why the CIA refused to stop the afgan opium trade

[sandycoosworth]

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2002/3/28/95240.shtml

Bush Will Not Stop Afghan Opium Trade
Charles R. Smith
Thursday, March 28, 2002
The Bush administration has decided not to destroy the opium crop in Afghanistan. President Bush, who previously linked the Afghan drug trade directly to terrorism, has now decided not to destroy the Afghan opium crop.

"The war in Afghanistan will be decided within the next six weeks based on whether or not the poppy crops go to market," stated a U.S. intelligence official who recently returned from Afghanistan.

The source, who requested that he not be identified, noted that the opium poppy fields are blooming and ready for harvest. U.S. forces could destroy the crops using aerial spraying techniques, but no such actions are planned.

"If the estimated 3,000 tons of opium reaches market, it will lead to a new upsurge in international terrorism and a great loss in international credibility for the Bush administration and the United States' ability to conduct war in the 21st century. America's enemies throughout the world from China to North Korea to Iran will be emboldened by this lack of strategic vision and political will," said the source.

U.N. Ban on Opium Trade

The U.S. and all its allies signed onto a worldwide ban on opium sales. In January 2002, the U.N. issued a report on the Afghan opium production, noting that allied forces needed to act quickly to destroy the 2002 opium poppy crops before the end of spring.

"The global importance of the ban on opium poppy cultivation and trafficking in Afghanistan is enormous," states the January 2002 U.N. report on drug trafficking.

"Afghanistan has been the main source of illicit opium: 70 percent of global illicit opium production in 2000 and up to 90 percent of heroin in European drug markets originated from Afghanistan," states the U.N. report.

"There are reliable indications that opium poppy cultivation has resumed since October 2001 in some areas (such as the southern provinces Uruzgan, Helmand, Nangarhar and Kandahar), following the effective implementation of the Taliban ban on cultivation in 2001, not only because of the breakdown in law and order, but also because the farmers are desperate to find a means of survival following the prolonged drought," states the U.N. report.

This Is Your CIA

Several sources inside Capitol Hill noted that the CIA opposes the destruction of the Afghan opium supply because to do so might destabilize the Pakistani government of Gen. Pervez Musharraf. According to these sources, Pakistani intelligence had threatened to overthrow President Musharraf if the crops were destroyed.

The threat to overthrow Musharraf is motivated in part by Islamic radical groups linked to the Pakistani intelligence service, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). The radical groups reportedly obtain their primary funding through opium production and trade.

"Pakistan's intelligence service is corrupt, unreliable, and we don't owe them a damn thing. The CIA has a very checkered past as far as who they choose to get in the sack with. Maybe it's time to stop being clever and do the right thing," stated another source close to the Bush administration.

"If they [the CIA] are in fact opposing the destruction of the Afghan opium trade, it'll only serve to perpetuate the belief that the CIA is an agency devoid of morals; off on their own program rather than that of our constitutionally elected government," stated the source.

"If we don't take this opportunity to destroy the opium production in Afghanistan, we are no better than the Taliban, who did nothing to stop it despite claims to the contrary," he concluded.

This Is Your CIA on Drugs

The CIA decision not to stop the Afghan opium production has been greeted silently by U.S. allies. According to intelligence sources, both the U.K. and French governments have quietly given their approval of the American policy by not acting in accordance with the U.N. global ban on opium traffic.

However, one foreign intelligence official was quick to point out that the CIA has a history of supporting international drug trafficking.

"The CIA did almost the identical thing during the Vietnam War, which had catastrophic consequences – the increase in the heroin trade in the USA beginning in the 1970s is directly attributable to the CIA. The CIA has been complicit in the global drug trade for years, so I guess they just want to carry on their favorite business," noted an allied intelligence official who works closely with U.S. law enforcement.

"The sole reason why organized crime groups and terrorists have the power that they do is all because of drug trafficking. Like the old saying, 'those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it,'" stated the official.

TV War on Terror

According to intelligence sources, a simple grant of $200 a year, no more than $20 million in total, sent to each poorly paid Afghan farmer could stop all opium production. The U.S. war in Afghanistan has already consumed an estimated $40 billion.

After spending millions of dollars on a U.S. advertising campaign that linked illegal drug sales to terrorism, the Bush administration has opted not to destroy Afghanistan's opium production over fears that such an act may destabilize Pakistan.

