A Third Way for Afghanistan?
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As many will have seen in the Washington Post, one of the most senior State Department officials in Afghanistan has resigned and has openly declared his reasons for doing so.
His resignation letter shows a great understanding of the problem(s) of the US/UK military occupation of Afghanistan.
His resignation letter shows a great understanding of the problem(s) of the US/UK military occupation of Afghanistan.
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Changing the drug laws they have might do a lot more.
It's not as if the occupation troops don't know where the poppy fields are. They could be doing something useful while they're there. They're not.
Cut the supply of heroin at source. That would be something useful for the occupation troops to do while they're there. Simply skittling Pashtuns isn't a particularly useful pastime.
It's not as if the occupation troops don't know where the poppy fields are. They could be doing something useful while they're there. They're not.
Cut the supply of heroin at source. That would be something useful for the occupation troops to do while they're there. Simply skittling Pashtuns isn't a particularly useful pastime.
Then people will find a place to get opium from somewhere else and so you'll just move the problem. Oh and for a short while the price of scag will go up so there will be more street crime n such - but hey - if you are happy with that lets just carry on.
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Opium production, more than 90% of it anyway, takes place in the occupied territory mostly because it's geographically suitable for the opium poppies. The crop producers have protection in the form of the occupation forces.
Unlike marijuana, opium poppies cannot be grown in attics in Liverpool, Newcastle or Glasgow.
That American restaurateur, who is actually little more than a puppet mayor of Kabul but was made "president" by his puppetmasters early in the occupation, has been a godsend for the opium trade in Afghanistan. That's why heroin is more available on the streets of Europe and elesewhere than it has ever been.
Unlike marijuana, opium poppies cannot be grown in attics in Liverpool, Newcastle or Glasgow.
That American restaurateur, who is actually little more than a puppet mayor of Kabul but was made "president" by his puppetmasters early in the occupation, has been a godsend for the opium trade in Afghanistan. That's why heroin is more available on the streets of Europe and elesewhere than it has ever been.
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Changing the drug laws they have might do a lot more.
And how would further liberalizing of drug laws in the EU or in the EU provinces formerly known as UK decrease opiate-related revenue for the Tallyban?
Opium production, more than 90% of it anyway, takes place in the occupied territory mostly because it's geographically suitable for the opium poppies. The crop producers have protection in the form of the occupation forces.
Unlike marijuana, opium poppies cannot be grown in attics in Liverpool, Newcastle or Glasgow. ..
So let's spray the Afghan poppy fields with weed killer. Repeat as often as needed.
Less drug revenue for the T.'s, less heroin for Liverpool, Newcastle or Glasgow.
And how would further liberalizing of drug laws in the EU or in the EU provinces formerly known as UK decrease opiate-related revenue for the Tallyban?
Opium production, more than 90% of it anyway, takes place in the occupied territory mostly because it's geographically suitable for the opium poppies. The crop producers have protection in the form of the occupation forces.
Unlike marijuana, opium poppies cannot be grown in attics in Liverpool, Newcastle or Glasgow. ..
So let's spray the Afghan poppy fields with weed killer. Repeat as often as needed.
Less drug revenue for the T.'s, less heroin for Liverpool, Newcastle or Glasgow.
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So let's spray the Afghan poppy fields with weed killer. Repeat as often as needed.
As I read that resignation letter, before I got to the writer's reference to Vietnam, I was thinking how incrediblly closely the situation with the US and the current (US/UN-appointed) Afghan Government parallels the situation in the early to mid sixties during the time of Diem and the series of generals who followed him pre-Thieu.
As history is wont to repeat itself, one can only wonder if the current Afghan President, (when, like Diem, he is deemed by Washington to be not delivering the goods), might meet a similar fate to Diem's. Nothing would surprise me. What might keep him alive is the sad fact that there's probably no one in the wings who the Americans consider suitable to fill the void.
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Low Flier & All
That's why heroin is more available on the streets of Europe and elesewhere than it has ever been.
Think 'bout it.
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Only education, and correct law enforcement in the UK can stop the use of heroin or opiates.
Spraying agent orange around the Helmand valley will just help us lose the battle quicker, and cause more deaths amongst the UK contingent.
A stark question but which is worth more: someone prepared to put their life on the line for their country, or someone who despite knowing it will ultimately kill them, can't say no to a pusher?
The whole counter narcotics issue is a govt justification red herring. It could happen in the future, but there is a whole lot of stuff that needs to happen first.
Spraying agent orange around the Helmand valley will just help us lose the battle quicker, and cause more deaths amongst the UK contingent.
A stark question but which is worth more: someone prepared to put their life on the line for their country, or someone who despite knowing it will ultimately kill them, can't say no to a pusher?
