U.S. "Interests": Hardcore Drugs

"We will defend our allies and our interests"
- Inaugural Address of George W. Bush; January 20, 2001
[LINK]

Part of the scope in the war on terror is defending US "nterests" it is said. In May of 2006 Congress passed the improved PATRIOT Act. The improvement of concern here is the sections that added fighting methamphetamine drug abuse and manufacturing into the scope of fighting terrorism. Several months ago, I received a message from someone that knew a first hand account of someone who had the powers of the PATRIOT Act used against them in an investigation.

What does meth have to do with terrorism and our project for a new American century? Why is meth added to the list, but not the other hardcore drugs (coc aine & opiates), when the latter are actually the bigger problems? Whats the difference between meth and coke & heroin? Think about that for a moment.

The United States has found it exceedingly difficult to define its "national interest" in the absence of Soviet power.
-Condoleezza Rice
[LINK]

Apparently, meth is somehow part of national interests, considering how it was added to the PATRIOT Act. The most fundamental difference between meth and coke & heroin is the fact that meth is manufactured domestically, while coke & heroin are imported, by a landslide. Another troubling difference is the fact that meth is used almost exclusively amongst white people, but is rather detested by blacks.

In the new PATRIOT Act, they refer to meth as the epidemic, when in reality it isnt even the most significant hardcore addictive drug in use:

In 2004, an estimated 2.0 million persons (0.8 percent) were current coc aine users (Figure 2.2); of these, 467,000 used crack during the same time period (0.2 percent). 1.2 million used stimulants (including 583,000 using methamphetamine), and 0.3 million used sedatives. The rate of nonmedical use of pain relievers past month use was 2.0 percent in 2003 and 1.8 percent in 2004.
[LINK]

the United States Government relies on the armed forces to defend Americas interests,
- The National Security Strategy of the United States of America
www.whitehouse.gov...

In October of 2001, the United States invaded Afghanistan. While its rather peculiar that American officials were already threatening to attack Afghanistan before 9/11, whats even more curious is the fact that not only has opium production (in the worlds undisputed number 1 opium supplying nation) increased significantly since the invasion, and even the traffickers have squeezed down on the profits of the opium farmers. Production and exports have increased ala American industrialist style, while traffickers have farmers making as little as ¼ of what they deserve ala Walmart style.

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Imperial nations have historically pursued drug interests in their ambitions. Great Britain actually waged 2 wars with China over keeping opium in production for English profits. The prime case was when in the Second Opium War, both England and France ruthlessly attacked and defeated the Chinese Qing Dynasty in a 4 year war, because the Chinese emperor had outlawed opium use, because it was a disease on Chinese citizenry. As you can see, opium influencing the agendas of imperial European/English nations is nothing new. Furthermore, the CIA and other United States government agencies have long track records smuggling hardcore drugs, most notably coc aine, to finance black ops and secret wars.
en.wikipedia.org...
en.wikipedia.org...

Now we have an interesting case where the United States, whose closest ally is Great Britain, has invaded Afghanistan, and declared war on only the only major domestically produced drug that competes with drugs like coc aine and heroin. Afghanistan just so happens to be the worlds undisputed number one opium producer (plus the pipeline were trying to establish there), and we just so happened to be preparing for the war in Afghanistan before 9/11. Afghani opium production and exports have since skyrocketed, and now theyre targeting domestic meth in the domestic terrorism bill. You do the math.
en.wikipedia.org...




Afghanistan Watch Index on Opium:
www.tcf.org...

Rank of Afghanistan among world narcotics producers: 1

Percent of world's opium that comes from Afghanistan: 87 percent

Percent of drug profits in Afghanistan that went to traffickers, 2003: 56.5 percent

Percent of drug profits in Afghanistan that went to traffickers, 2004: 78.5 percent

Approximate ratio of revenues by traffickers to revenues by farmers, 2003: 3 : 2

Approximate ratio of revenues by traffickers to revenues by farmers, 2004: 4 : 1

Total proposed US development assistance to Afghanistan for 2005: $977 million

Additional proposed counter-narcotics spending per year, 2005: $780 million

Average Pentagon expenditures per month, 2004-05: $769 million

Pounds of heroin seized at Afghan border, 2002 (before interdiction efforts): 895

Pounds of heroin seized at the border, 2004 (January through September): 32,850

Pounds of opiates seized by Afghan Special Narcotics forces since October 2003: 64,000

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[edit on 3/30/2007 by Gools]

Maybe you should STOP dissin the USA Dude, its lame & I'm from UK.