Clearly, ending opium production inside Afghanistan could be more effective than spending millions on TV advertising. The lack of action in Afghanistan against the drug trade shows that the Bush administration has adopted a hypocritical and flawed policy in its war on terror.

The current U.S. law enforcement tactics aimed at slick TV ads and seizing terrorist money will not stop the flow of illegal drug money flowing into the hands of Osama bin Laden. If the Bush administration is truly interested in ending terrorism, then it must start in the poppy fields of Afghanistan.


Read more on this subject in related Hot Topics:
Bush Administration
War on Terrorism

[240 is Back]

To the numbskulls who have argued with me that "The US is trying very hard to stop the drug trade" and "the Taleban was able to stop the drug trade cause they were evil and we are doing our best to do it the right way".

You are "pre-emptively gullible".  You convinced yourself that the Bush Admin would do everything it could to stop drug trade when even THEY haven't been saying that.  You're defending them because you are trained to, even when they are publicly not denying they are letting the drugs through.  You're the idiot parent who tells the cop "my kid didn't steal that!" before even looking at your kid's confession and looking in his bedroom for the stolen loot.

HTH.

[ToxicAvenger]

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6214392711399365856&q=secret+government


this is long and boring....but DEAD ON...

[headhuntersix]

Since your not here, will never set foot here and only get your info on the problem from the net then i really don't think your qualified to comment on the policy. If we destroyed the crop, the folks here would starve. Thus creating refugee's and more recruits for the Talaban. Plenty of refugee's were created from what the taliban did as regards the heroin trade. The UN has plenty of troops here. If they want to burn fields go ahead and try. They won't have to fight the new recruits, we will. Our NATO allies, besides the Commonwealth countries, are worthless. Nato was supposed to be running this place but is incapable. Every asshole with a poly sci degree figures they can fix this place. This country and its people are so fucked up it not funny. They can barely tie their shoes. They'd flood Pakistan. Ask Toxic about that. We can't fix it, either by burning or turning a blind eye to the poppies. Its a no win situation.

[Hugo Chavez]

Since your not here, will never set foot here and only get your info on the problem from the net then i really don't think your qualified to comment on the policy.

I have to say, that's probably the single dumbest thing you've ever said.  But that's cool, we all slip sometimes   Me three It's a message board, not the state department, of course he can comment on policy.  If we followed this thinking, most of us couldn't talk about 95% of what's going on and there would never be any debate here.  Best to just counter it with what you know than tell him he shouldn't say it to begin with.

[headhuntersix]

We've gone back and forth on this. I agree but this place is sooooooooooo fucked up. Nothing will ever fix it. And about what i know.. on this i know to much and can't really say alot because I'v watched 'government' agents shrug and drive by fields of that crap. There is no solution to the poppy deal. I get pissed when he talks about how the Taliban fixed the problem. 240 if we didn't care about flooding Pakistan with refugees or we could just shoot,stone,hang people at will. U better beileve we could fix the problem, but we can't.  Life is cheap here..

[240 is Back]

Since your not here, will never set foot here and only get your info on the problem from the net then i really don't think your qualified to comment on the policy. If we destroyed the crop, the folks here would starve. Thus creating refugee's and more recruits for the Talaban. Plenty of refugee's were created from what the taliban did as regards the heroin trade. The UN has plenty of troops here. If they want to burn fields go ahead and try. They won't have to fight the new recruits, we will. Our NATO allies, besides the Commonwealth countries, are worthless. Nato was supposed to be running this place but is incapable. Every asshole with a poly sci degree figures they can fix this place. This country and its people are so fucked up it not funny. They can barely tie their shoes. They'd flood Pakistan. Ask Toxic about that. We can't fix it, either by burning or turning a blind eye to the poppies. Its a no win situation.

No offense dude, but you're on the ground, applying the policy.

"Several sources inside Capitol Hill noted that the CIA opposes the destruction of the Afghan opium supply because to do so might destabilize the Pakistani government of Gen. Pervez Musharraf. According to these sources, Pakistani intelligence had threatened to overthrow President Musharraf if the crops were destroyed."

This is consistent with data.  yours is consistent with emotion.

