This Blew my mind!

[VILEPLUME]

Call me a little slow for finding this out, but was the Afghanistan War about Opium production?

During the Taliban rule, Afghanistan saw a bumper opium crop of 4,500 metric tons in 1999,. However, in July 2000, Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar, collaborating with the United Nations to eradicate heroin production in Afghanistan, declared that growing poppies was un-Islamic, resulting in one of the world's most successful anti-drug campaigns. As a result of this ban, opium poppy cultivation was reduced by 91% from the previous year's estimate of 82,172 hectares. The ban was so effective that Helmand Province, which had accounted for more than half of this area, recorded no poppy cultivation during the 2001 season.

Then in 2001 when the war began, poppy production was allowed and also guarded by U.S Marines?

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The Marines wont destroy the poppies because the farmers will uprise? But the Taliban easily stopped it?

How can this go on and everyone supports our troops?

 

[Harrekin]

They control something like 96% of the worlds Opium/Heroin production, they could literally cause mayhem just by interfering with the market for a little while. First off they could release a huge amount of high purity gear, it'd be cheap and people would try it. When those people are hooked they cut the supply, prices would sky rocket, junkies everywhere would be stabbing/shooting people/breaking into cars and houses for the cash to pay for their habit.

Itd be mayhem and they wouldn't need to hijack a plane or similar to do it.

 

[VILEPLUME]

They control something like 96% of the worlds Opium/Heroin production, they could literally cause mayhem just by interfering with the market for a little while. First off they could release a huge amount of high purity gear, it'd be cheap and people would try it. When those people are hooked they cut the supply, prices would sky rocket, junkies everywhere would be stabbing/shooting people/breaking into cars and houses for the cash to pay for their habit.

Itd be mayhem and they wouldn't need to hijack a plane or similar to do it.

So you are saying we need Opium so the world doesnt fall into chaos?

 

[Harrekin]

So you are saying we need Opium so the world doesnt fall into chaos?

Well unless you can somehow turn all the junkies clean at once, then yes, have you ever seen a heroin addict strung out? They would literally kill you and your family for just one small hit... We don't want them all like that at once do we?

Preventing people from wanting to start and education are where we need to really focus our efforts, not trying to cut the supply.

 

[BBYY]

A little back story from a soldier.

We did at one time prevent them from growing opium, but we couldn't give them nothing else to grow (ie, fruits veggies). Families and farmers were going broke, and getting pissed. Lashing out because of it. Eventually they were let to grow again to provide income , currently they have programs in which they give up poppy farms and grow other things to be exported and provide income, They get farming equipment, seeds and fertilizer and agree to grow the other produce and stop the opium. Most of these farmers are just regular old guys who sell their yeilds to organizations who support terror groups. So by doing this, they 1.) Capture the trust and hearts of the civilians, 2.) Stop profiteering for the terror groups 3.) Congregate current opium operations making it easier to track and see where its being exported, converted and so on.

My two cents, interpreting what Ive heard and Know.

 

[abandonconflict]

The Taliban was absolutely opposed to opium growing. The US came in and took control of the means of production of over 96% of the world's supply. Did you think we were going to let them control this resource?

 

[VILEPLUME]

A little back story from a soldier.

We did at one time prevent them from growing opium, but we couldn't give them nothing else to grow (ie, fruits veggies). Families and farmers were going broke, and getting pissed. Lashing out because of it. Eventually they were let to grow again to provide income , currently they have programs in which they give up poppy farms and grow other things to be exported and provide income, They get farming equipment, seeds and fertilizer and agree to grow the other produce and stop the opium. Most of these farmers are just regular old guys who sell their yeilds to organizations who support terror groups. So by doing this, they 1.) Capture the trust and hearts of the civilians, 2.) Stop profiteering for the terror groups 3.) Congregate current opium operations making it easier to track and see where its being exported, converted and so on.

My two cents, interpreting what Ive heard and Know.

Thanks man from a soldiers perspective.

Nothing against you or the work you did, but I find the "farmers going broke" idea a little hypocritical. I mean, families here are going broke and some grow weed to make money, but in turn the plants get destroyed and they go to jail.