Originally posted by OldBoy
Maybe you should STOP dissin the USA Dude, its lame & I'm from UK.

The well thought out coherent nature of your argument has me convinced.

To the op, nice statistics there.. I do think it's interesting how even local news around here constantly talks about the dangers of meth, meth labs and use, when from an observer's standpoint the other big 3 drugs are far more prevalent (not to mention vicodin and xanax use)

What I fail to see is why they call these things "epidemics". If it were of epidemic proportions, wouldn't it be common to know a wide variety of people who use meth? I know a lot of people from different social groups and lifestyles and I don't know anyone who uses meth. You would think since it is an epidemic it would be highly likely to have plenty of meth users around, but I can think of no one. I know, on the other hand, people who use coc aine, crack, alcohol, and marijuana. I guess those don't make law enforcement as much money.

Originally posted by OldBoy
Maybe you should STOP dissin the USA Dude, its lame & I'm from UK.

Can you name the fallacy you just commited by speaking of the US government/military as if IT is the U.S.???

I've watched friends and family go down to coke crack and herion, some ended up dead, and dumped in alleys. Some of these people are still hopelessly lost and probably will be till the day they die. People I've heard talk about meth consider it nasty and disgusting. I've only known one single person that i'm aware of getting into meth (he did get outta hand from what i could tell, dont know him anymore so i couldnt tell you his stor today) out of control, but with the other drugs I couldnt even count them all.

In this country you can go to any town or city and score crack/coke/herion alomst anytime on any day of the week. We're talking logistics comparable to Walmart. I fnid that rather incredible. I'd be tyou have similar stats with opium/herion at least, after all the Balkins pipeline from Afghanistan is aimed right at you.

I dont dis my country, I dis the corrupt government/establishment. Perhaps if they'd give US any reason to give them an once of credibility then maybe we wouldn't have to question these things as their actions are dripping with corruption and hypocrisy.



[edit on 30-3-2007 by IgnoranceIsntBlisss]

Excellent post and research done. I do believe that governments make profits in the drug business, but maybe I'm so green into the subject that I'm still not able to digest the extreme proportions of it, specially since it seems to be so serious as to use military force in order to ensure control of the business .. in another country!?

The reality is that most old farts that we have for politicians, don't really care about the consequences the desicions they make will have on the people, as long as they achieve their objective $$$$$, people in other countries can die, and the people in their own country can buy and eat the lies.

Ive also heard that Meth will now get a person a much higher prison sentence than anything else. Thats how crack coc aine USED to be.
I dont know why that is but i can take a guess. None of the other drugs can be manufactured in your kitchen, with chemicals bought from your local hardware and drug stores, thats the best guess I can come up with..

^^^^^
Kr0n0s, you certainly smell were the dog is buried.

For drugs the profit lies in the trafficking. A vast shadowy army gets its outcome from the logistic of bringing it from producer into the distributing networks of various market places. The dealer is only the last rather insignificant link.

Now when you have an international network to bring in and distribute drugs, you don't allow that to be bypassed by domestic production of any stuff that can challenge the monopoly. Simple as that.

About meth, it is the only popular drug produced solely by synthetic processes. Mean poisenous chemicals as raw materials. All the other drugs have ingredients of herbal root. Not meth.

With the proper authorisations it's no problem purchasing the chemicals. However if you are a 101 student of unorganic chemistry, you don't get it that easy, and may resort to obtain it by stealing it from common sources in the enviroment. One such source is high voltage condensers. I believe it is lithium compounds they wreck them open for. Unfortunately electrocutions or explosions might occur in the process.