[sandycoosworth]

Since your not here, will never set foot here and only get your info on the problem from the net then i really don't think your qualified to comment on the policy. If we destroyed the crop, the folks here would starve. Thus creating refugee's and more recruits for the Talaban. Plenty of refugee's were created from what the taliban did as regards the heroin trade. The UN has plenty of troops here. If they want to burn fields go ahead and try. They won't have to fight the new recruits, we will. Our NATO allies, besides the Commonwealth countries, are worthless. Nato was supposed to be running this place but is incapable. Every asshole with a poly sci degree figures they can fix this place. This country and its people are so fucked up it not funny. They can barely tie their shoes. They'd flood Pakistan. Ask Toxic about that. We can't fix it, either by burning or turning a blind eye to the poppies. Its a no win situation.

you forgot to mention that the CIA generates hundreds of billions off the drug trade for the amreekan economy ... that to me seems a far more pressing reason to keep the drug trade afloat, especially considering it only takes $200 to keep an afgan farmer subsidized for a year

[240 is Back]

you forgot to mention that the CIA generates hundreds of billions off the drug trade for the amreekan economy ... that to me seems a far more pressing reason to keep the drug trade afloat, especially considering it only takes $200 to keep an afgan farmer subsidized for a year

headhunter doesn't understand the role of wall street and the use of laundered drug money to generate the free cash flow needed to sustain our economy.

he thinks our good friends in DC would eliminate every poppy seed in Afghanistan if they could.

theres a headhunter born every minute.

[sandycoosworth]

grunts are good for dying


not thinking

[Camel Jockey]

They lock up kids for smoking joints in the worthless war on drugs but fail to stop the world's single biggest drug trade. What a bunch of fucking bullshit.

[sandycoosworth]

its a cycle and they make money off of both ends .... did you know the same companies that are over in afgan and iraq assisting with the facilitation of the drug trade also operate private prisons in amreeka?

[Camel Jockey]

its a cycle and they make money off of both ends .... did you know the same companies that are over in afgan and iraq assisting with the facilitation of the drug trade also operate private prisons in amreeka?

of course. The prison system is the reason even light drugs like marijuana will never be legalized, it's just too lucrative for those mother fuckers to keep people in jail even for responsible drug use. 

[headhuntersix]

Dear sandy i'm not a grunt..I'm pretty well educated as well. U idiots would not last a day here, I deal with the reality of day to day life in this 3rd world shithole. I don't need a lesson in Wall Street politics or how the CIA runs drugs corroborated by evidence from CT web sites. What I do have is a nice cot ansd I'm pretty sure I could get u a ride with the DEA agents who deal with the opium trade. Now u can read all the BS u want from ct sites or the media , but until u come over here and experience a fire fight with drug dealers or see poor people who have nothing but opium to harvest so they can eat..u would never understand. Enjoy staying behind ur nice safe keyboard.

[luike101]

Dudes just so I understand this,  Headhunter is in iraq or afghanistan?  Sandycoo have agreed with some of the stuff you have posted and think you have had some good points but if headhunter is fighting in the name of this country that I live in I dont think its cool to insult him.  I know you dont give a crap what I say but these guys deserve respect.  I believe you are from the US, although I am not sure but either way they are volunteering so that I dont have to go and I am going to stick up for them every time.  You may not agree with what he has to say, or something I am not aware of but could you please try to take a kinder approach when debating with are military personel.  He made a good point we dont know what they go through, but I can guarantee you my week has been a lot easier than theirs has.                                            GET BIG PEEPS :   SHOW RESPECT TO OUR TROOPS AND BE THANKFUL FOR WHAT THEY ARE DOING            (UNLESS OF COURSE THEY ARE DICTATING POLICY)

[sandycoosworth]

im not amreekan ... if i were huntergirl would be fighting for my right to tell him to kiss my ass

how many amreekans have died in afgan in how many years?

how many amreekans have died in iraq in how many years?

the us has learned how to fight wars without having popular support completely hit the shitter; only kill 3-4 soldiers a day ... vs how many of the other guys

they are fighting for amreekas greed ... via bullshit pretense, like GRUNTS always have and always will

[luike101]

Well then!  Do you know what a soldier is?  They are given orders and told what to do, they have no choice.  I would also be willing to bet that a good percentage of Americans that signed up for the millitary did so because of how they wanted to defend our country from the terrorists that supposedly inflicted 911 on us.  If I remember correctly there wasnt a lot of talk about lies coming from our elected officials 5-6 years ago.(Regarding 911,wmd and so on)  Most went to defend America and I dont see why you are or who you are calling a grunt.  Most of these soldiers are good people.     Also it is spelled  A M E R I C A!  The majority of soldiers that I have spoken to believe that they are helping these people but one minute they shake your hand the next they are trying to blow your head off.  What should our soldiers do sandycoosworth?  No sarcasm implied.

