Friday, October 30, 2009

'Toontime: The Afghan Carrot

[credit: Matt Davies, Tribune Media Services]
On Wednesday the NYT published an article stating the brother of President Karzai, Ahmed Wali Karzai, is on the CIA payroll, and is a major player in the lucrative opium trade that finances the Taliban ($70 million a year according to CIA and DIA estimates). The drug trade has actually expanded under US domination. The Taliban cracked down on the opium trade reducing it from 4500 tons/year in 1994 to 50 tons/year in 2001 the last year they were in control. This year's harvest was over 6000 tons or 92% of the world's supply. There should be a poppy flower at the end of that string instead of a carrot.