According to Wiki

Until the early 1990s, methamphetamine for the US market was made mostly in labs run by drug traffickers in Mexico and California. Since then, authorities have discovered increasing numbers of small-scale methamphetamine labs all over the United States, mostly in rural, suburban, or low-income areas. The Indiana state police found 1,260 labs in 2003, compared to just 6 in 1995, although this may be a result of increased police activity.[16] Recently, mobile and motel-based methamphetamine labs have caught the attention of both the US news media and the police.

These labs can cause explosions and fires, and expose the public to hazardous chemicals. Those who manufacture methamphetamine are often harmed by toxic gases.

So we see it's a low-income thing, a rural thing, very poisenous and smelly and, when just a few percent out of hand, in constant danger of creating fires and explosions. Enough mad professors out there to take the risk.

If you get a place well away in the hills and no snoopy neighbours, it's just to get the formula and ingredients and go ahead. A few cent worth of raw material will make you hundreds of dollars.

In Denmark (and all over Western Europe) during the 70s labs were set up by motorcycle gangs in rural areas. The smell however would disclose the location in a densely populated area like W Europe.

They quickly moved the labs into Eastern Europe and some might still be there, but the center of an industrialized production today is situated in the hills of Northern Burma, in the Shan State and the Wa Territory of that country, bordering the northernmost parts of Thailand.

The geographical location is known to the world as "The Golden Triangle" and mostly connected with opium production. Sure, it was. Since CIA took over the opium traffick from th French, they developed it to be the worldcenter of opiate drugs. They had a war running then, but now it's in Afghanistan it's running. Somehow opiate production seems to flourish and follow areas of warfare. Just makes it booming. Something indicates with the relative peace in SE Asia a move of production was needed.

The opium industry, in its 40 years of riding high in SE Asia, have created a power structure sure to influence social levels for decades to come.

Khun Shah is known to most of the world and is THE legendary of the thousands of drug pings the CIA activities created. He was the tool for the CIA entrepreneuring in the area. And did very well. So in the mid 80s when the shift for place of production was needed Khun Shah wouldn't give it up just like that. He was compensated.

A harsh erradication campaign was launched to substitute the poppy with tea plantations. Must said to have been successful as for Thailand. But anyone needs butter for the bread, so --and let me state clear, it's my own assumption-- whomever gave them the opiate production (and took it away again) gave them the meth technology as a substitute.

Locally it's a huge problem adding to the instability and social diverting of the region, and I suspected with increasing production worldwidea distribution is getting more and more established.

You don't want college kids and motorcycle gangs to interfere with that.

Good comments

For some further insight into thsi check out my other post I did a week or so ago that touches on this subject:
www.abovetopsecret.com...

I tend to think the government is also taking out what they can handle. Meth can be made in somebodys how where as Mary Jane can come from Mexico and the White Lady comes from overseas as well. These substances are already controlled here in the US and the only way to stop them is to keep them from coming in the boarders. Meth on the other hand is made in the US.

Now, the US can arrest every drug user they want to but they are going to keep poping up because there is someone providing that substance. The way to fight any war or stop any sort of drug use is to defeat the source. Because the source of meth is in the US that makes meth a substance that can be stopped. You can hit the little guys as much as you want but they are always going to be there, the only way fight the distrabution of the substance is to go after the ones who supply the substance. That is why taking down meth is the way to go in the US. It's easy and it can be done.

Im not going to say you guys are wrong on this one. If I was the person in charge and I needed to make it look as if I was doing something about the drug problem in the US and wanted to make some money on the side this would be perfect. You never want to fight a war that you cannot win along with fighting a war that is against your own interests. In this case fighting a war that you can make money off of and setting the rest aside would be perfect. You look as if you are doing something about the problem and under the table you are making some money and helping out friends.

Ben

I know, on the other hand, people who use coc aine, crack, alcohol, and marijuana. I guess those don't make law enforcement as much money.

I can see coc aine, alcohol, and marijuana as a few common drugs people use. Crack is a little out there as that is vary addictive. Now im not saying coc aine, alcohol, and marijuana are not addictive but they are almost accepted. Alcohol and Marijuana are vary accepted, even more so with every once and a while users. Cocaine is getting up there and can be vary addictive but it's a rich mans drug. In the end, when you do a drug you tend to know and hang around others that do that drug. It effects the things you do, and how you think, and more importantly the people you come in contact with.

