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Afghanistan Now Supplies 87% of the World's Opium According to New Report

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Ant:
BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) -- Heroin production is booming in Afghanistan, undermining democracy and putting money in the coffers of terrorists, according to a U.N. report Thursday that called on U.S. and NATO-led forces get more involved in fighting drug traffickers.

``Fighting narcotics is equivalent to fighting terrorism,'' said Antonio Maria Costa, executive director of the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime. ``It would be an historical error to abandon Afghanistan to opium, right after we reclaimed it from the Taliban and al-Qaida.''

This year's cultivation was up by nearly two-thirds, it found. Bad weather and disease kept production from setting a record, although Afghanistan still accounted for 87 percent of the world supply, up from 76 percent in 2003.

Opium is the ``main engine of economic growth and the strongest bond among previously quarrelsome peoples,'' the report said. It valued the trade at $2.8 billion, or more than 60 percent of Afghanistan's 2003 gross domestic product.

Most is smuggled across the eastern border with Pakistan, where Taliban and al-Qaida remnants demand transit and protection fees, Costa told reporters.

Full Story at:

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/international/AP-UN-Afghanistan-Opium.html?hp&ex=1100840400&en=6e9c71206a67b054&ei=5094&partner=homepage

Rampant:
So are you trying to imply this is Bush' fault?

Columbia produces cocaine. There is another tidbit.

*Jamal*:
Afghanistan has always been the #1 opium producer in the world. The people depend on that shit. The article even states that it accounts for about 60% of the GDP, which is less than $5 billion. Everyone is getting a piece of the pie.

King Tech Quadafi:
Poppy production was banned under the Taliban

Ant:
^^^ as techniec mentioned, opium production under the Taliban was neglegible, they outright banned it, and aggressively put an end to poppy cultivation.  If you don't believe me, you can do a little research and find out this is true for youself. 

This actually is the fault of the Bush Administration without question.  Prior to the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan there was almost no opium production.  Today Afghan supplies 87% of the world's opium.  Just last year it supplied 76%, the Bush administration claims we have stablized the country, all we've done is take it out of the spotlight and pretend like things are better now.  Now during the past year things have gotten even worse.  Opium production is tied to terrorism, al-queda and other terrorist organizations fund themselves through the drug trade.  But because the Bush Admin never provided Afghanistan with enough troops to stablize the country they allowed the drug lords to take over. 

As I said, if anyone disagrees with the fact that this is the fault of Bush and co. refute one simple fact.  Prior to the US invasion there was almost no opium production coming out of Afghanistan.  In just 2 years, Afghanistan produces 87% of the world's opium.   

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