US defies protests to poison Afghan poppies

[thecrow]

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/asia/story.jsp?story=580336

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6 November 2004

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Home > News > World > Asia
US defies protests to poison Afghan poppies
By Nick Meo in Kabul
Published : 07 November 2004


The US is preparing to destroy Afghanistan's opium poppy crop from the air next spring, before it can be harvested, brushing aside objections from aid agencies.
<snip>

"It's time the stick was wielded and farmers understood there is a risk if they plant opium," said a Western official in Kabul. "Some of them will have a rough time, but there simply has to be enough eradication that farmers see risk attached to this business."

<snip>
The Pentagon has over-ridden objections from USAid, the official American aid organisation, as well as Britain's Department for International Development. The herbicide glyphosate, used in Colombia, is reported to have caused severe skin rashes and other illnesses. If it is accidentally sprayed over legitimate crops, innocent farmers could suffer, and local famines might result.

Critics complain that little is being done to warn farmers that their crops will be destroyed, even though it could make them decide against planting poppies this month. "If this is to be effective they should be showing farmers that they are really serious," one agriculture expert said. "The best way to combat poppy cultivation is to dissuade farmers from growing it in the first place.

More....

[skooooo]

1. Oh man, when I first read the headline, I thought it said...

"US defies protests to poison Afghan puppies"

[flowomo]

16. me too!

[wildflower]

18. Me three! Sigh, I guess this is the "ownership society"...

Are there any countries the U.S. doesn't feel it owns? That they can't do anything they want to?

I'm trying to imagine how we'd feel if another country decided they didn't like one of our crops so they flew over and killed them.

Or maybe it's all "okay" because this is part of the war in Afghanistan?

-wildflower

[prayin4rain]

20. That's next week.

[FloridaPat]

2. According to Mike Ruppert, the CIA and the USA depend on all

that opium. He said that when the Taliban stopped opium, the stock market dropped. So this sounds rather strange. How will the CIA get all that money for all their black ops???

[Algorem]

4. oversupply glutting market hurting prices?

[daleo]

15. This would be a way to control the supply

And make sure only the correct producers were allowed to be in the game.

[Minstrel Boy]

19. Precisely the intent of Plan Colombia. n/t

[Pax Argent]

They're going to stir up some shit here.

Not that I approve of it, but what exactly does the US think has been propping up the Afghan economy for the past few years? Opium is likely why the warlords are tolerating the US. Destroying their yield is not going to produce happy warlords, IMO.

[sweetheart]

3. The green patrol already do this in hawaii

they fly around in helicopters dumping toxic chemicals on people's
gardens when they think cannabis might be around. It is a criminal
abuse, and it is used by the american nazi's on the home front...
it does not suprise that they try the same stunts abroad...
imperialist nazis.

I hope the afgans shoot them down and kill them.

All for a little pakalolo....

[barb162]

10. and it kills everything, doesn't it? Like Agent Orange Vietnam

has anyone sued them?

[Bozita]

5. Freedom and Round-Up --- They hate us for both

[Maat]

7. What will be done in our name next?

We have got to get this people out of power - legally. Oh, that's right. I just tried this week!

It's things like this that make you feel hopeless!

[bullimiami]

6. someone explain the difference of the taliban and bush.

if they defied the taliban and planted poppies, they could be killed and their farms destroyed and burned.

if they defy the bush poppy ban they are poisoned out, all of their crops destroyed by herbicide..


having a hard time deciding which is worse.

[DELUSIONAL]

11. No difference that I can see -- except women don't have to

wear the black shrouds -- yet.

[sffreeways]

8. Of Course

the Bush Imperial army has no problem with pakistan where the price is inflated and the opium is processed into heroin.

[Journeyman]

9. Sprayed late in the season, just before maturity. . .

this will kill the plants but won't stop the harvest. We'll just have a lot of junkies dropping dead from poisoned smack.

[Straight Shooter]

13. Damn! You think they considered that?

Oh. Wait. Nevermind.

[The_Casual_Observer]

12. Their economy depends on this

I have heard that is makes up for as much as 25% or more. Good luck.

[troubleinwinter]

14. Can't have farmers competing with big pharmaceutical companies, ya know

[JPace]

17. They are taking away people's living....

if you cannot feed your children you become very nasty
tempered. The bush regime is so hated in the world.

[bemildred]

21. 4000 missing SAMS in Iraq.

Probably cheap on the black market ...

[Cocoa]

22. you know who was great at stopping the opium trade?

the Taliban.

Maybe we should bring them back. I just saw Rambo III, and the mujahideen freedom fighters looked like swell guys.

[burrowowl]

23. Afghanistan

does not have much fertile land are we going to turn it inot to Vietnam's valley of the moon where bombs and agent orange made it a place where nothing grows?

[VegasWolf]

24. Bush just spending his capital! n/t

[The Zanti Regent]

25. They're not going to do it

I don't believe ONE WORD about this. I have no doubt that right now, Oliver North is preparing the distribution of this fresh heroin into American ghettos and barrios

[MsMagnificent]

26. When oh when will they finally trust Big Brother?