Karzai demands investigation into NATO-led drug bust in Afghanistan

[maddezmom]

Source: wapo

KABUL--The inclusion of a small number of Russian anti-narcotics agents in a large drug bust has touched a raw nerve in the Afghan government, prompting President Hamid Karzai to condemn NATO for the operation and demand an investigation.

The seizure of $55.9 million worth of heroin --more than 2,000 lbs -- and the discovery of four clandestine drug-producing labs in Nangarhar province of Eastern Afghanistan was touted by U.S. officials as a major success and a sign of international cooperation to fight narcotics -- the first time Americans and Afghans teamed up with Russians on a military operation.

But senior Afghan officials, apparently unaware of the Russian participation, reacted angrily to news reports of the drug bust. Karzai called the raid a violation of sovereignty and said that "no institution has the right to conduct any such military operation inside our territory without the agreement of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan."

The prospect of Russian participation in military operations recalled the painful decade-long history of the Soviet war in Afghanistan, which ended in 1989 but whose memory remains fresh in the minds of Afghans.



Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/30/AR2010103001530.html

[RC]

1. The United States operates with impunity in Afghanistan, killing willy-nilly.

How was Russia any different?

[saigon68]

12. Cutting into his Drug Pushing Criminal cabal

[dixiegrrrrl]

2. Hubris indeed.

The karma train is gotta be along soon.

[DCKit]

3. No doubt, a small percentage of his year-end bonus just went up in smoke.

Thanks BushCo*, for all you've done to destroy America.
- Osama

[groundloop]

4. Karzai's understandably pissed - he just lost millions in hush money

[sam sarrha]

5. ... Who F'n Stoled my F'n Scag.!!!

[bemildred]

6. Or what? What's he going to do? nt

[wildbilln864]

7. k&r nt.

[KG]

8. but, but...the taliban!

further evidence the situation there is totally out of control.

[hardtravelin]

9. How much more clear can it be?

We need to GTF out.

I was there last winter...there's no solving this. It's not worth one more of my friends.

[Turborama]

10. Afghan President Karzai criticises US-Russia drugs raid

Source: BBC

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has criticised the first joint operation by Russian and US agents to destroy drug laboratories in his country.

Mr Karzai said he had not been informed of Russia's participation - a sensitive issue in Afghanistan ever since the Soviet occupation ended 21 years ago.

He called it a violation of Afghan sovereignty and international law.

Russia said more than a tonne of heroin and opium, with a street value of $250m (£157m), was destroyed in the raid.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-11659814

[Arrowhead2k1]

11. The Russians are the ones suffering the most from the drugs pouring out of Afghan right now.

And the Russian Federation /= The Soviet Union. Karzai should be doing more to stamp out drug production in his pseudo soveriegn nation or else Russia will have no choice but to act in the interest of its own citizens.