Comments on: Why Do We Persist in Trying to Turn Afghanistan Into Colombia?

By: robina creaser

robina creaser — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 14:43:19 +0000

@ anan `America.. has a strong interest in stability and security`
says who ?
//The United States signed weapons agreements valued at $37.8 billion in 2008, or 68.4 percent of all business in the global arms bazaar, up significantly from American sales of $25.4 billion the year before.Italy was a distant second, with $3.7 billion in worldwide weapons sales in 2008.
The United States was the leader not only in arms sales worldwide, but also in sales to nations in the developing world, signing $29.6 billion in weapons agreements with these nations, or 70.1 percent of all such deals.// NYT Sept 6th
There is no money in peace for the US – Arms is the most successful business by far.
CIA agents do drug biz so they have money to carry out ops without funding (or approval obviously); plus they have to pay their local allies, who are generally drug lords.sweet

By: anan

anan — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 18:03:36 +0000

“the CIA in S America and Afghanistan have been intimately involved in the drug trade – to finance their own violence ;”
The US intelligence budget (CIA + NSA + DIA + other agencies) is over $40 billion a year. Drug trade profits are a drop in the bucket compared to that. What CIA agent would break their oath and Congressional laws for a few bucks? Some might, but not many.

“to pay `insurgents` to perpetuate `terrorist` acts to achieve their Machiavellian goals; and simply to make a lot of money for the agents who have gone feral.” How does terrorism benefit America? America and the world has a strong interest in stability and security . . . because it results in lower risk premiums, faster technological innovation, and faster global economic growth.

By: David M

David M — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 14:50:28 +0000

The Thunder Run has linked to this post in the blog post From the Front: 08/31/2009 News and Personal dispatches from the front and the home front.

By: robina creaser

robina creaser — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 05:54:46 +0000

I don`t believe that you cannot understand Dick. It is public knowledge that the CIA in S America and Afghanistan have been intimately involved in the drug trade – to finance their own violence ;and to pay `insurgents` to perpetuate `terrorist` acts to achieve their Machiavellian goals; and simply to make a lot of money for the agents who have gone feral.
What, are you pretending this is news to you ?

By: anan

anan — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 23:52:20 +0000

Dick, I don’t follow. Care to explain?

By: Dick

Dick — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 23:23:17 +0000

If you eliminate Afganistan’s opium trade, who would finanace CIA “black-ops?”

By: anan

anan — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 17:55:27 +0000

“Why Do We Persist in Trying to Turn Afghanistan Into Colombia?” Because we not be smart. {My attempt at SNLII haiku.}

By: RScott

RScott — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 16:40:34 +0000

The initial approach in 2002 in central Helmand where most of the opium is produced was a follow on to the early international promises of a massive reconstruction program: putting the people to work for pay on their own irrigation systems, support for the traditional cash crop markets including cotton in the context of farmers agreeing(in writing) to eliminate opium poppy cultivation, which they consider an evil crop. Support for the cotton industry included some badly needed spare parts for the 1960s cotton gin from an Atlanta supplier. The gin continues to function without help.This was combined with a timely eradication program just after planting season for the few farmers who did not listen, and in time to replant with the legitimate winter crop. A farmer friendly approach. The result in Nad-i-Ali, some 30,000 acres of irrigated land, was a reduction of 85% in that one crop year followed by a cut in funding for the activity, to be restarted a year later, again to be cut. Once the narcs got involved and in control, the approach changed to “enforcement” and the rule of non-existent law which limits the nature of police actions…thus the Columbian approach…which did not and will not work.