The whole counter narcotics issue is a govt justification red herring. It could happen in the future, but there is a whole lot of stuff that needs to happen first.
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Watching the news about the recent Moscow conference on the AIDS crisis doing its best to reduce the Russian population it would appear that the vast majority of infections are shared needles full of Afghan heroin.
Without going off on to a tangent about whether the Russians are over conservative about not allowing needle exchanges and methadone prescriptions, it does rather bring me to consider that the Russians might be a rather useful ally in putting the Afghan Drug Lords out of business if we made that the focus of the war and not regime change....
Without going off on to a tangent about whether the Russians are over conservative about not allowing needle exchanges and methadone prescriptions, it does rather bring me to consider that the Russians might be a rather useful ally in putting the Afghan Drug Lords out of business if we made that the focus of the war and not regime change....
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Times Online - Army Want to Retreat in Afghanistan
Could this be a move towards the "Third Way"? From my recent experience in theatre it is apparent we have spread ourselves thinner than ever, so this could be a good thing as long as it is handled correctly...
It will be interesting to see what CDS has to say bout it on The Andrew Marr Show shortly (get it on iPlayer if you miss it).
Could this be a move towards the "Third Way"? From my recent experience in theatre it is apparent we have spread ourselves thinner than ever, so this could be a good thing as long as it is handled correctly...
It will be interesting to see what CDS has to say bout it on The Andrew Marr Show shortly (get it on iPlayer if you miss it).
OK - some people will always want to do drugs and frankly currant drugs laws have been a total failure. Anything that stops nasty people getting drug money is a good thing but since our rulers and foolers like to be all holier than thou and 'hard on crime and the causes of crime' we are cursed to have street crime and black money going to criminals and terrorists. Just f' great. Thanks.
Gassing, poisoning and spraying chemicals over vast swathes of Afghanistan - a good idea? No - it wasn't a good idea when Mussolini did it in Ethiopia, it didn't help when the Americans did it in Vietnam; public opinion would go ape-**** and the populations thus affected would have a greater reason to want to kick out the occupiers and support the Very Nasty People.
Now it seems to me there are some fairly / relatively wealthy people in Afghanistan and they live in towns and they want a democracy and they want a peaceful place so they can encourage investment, cream as much off as they can and then go about making money and being decadent and such. And then there are these people out in the countryside and some of them just want to be left alone, some of them hate the occupying forces and some of them wish that the taliban would chill out and just let people get along. And it seems they don't really want outside help that much because they know one day it'll move out and then it'll be a case of 'You fraternised with the enemy you collaborator so now we take revenge.' Which isn't nice.
And of course there is the issue of this Allbranistan (for there will be another) currently being a focus for everyone that doesn't like damn western christian imperialists.
You can tell that our great leaders are slowly getting utterly fed up with these wars upsetting the opinion polls back home and oh how they wish it would go away. So they'll want an out soon. Even if there is a 'surge' it'll be to set the scene so they can get out and say 'Now it is up to you Mr. Middle class of Thisstan 'ere.' And then they'll be off out saying 'Job well done - exit with honour, heroes all.'
In summary - look after the towns, set up as best can oases of security - leave.
In about 2 years I reckon.
Gassing, poisoning and spraying chemicals over vast swathes of Afghanistan - a good idea? No - it wasn't a good idea when Mussolini did it in Ethiopia, it didn't help when the Americans did it in Vietnam; public opinion would go ape-**** and the populations thus affected would have a greater reason to want to kick out the occupiers and support the Very Nasty People.
Now it seems to me there are some fairly / relatively wealthy people in Afghanistan and they live in towns and they want a democracy and they want a peaceful place so they can encourage investment, cream as much off as they can and then go about making money and being decadent and such. And then there are these people out in the countryside and some of them just want to be left alone, some of them hate the occupying forces and some of them wish that the taliban would chill out and just let people get along. And it seems they don't really want outside help that much because they know one day it'll move out and then it'll be a case of 'You fraternised with the enemy you collaborator so now we take revenge.' Which isn't nice.
And of course there is the issue of this Allbranistan (for there will be another) currently being a focus for everyone that doesn't like damn western christian imperialists.
You can tell that our great leaders are slowly getting utterly fed up with these wars upsetting the opinion polls back home and oh how they wish it would go away. So they'll want an out soon. Even if there is a 'surge' it'll be to set the scene so they can get out and say 'Now it is up to you Mr. Middle class of Thisstan 'ere.' And then they'll be off out saying 'Job well done - exit with honour, heroes all.'
In summary - look after the towns, set up as best can oases of security - leave.
In about 2 years I reckon.
