financial resouse. the poppy fields.

GARMSER, Afghanistan — U.S. Marines are trading gunfire and artillery shells with Taliban militants in the volatile southern province of Helmand, the world's largest poppy-growing region.

I guess defoliants are illegal???? its the fastest way to destroy the entire crop.

source

The Taliban is just the gift that keeps on giving, isn't it.

[LogansPapa]

Are not the poppy fields, with last year's record crop, the single greatest peace keeping tool employed in that paradise of a country?

[namvet]

Are not the poppy fields, with last year's record crop, the single greatest peace keeping tool employed in that paradise of a country?

are drugs good for you??? thats what your saying. thanks

[LogansPapa]

are drugs good for you??? thats what your saying. thanks

No - not even close. But thanks for playing.

The United States has turned a blind eye to the poppy harvest since our folks let OBL wander up into the mountains between Afghanistan and Pakistan. That 'nod & a wink' War on Drugs tactic, being silent and thereby condoning, has been policy since 9/11.

Be clear on this - each poppy crop gives local war lords cash and those monies buy RPG's, AK's and the ammunition to fill them. Not the dirty crap from the filthy streets of the local town market - but brand new Chinese merchandise, one of which was a rocket that just killed a 19 year old kid from Hemet, here in California: The 500th member of our armed forces from my state to die in the Iraqi and Afghan conflicts.

So do not attempt to preach to me about my love of drugs - cause that's simply bullshit.

[namvet]

No - not even close. But thanks for playing.

The United States has turned a blind eye to the poppy harvest since our folks let OBL wander up into the mountains between Afghanistan and Pakistan. That 'nod & a wink' War on Drugs tactic, being silent and thereby condoning, has been policy since 9/11.

Be clear on this - each poppy crop gives local war lords cash and those monies buy RPG's, AK's and the ammunition to fill them. Not the dirty crap from the filthy streets of the local town market - but brand new Chinese merchandise, one of which was a rocket that just killed a 19 year old kid from Hemet, here in California: The 500th member of our armed forces from my state to die in the Iraqi and Afghan conflicts.

So do not attempt to preach to me about my love of drugs - cause that's simply bullshit.

then why are the Marines kicking their ass's out of the fields???? dope addict

[LogansPapa]

then why are the Marines kicking their ass's out of the fields???? dope addict

As an owner of an FAA Repair Station I'm subjected to a drug and alcohol screening by the federal government every four weeks - so kindly go fuck yourself. You've been taken to school so just stop now and STFU.

[AmPat]

[QUOTE=LogansPapa;11342]No - not even close. But thanks for playing.

The United States has turned a blind eye to the poppy harvest since our folks let OBL wander up into the mountains between Afghanistan and Pakistan. That 'nod & a wink' War on Drugs tactic, being silent and thereby condoning, has been policy since 9/11.
QUOTE]

It's not quite this simple.

We do indeed ignore many of these fields.as usual, the idealistic way of dealing with this is to destroy every single plant we see. The realistic part of the problem is there is no other crop that these farmers can grow that would come close to replacing the income. Now we can destroy their only means of living and assume their livelihood or we slowly implement change. We are not prepared to take on the entire Afghan population as orphans so until another bright idea comes along, we'll choose to deal with the drugs at another level. This is unsavory to the idealistic among us but it is the hard reality.

[LogansPapa]

We are not prepared to take on the entire Afghan population as orphans so until another bright idea comes along, we'll choose to deal with the drugs at another level. This is unsavory to the idealistic among us but it is the hard reality.

So using that silly analogy - intercity drug dealers, their friends and families should also have that same transition from selling heroin for $5,000 a day on a local ghetto street corner to government job programs as part of our domestic War on Drugs? Bullshit.

[noonwitch]

There are legitimate medical uses for opium. Is there not a way to encourage the legitmate sale of opium grown in Afganistan to legitimate pharmacuetical companies? It'd be easier to track the money and those farmers who are turning to the Taliban for protection would have other options.