Pubdate: Sat, 16 Dec 2006
Source: Pak Tribune (Pakistan, Web)
Copyright: 2006 Pakistan News Service
Contact:  http://paktribune.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3193

US DRUG CZAR ANNOUNCES AFGHANISTAN WILL SPRAY OPIUM POPPIES

US Drug Control Policy head John Walters announced that Afghanistan's 
poppy crops will be sprayed with herbicides in an effort to put a 
crimp in the country's booming opium and heroin trade. But the Afghan 
government, which is not enthusiastic about spraying, has yet to 
confirm Walters' pronouncement.

This year, Afghan opium production increased 49% over last year, and 
the country produced 6,100 metric tons of opium, or 670 tons of 
heroin. That's 90% of the illicit opium supply, and more than the 
world's junkies can shoot, smoke, or snort in a year. This as the US 
spent $600 million on anti-drug efforts in Afghanistan this year.

Afghanistan will become a narco-state unless "giant steps" are taken 
to rein in production, Walters said. "We cannot fail in this mission. 
Proceeds from opium production feed the insurgency and burden 
Afghanistan's nascent political institutions with the scourge of corruption."

The problem for Walters and the US is that embarking on widespread 
eradication is also likely to feed the insurgency as farmers and 
traders turn to the Taliban for protection from the central 
government and the "infidels." The Taliban is already doing just 
that, and it is using opium profits to fund its resurgence. So far 
this year, 189 NATO and US troops and some 4,000 insurgents have been 
killed in fighting, by far the largest toll since the US overthrew 
the Taliban in late 2001.

On top of that, after decades of war, Afghans are very leery of 
chemicals being dropped from planes. President Karzai himself earlier 
rejected spraying, saying herbicides proved too great a risk and 
could contaminate water and kill crops growing beside the poppies.

But Walters said Karzai has agreed to spraying, which will use 
glyphosate, the herbicide in Roundup. "I think the president has said 
yes, and I think some of the ministers have repeated yes," Walters 
said without specifying when spraying would start. "The particulars 
of the application have not been decided yet, but yes, the goal is to 
carry out ground spraying."
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MAP posted-by: Elaine