[sandycoosworth]

soldiers kill and die ... they knew that signing up

the point of contention is what exactly they are killing/dying for

amreekan pig!

[240 is Back]

Well then!  Do you know what a soldier is?  They are given orders and told what to do, they have no choice.  I would also be willing to bet that a good percentage of Americans that signed up for the millitary did so because of how they wanted to defend our country from the terrorists that supposedly inflicted 911 on us.  If I remember correctly there wasnt a lot of talk about lies coming from our elected officials 5-6 years ago.(Regarding 911,wmd and so on)  Most went to defend America and I dont see why you are or who you are calling a grunt.  Most of these soldiers are good people.     Also it is spelled  A M E R I C A!  The majority of soldiers that I have spoken to believe that they are helping these people but one minute they shake your hand the next they are trying to blow your head off.  What should our soldiers do sandycoosworth?  No sarcasm implied.

IMO,

Our soldiers are brave, but they sign up not always knowing exactly what they're fighting.

They are fighting FUTURE threats to our freedom, sometimes personified in the pawns we goad into attacking us.

WHen there is a current threat diagnored, the fvks are taken out nearly instantly.  Our eyes see the world and our missile and forces see all.  That is a small % of it.

Most of our wars are done to secure resources and positions in regiong BEFORE they are grabbed by a bigger group which will use it against us.  China could topple our already fragile dollar if it had the afghan/iran/iraq oil and position.   

our men are dying in the sand so we can prevent the govt we install from selling the oil to the chinese.  It's pretty simple.  the soldiers are dying for our kids' freedoms.

[Camel Jockey]

IMO,

Our soldiers are brave, but they sign up not always knowing exactly what they're fighting.

This is true. Although headhunter seems to have an idea that the path we're following is based on lies and isn't looking pretty, he seems pretty keen on following his path.

[240 is Back]

This is true. Although headhunter seems to have an idea that the path we're following is based on lies and isn't looking pretty, he seems pretty keen on following his path.

the deception often lies in what we are told we're fighting for.

When republicans stand up and say, "we're fighting for the rights of the iraqis, to rid the world od saddam and his evil WMDs", they're completely full of shit.

we're fighting to control middle eastern oil reserve distribution for the next 60 years.

Any blood spilled, well, essentially it is used to oil the cogs in the global machine known as the US Supoerpower. 

But, if you sleep better calling it "protecting us from the boogeyman", by all means!

[luike101]

240, you are always right my point was after 911 every person I know wanted to kill the taliban or bin laden.  I think I even considered enlisting for a tour of duty.  To see all those people die in the attacks was devastating and extremely shocking.  For some reason I remember how I felt and I remember my friends being patriotic.  I remember the next year going by the local firehouse and telling those guys what a great job they do.  Point being for this instance I will bet anyone that citizens enlisted (not all but a lot) based on the fact that they were pissed and wanted to defend our country.  Now things have changed a little.    Did sandy call me a pig after I was very polite and tried to explain in a non condesinding way that I didnt appreciate him or her calling our soldiers names.  Whatever we have the best country in the world even when it is all f'ed up!   Where r u from not California I bet.     haaahaaaaaaaa

[headhuntersix]

I didn't realize that Sandy wasn't an American..atleast if we screw up 240 pays for it. Sandy feel free not to comment on American foreign policy..in fact go screw urself. What country do u live in that used to be a world power but has fallen into jealous obscurity. Or better yet what 3rd world shithole that we prop up with hard earned American tax dollars are u from. Either way..shut the hell up. I try not to get into name calling on this board but just bcause my political views completely differ from some of the more militant libs on the board doesn't mean i'm a 'dumb grunt". I respect Bersek for his views and don't think he's dumb because we differ politically..we just differ. I'm not blind to ur "truth". Don't take a holier then thou attitude with me....

[Wombat]

you forgot to mention that the CIA generates hundreds of billions off the drug trade for the amreekan economy ... that to me seems a far more pressing reason to keep the drug trade afloat, especially considering it only takes $200 to keep an afgan farmer subsidized for a year

yes that and the fact that we soley went to war in Vietnam to control the shipping lanes of the drugs we are talking about...Now some people really think we want them destroyed..yeah Ok

[headhuntersix]

Ok again..where do u get this shit.