Pubdate: Sat, 25 Oct 2008 Source: Vancouver Sun (CN BC) Copyright: 2008 The Vancouver Sun Contact: http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/letters.html Website: http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/477 Author: Dave Pugliese, Canwest News Service Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topic/poppy (Poppy) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topic/opium (Opium) NATO TO LET POPPIES GROW, TARGET OPIUM LABS VICTORIA -- Canadian troops in Afghanistan will soon target opium-processing laboratories and high-level drug barons in an effort to cut off funding for the Taliban, says Canada's top soldier. But Canadian Forces personnel will not conduct operations to eradicate poppy fields, says Gen. Walter Natynczyk, chief of the defence staff. Earlier this month, NATO defence ministers agreed to target Afghan drug networks in an attempt to reduce the amount of money the Taliban has to fund its insurgency. NATO officials estimate the Taliban receive between $80 and $100 million a year from the drug trade, either by taxing the production and transportation of opium, or from payments from drug lords who want protection. The U.S. had been pushing for NATO to become more involved in targeting drug dealers, but it ran into opposition from nations such as Germany and Spain. Those countries have raised concerns that counter-narcotics operations are outside NATO's mandate in Afghanistan and could prompt a backlash from Afghan farmers who make a living from growing poppies. In the past, the destruction of poppy fields has prompted attacks by Afghans on troops and private security contractors. As part of a compromise, NATO troops will be able to target drug networks only if they receive authorization from their own governments. In addition, only drug dealers who are providing money to insurgents will be targeted. "NATO is asking us to play a role in that, so we're going to move down that road," Natynczyk said. Afghanistan is now the world's largest opium producer. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom