TopCat
Putin fanboy
Inside the Taliban's drug war - opium poppy crops slashed - BBC News
Afghanistan's leaders are following through on their anti-drug decree to stop cultivation.
www.bbc.com
Afghanistan: Mission Accomplished
- Thread starter toblerone3
- Start date
www.bbc.com
TopCat
Putin fanboy
No. But the US funding for those opposing the Russians led to huge problems for themselves and the British forces later.
When I see one legged ex soldiers in Croydon (there are lots) I think of the dumbarsed decisions of the US through the ages and blindly funding the enemy of your enemy is often the wrong thing to do.
Yuwipi Woman
Whack-A-Mole Queen
I live next to a halfway house that houses veterans in their transition from the VA hospital or homeless shelter to standard housing. Most of them have PTSD and are recovering addicts of one sort or another. They get pushed around and shat on by the VA, pumped full of psychoactive drugs, and then tested to make sure they're on those drugs because people stop taking them due to the bad effects. (One guy was using THC and found it a better option, but when he had a VA appointment, he'd have to start taking all of the prescribed drugs to pass the drug test). They would get letters setting an appointment time a week after the appointment. And then, they'd get punished for missing the appointment. Or, they'd cut off services because of an unpaid bill or all of $12. During the week of the fourth of July all of them would disappear because they couldn't take the fireworks. Yet, the US claims to value its veterans highly.
TopCat
Putin fanboy
That’s really depressing and totally expected.
TopCat
Putin fanboy
Here is a snapshot of how it was opium and corruption wise in 2011 (for contrast).
www.theguardian.com
Opium farming in Afghanistan rising again, bleak UN report admits
Insecurity, corruption and flagging economy blamed but UN official declares that 'lion's share of income goes to big patrons'
TopCat
Putin fanboy
I have/had a lot of mates in the The Rifles. A lot started in the cadets signals in old Coulsdon. They got hammered fighting over there in that pointless war. . Loads seriously injured hence all the prosthetic legs seen locally. Fuck knows how much death and distruction they caused.
Combustible
Well-Known Member
Hardly, the West's solution was much more to take directions from local officials (i.e. drug traffickers) who would provide the identities and locations of fields and traffickers (their rivals). The West would then go in and destroy the crops and congratulate themselves as having acted as armed muscle for one faction, pushing their rivals to join the other franchise.
Serge Forward
Just enjoyin' my coffee.
"War on drugs" and other such clampdowns do nowt to help people who have problems with addictions. It only exacerbates any problems by targeting the most vulnerable and allowing criminal gangs to flourish. I'm genuinely interested in why you should be so enamoured with a bunch of islamo-fascist cunts clamping down on drugs (which will probably involve a few summary executions of some farmers as part of the process).
Well for starters it fucks up a criminal network that preys on the vulnerable in our communities. You don’t have to love the Taliban to hate smack dealers and their sources.
TopCat
Putin fanboy
An interesting point. I will come back to you...
Mr.Bishie
pickled egg
Prohibition does more harm to the vulnerable in our communities.
And this thread is about the Taliban.
I agree, you know my view, legalise all of it as it’s a medical rather than criminal issue.
But that isn’t happening and as such I care little for the criminals becoming wealthy upon addiction.
That was me!
Serge Forward
Just enjoyin' my coffee.
Not really. What fucks up criminal networks is decriminalisation and availability of one's poison of choice.
Yuwipi Woman
Whack-A-Mole Queen
I'm not certain that legalizing it is the answer either. The people who will end up profiting off drugs are large, well-funded corporations. IMHO, in many cases, they aren't any better than criminal gangs (ex: US pharmaceutical companies). Decriminalizing marijuana has mostly meant shutting out smaller operations and moving marijuana production into the hands of capital. Giving a profit windfall to Baer, Phillip Morris, or Cargill, isn't going to solve the core issue of addiction.
Which I agree with. But that doesn't make me despise other attacks on the network.
Serge Forward
Just enjoyin' my coffee.
Yes, all valid points. But without a revolution against capitalism and the robber barons of big business, decriminalisation/legalisation will have to do
Yuwipi Woman
Whack-A-Mole Queen
Yes, all valid points. But without a revolution against capitalism and the robber barons of big business, decriminalisation/legalisation will have to do
Tax the crap out of any company that takes advantage of legalization to fund programs to prevent and treat addiction.
Serge Forward
Just enjoyin' my coffee.
A minor adjustment.
krtek a houby
Anger is Hi-NRG
He's on a mission from God
LDC
On est tous des pangolins
Is TopCat really Tobias Ellwood? 
www.theguardian.com
Tory MP Tobias Ellwood apologises for video praising Taliban
MP ‘sorry for poor communication’ after he credited group with improving safety in Afghanistan
planetgeli
There's no future in England's dreaming
Of course it's bollocks, the Taliban stamping out the poppy trade. When they've done it before, they've immediately rolled back. When they've done it before, it has always been selective. When they've done it before, it has always resulted in the Taliban gaining control and profits over what trade is left (and indeed who can trade).
As mentioned, it will only lead to increased fentanyl deaths.
Almost half a million workers in Afghanistan are reliant on the poppy trade. Last year was a bumper crop. It raises around 2 billion pounds, equivalent to around 10% of GDP - which is more than any official exports of goods and services. The Afghan economy is in crisis, shrinking by 35% in 2021-2022.
Meanwhile, for the last 20 years, the NHS has faced shortages of morphine and diamorphine. Health boards regularly shut down or heavily regulate who can receive these drugs. Cancer patients have been known to lose out.
It's time we started doing proper trade deals with Afghanistan to deal with this shortage. The opium is there, but made unavailable through politics.
This is a shit thing to be cheering on, presumably by those with no actual knowledge other than 'drugs are bad mkay?'
The world needs opium. Not just the West.
Eg Ethiopians dying in agony due to lack of opioids while west battles a surfeit
As mentioned, it will only lead to increased fentanyl deaths.
Almost half a million workers in Afghanistan are reliant on the poppy trade. Last year was a bumper crop. It raises around 2 billion pounds, equivalent to around 10% of GDP - which is more than any official exports of goods and services. The Afghan economy is in crisis, shrinking by 35% in 2021-2022.
Meanwhile, for the last 20 years, the NHS has faced shortages of morphine and diamorphine. Health boards regularly shut down or heavily regulate who can receive these drugs. Cancer patients have been known to lose out.
It's time we started doing proper trade deals with Afghanistan to deal with this shortage. The opium is there, but made unavailable through politics.
This is a shit thing to be cheering on, presumably by those with no actual knowledge other than 'drugs are bad mkay?'
The world needs opium. Not just the West.
Eg Ethiopians dying in agony due to lack of opioids while west battles a surfeit
Combustible
Well-Known Member
It is obviously not the case that they were 'running it', although they did make money from it, and claiming they did so whitewashes the former "democratically elected" Afghan government.
RainbowTown
Well-Known Member
How the Taliban have destroyed the rights of women since coming to power in 2021. And are continuing to do so.
But love the sheer defiance and bravery shown by one woman in the last paragraph.
But love the sheer defiance and bravery shown by one woman in the last paragraph.
Five key moments in the crushing of Afghan women's rights
Over two years, the BBC has documented women's fear, grief and resolve as their lives are supressed.
www.bbc.co.uk
SpookyFrank
A cheap source of teeth for aquarium gravel
Maybe if her and her squaddie pals had done a less shit job of it the Taliban wouldn't be back in charge. Just a thought.
We’ve now got twats like Tate singing the virtues of oppressive Arab states. Presumably because women are treated like shit by law. Hopefully he’ll fuck off there.
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