Originally posted by Styki
These substances are already controlled here in the US and the only way to stop them is to keep them from coming in the boarders. Meth on the other hand is made in the US.

So then shouldn't the foreign drugs (that are connected to international terrorists by their own admissions) be what's on the PATRIOT Act instead of the domestic drug?

I havent smoked pot in about 10 years and I never did coke, crack heroin, or Meth. I live in a pretty big city and I know more people that do drugs then people that don't.

I have 4 aunts 5 uncles and 9 cousins and they all do street drugs. I could name 40 people I know off the top of my head (no BS) that do street drugs.

I've never heard anyone mention meth in person or on the 5 o clock news. I've heard about it on the major news networks but not where I live.

BTW I live 3 blocks north of Detroit and I can walk out my front door and get just about any drug I want within 20 minutes. There is a drug dealer on almost every corner. Its as easy as going to mc donalds, you just drive down some side streets and they'll flag you down like a cab. And when you stop they'll run up to your window saying "whacha need! whacha need!". I've been with poeple in search of crack and heroin, I've also done it myself looking for weed.

Excellent thread IIB, I think you're dead on. Seems to me that meth is competition for the highly profitable drugs that the CIA et al smuggles to fund black budget projects. In the late 80's I did time in the fed with a CIA op who was a drug/gun runner that got caught up in Iran/Contra. He worked for Adm. Poindexter of TIA fame, and I saw letters from same. Even the most brainwashed lemming should be able to see what's up when Afghanistan does a poppy flip flop depending on who's in control. I'm convinced our troops are there to protect the poppy crop, and I wouldn't be surprised if knowledge of that fact was what got Pat Tillman killed.

man tweakers ARE everywhere..I know a few people who fell into the meth addiction. two of them killed over it. another who is my cousin has been in and out of jail since he was 25 (he's now 37 and back in jail). Others just go downhill..to me it is an epidemic. it seems like suddenly everyones tweaking .it's so disgusting to me . but whatever people do what they do. i think they should focus more on the meth thing rather than marijuana..has anyone seen those ridiculous anti marijuana ads? they don't say anti drug the speficially talk about mary jane. hella stretching the truth. anyway yeah i got off topic but anyway yeah meth is an epidemic in my eyes. I guess it can be differ from locations? I live in San Diego and a lot of people around here are meth heads. especially in Imperial beach and chula vista.

I would like to know PRECISELY HOW the CIA/traffickers get the opium from Afghanistan to America and Europe. I was talking about why we went into Afghanistan to my uncle and when I brought up the extreme production of opium, he told me that it was for pharmacetical use... yeah right, complete denial.

Then he asked me if it was the CIA, HOW would they take it to Europe and America... I suppose they just run the bosses, then the little traffickers do all the job... but you have to plan to get the opium in boat or something... Thanks for any answer to that...

To Vitchillo...

www.geocities.com...

www.serendipity.li...

A couple of links to meet your curiosity.

More links in this thread, An Opium Market Mystery

The Balkan Route was once the dominant route for trafficking opiate products to Europe. … To make the trip through the Balkan Route, opium, morphine base, and heroin from Afghanistan are shipped directly to Iran or are transported to Peshawar or Quetta in Pakistan before crossing the Iran-Pakistan border for transport to Turkey. From there, opiates are then trafficked through Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and Czechoslovakia or through a southern leg in Albania and Yugoslavia before heading to the rest of Europe. The seaport of Karachi, Pakistan is also a main trafficking center for shipments overseas.
www.pbs.org...

[Note: There has been a decrease from 80% to 50% through this region, but it can be said that it’s now US controlled, while it wasn’t before.]

On May 7, 1998, Rep. Maxine Waters, revealed a memorandum of understanding between the CIA and the Justice Department from 1982, which was entered into the Congressional Record. This letter had freed the CIA from legally reporting drug smuggling by CIA assets, a provision that covered the Nicaraguan contras and the Afghan rebels.[9]
en.wikipedia.org...

Check out:
Google Books: "Drugs, Oil & War"

Nimroz is the key stone Province for opium/morphine/heroin smuggling out of Afghanistan. With its close proximity to Helmand, Kandahar and Farah Provinces which are the opium growing/collection centers and its close proximity to Baramcha District (Helmand) the major center for morphine/heroin production Nimroz is the gateway for smugglers to move opium/morphine/heroin out of Afghanistan and into Iran. To accomplish this seasoned smugglers associated with the Afghanistan Baluch tribe or the Pakistani Baluch tribe transport the processed drugs from Baramcha by cutting across either the most southern part of Nimroz or the most northern part of Pakistan east towards Iran. The drugs are then passed to the Iranian Baluch in Zahedan who continue on north towards Khash and then to Uromia (Small Iranian town near the Turkish border) for onward transportation to Turkey and then to Europe. This transportation corridor is probably the most significant opium/morphine/heroin smuggling route out of Afghanistan as is presently completely wide opened.
www.unodc.org...

Now the trade is booming, partly the result of the U.S. strategy for overthrowing the Taliban and stabilizing the country after two decades of war.

U.S. troops forged alliances with warlords, who provided ground forces in the battle against the Taliban. Some of those allies are suspected of being among Afghanistan's biggest drug traffickers, controlling networks that include producers, criminal gangs and even members of the counter-narcotics police force. They are willing to make deals with remnants of the Taliban if the price is right.

The U.S.-backed Afghan president, Hamid Karzai, has brought some of those warlords into his popularly elected government,
The Lure of Opium Wealth Is a Potent Force in Afghanistan -LATimes

Routes Out - LATimes Map

Huge background:
www.btinternet.com...



[edit on 29-4-2007 by IgnoranceIsntBlisss]

These provide some interesting bits:

THE WORLD GEOPOLITICS OF DRUGS 1998/1999


THE NEXUS AMONG TERRORISTS, NARCOTICS TRAFFICKERS, WEAPONS PROLIFERATORS, AND ORGANIZED CRIME NETWORKS IN WESTERN EUROPE

THE WORLD GEOPOLITICS OF DRUGS 1997/1998 ANNUAL REPORT

The Global Opium for Medicine Market

Some observers have suggested that the aftermath of the events of
September 11, 2001 in Afghanistan and central Asia has done
nothing to stem the flow of heroin through the region and may even
exacerbate it in the long run. Mikhailov of the SDCC has told the
press on numerous occasions that the United States military
intervention in Afghanistan has contributed to heroin consumption
in Russia because the Taliban had been able to suppress opium
production before they were overthrown.
-Drug War Facts -Page 102
www.drugwarfacts.org...

What had the greatest impact on the flow of drugs from Afghanistan was Taliban leader Mullah Omar's July 2000 announcement banning the cultivation of opium. Spring 2001 surveys by the UNDCP and country visits by US officials found that opium poppies were not planted in Taliban-controlled areas.15
-Iran's War on Drugs -Page 3
www.regionalanalysis.org...

Iran is a key part of the pipeline, but appparently they're trying to fight it:

Khatami described Iran as the 'most serious country' in the fight with the 'ugly phenomenon' of narcotics smuggling.3
-Iran's War on Drugs

There will always be corrupt officials where ever the routes are of course.

I'm convinced our troops are there to protect the poppy crop, and I wouldn't be surprised if knowledge of that fact was what got Pat Tillman killed.

You got that right resistor, take a look a this video.Crops of Afghanistan

Originally posted by IgnoranceIsntBlisss
In this country you can go to any town or city and score crack/coke/herion alomst anytime on any day of the week. We're talking logistics comparable to Walmart. I fnid that rather incredible. I'd be tyou have similar stats with opium/herion at least, after all the Balkins pipeline from Afghanistan is aimed right at you.

In places, it is the same in the UK, especially heroin, its use is well established and creating terrible decay in some communities. Cocaine is almost acceptable due to its 'alledged' popular use, you simply can't call yourself a celeb if you haven't at least tried it. If you can afford coke you know you've made it!?!

The price of herion has fallen in recent years in the UK. The price of coc aine has dropped by almost a third.

I'm not entirely sure whats going on here, but I do know that something is not right.