Solving the Afgahn Heroin Problem

Afgahnistan.

Just as it is vital that we make a good job of rebuilding Iraq it is important we make a good job of rebuilding Afgahnistan.

To do this, several things need to happen. A strong army needs to be created. This is not a problem. The Afgans fight like Lions. Ive read that the army, depsite setbacks is comming along nicely. A decent force of about 70,00 should soon be operational. This army is needed to take on the militants and I have no doubt that it will be able to do this.

That will effect the Taliban insurgency in that they will start to take casualties.

The second problem is the Heroin. The prouction of this needs to stop and once it does the Insurgency will be denied their source of income. This two pronged attack will probably spell the end to what is already an ineffectual resistance. Stopping this will also get more Heroin off the streets of the western nations and will in turn help improove our society. So how do we do this?

Do we use the new Army to crush the farmers who grow opium poppies? No this would be a mistake and would set large ammounts of people against the new administration. These farmers are poor. They don't grow the poppies because they enjoy it, they grow it because they can make a decent living off it which means then can feed their families. We need to give them an alternative. My proposal is that we in the West subsidise the Afgan farmers the same way in which we subsidise our own farmers. That is we pay these farmers to grow normal crops. Its all about hearts and minds. Id be interested in opinions on my idea. I eagerly await all replies!

We've been trying that with Plan Colombia for years, hasn't had any positive effects on stemming the tide of illicit narcotics. It's just impossible to convince the farmers to stop growing such a lucratie crop as poppy no matter how much funds we throw at them; given that the Afghan government and military seems to be MUCH less corrupt than the Colombian government and in paticular military. It's a sad state of affairs and I wish we had an answer for it.

as long as there is demand for heroin, we cant stop it. not to mention the Afghan farmers has been growing opium for many years. also the harsh environment in Afghanistan where most areas are mountianous would prove fruitless to grow corn, wheat, rice, etc. there are few lands where its possible to grow alternative crops.

There was a heroin-production programme going on - it stopped when you invaded and deposed the Taliban (instigators of the policy).

Your allies in Afghanistan were the drug lords, the CIA has a long history of drug-running.

An inevitable outcome of the US invasion, shame US politicos couldn't see the obvious

, even though wat u may believe, the Taliban controlled the opium production. they could have stopped it long ago. they cut production because of international pressure, but they still continue to resume opium. almost like oil, the OPEC nations can cut or increase.

Originally posted by deltaboy

, even though wat u may believe, the Taliban controlled the opium production. they could have stopped it long ago. they cut production because of international pressure, but they still continue to resume opium. almost like oil, the OPEC nations can cut or increase.

'They' - precisely! not the Taliban. The 'they' you refer to is now you and your CIA / Oil Co puppet in charge.

FYI Taliban reduced heroin production in areas they controlled. It was your allies who continued production, and are now producing more.

Well Done America - protecting the world's youth

Ok here's a better solution... grow all the poppies you want.....

you see society has a way of weeding out the strong and separating the classes and drug use is one. Being illegal it creates spin off crime and people can point at Amsterdam being a failure for the legalization of substances but this isn't so. Amsterdam just suffers the issue of every druggie and his dog going there to get high because they can't in their own lands. If it was worldwide then Amsterdam would fid the project more of a success.

If its legal then the price drops, the black market is cut out, petty robberies, drug murders, drug debts and everything would be non existent. Farmers in Afghanistan would look for different crops to sustain them as the money drops and less income

Why would they change crop just because they were subsidized? They know their product, their fathers and father's father's grew it why change, there is no good enough reason to give them to change except to take the money out of their product.



[edit on 12-8-2005 by Mayet]

It's widely reported that heroin production in afghanistan has actually increased between 3-5 fold since the installation of the new regime. I think that illustrates what's going on pretty clearly.

Originally posted by Baphomet79
We've been trying that with Plan Colombia for years, hasn't had any positive effects on stemming the tide of illicit narcotics. It's just impossible to convince the farmers to stop growing such a lucratie crop as poppy no matter how much funds we throw at them; given that the Afghan government and military seems to be MUCH less corrupt than the Colombian government and in paticular military. It's a sad state of affairs and I wish we had an answer for it.

Aha..don't tell me it hasn't crossed your mind to bomb the suckers! but wait...there is no oil there. In fact, drug money has been consistently used by the CIA to fund anti-communist wars.

USA knows where the drug plantations are. They have exact maps, taken from satellites. All they have to do is spend 1% of their war money to bomb and burn the plantations, possibly with napalm so nothing can be planted there.

Now if USA would do that, they would have my utmost respect...

Originally posted by nexus6
It's widely reported that heroin production in afghanistan has actually increased between 3-5 fold since the installation of the new regime. I think that illustrates what's going on pretty clearly.

Please don't derail this thread with facts - it upsets the Fox viewers and disturbs their cosy little world where everything bad is the fault of 'foreigners'.

Ok so maybe subsidisation isn't the answer.

Heres another idea. We Brits should stick Heroin on the NHS for users. Let the druggies have as much as they want. To make it free for users only will mean that the drugs will disappear off our streets. Drug dealers are businessmen too and if they can't make a profit then they won't bother selling the drug. They will sell something else and so long as its not crack society is beter off. (Crack and Heroin are the worst drugs because they are highly addictive). Users will no longer have to steal/beg because they will now have eveything they want so we see an decrease in petty crime to boot. Because there will be no Heroin on the streets what we then have is population of Junkies who's number will dwindle as time goes on. During this period we can carefully force the price of Heroin down to levels where it makes just as much sense for the Afgan farmers to produce normal crops. AT the smae time an anti drugs offensive is launched in Afganistan. The opium crop is burnt and farmers are told if the army comes back the next year and finds they are growing opium and not grain then there will be trouble.

I know it seems a bit harsh on the users, but the truth is very few people ever kick their habit.

That WAS the UK system unil the late 60's when addicts numvered in the hundreds. Since the ending of presciption dispense the number's risen abit!

.
I believe in capitalism.
To me the problem is with human cultural attitudes.

If someone wants to use Heroin or anything else inside their own body, its their body [not the goverments, not some religions] and they are free to use it.

It is creeping socialism for the state to have a vested interest in your body.

Sometimes part of the appeal of drugs is simply the fact that it is illegal.
Certainly the high profit margin and attendant violence is a part of illegality.

When is the last time competing alcohol producers had a distribution related shootout? Not since prohibition.

Why not let legalization fuel the legal economy and not the illicit economy?
It will produce stable jobs, tax revenues, and will get the government out of the business of dictating personal behaviors.

But i realize that would be a rational approach to the subject.
Goodness knows rationality is not what politics is about.

I get tired of two faced politicians,
touting capitalism,
but treating people's bodies as state property.
.

Originally posted by CTID56092

Originally posted by nexus6
It's widely reported that heroin production in afghanistan has actually increased between 3-5 fold since the installation of the new regime. I think that illustrates what's going on pretty clearly.

Please don't derail this thread with facts - it upsets the Fox viewers and disturbs their cosy little world where everything bad is the fault of 'foreigners'.

classic buddy, classic!
yes lets discuss how to stop the Heroin problem.
lol lol lol hilarious thread