Firefight ends poppy harvest in Afghanistan

[unhappycamper]

A teenage Afghan boy looks back as he passes Army Pvt. Deonte Person, who was manning a checkpoint set up by members of 1st Platoon, Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment of the 5th Stryker Brigade Friday, May 7, 2010, in Afghanistan's Kandahar province.


Firefight ends poppy harvest in Afghanistan
By Sebastian Abbot - The Associated Press
Posted : Friday May 7, 2010 18:19:30 EDT

GHUNDY GHAR, Afghanistan — The gunfire and explosions echoing across this Taliban-infested district in southern Afghanistan on Friday signaled the end of the opium poppy harvest as militants again turned their attention from agriculture to attacking NATO and Afghan forces.

U.S. soldiers perched on this small hilltop base in Kandahar province’s Zhari district had a ringside seat to the early morning fighting. It snapped a lull in violence that had lasted almost three weeks while the Taliban focused on taxing the poppy crop, one of its main sources of revenue.

Building up resources is especially important for the Taliban this year as NATO is ramping up its latest military operation in Kandahar, the group’s spiritual heartland. Military commanders have characterized the Kandahar mission as the make-or-break battle of the nearly 9-year-old war.

“This is the most gunfire that has happened in weeks,” said Staff Sgt. Aaron Christensen, looking down from Strong Point Ghundy Ghar as helicopter gunships pounded Taliban militants who had attacked a U.S. patrol about 1.5 miles away. “The poppy harvest is definitely over.”

Afghanistan produces the raw opium used to make 90 percent of the world’s heroin, and the Taliban earn about $300 million per year off the trade, according to the United Nations.



unhappycamper comment: The last time we occupied a country with access to serious drugs (Vietnam) we ended up with a rather large population of addicts. I sure hope history does not repeat itself again.

[Echo In Light]

1. K/R

[pinboy3niner]

2. You and me both, brother!

And yet, that is aside from the question of how we disentangle ourselves from this--and what the future will hold for Afghanistan.

[KG]

3. it's all worth it since it keeps terrorists from attempting to set off car bombs in NYC!

oh, wait. :eyes: