Lest We Forget
poppy | 25.08.2007 22:22 | Anti-militarism | Terror War
Tommorows New York Times is blaming the Taliban for the increase in Afghan heroin on our streets. Which is odd since the Taliban virtually elimanated it there when they were in government, for the first time since 'the Opium Wars'.
It is traditional for us to wear poppies on November 11th to recognise the sacrifice our troops have made for us overseas. On that day we look back in history to reflect what has been achieved by their overseas adventures.
In light of the Afghanistan debacle and the 73 UK troops killed there so far, it should be noted that they have managed to liberate the biggest heroin stash in history for UK junkies.
The army claim to want to destroy the Afghan poppy crop they have helped to create. They also want us to wear an artificial poppy every November 11th. Producing artificial poppies is unenvironmental and costly. So why not ship back real Afghan poppies so that we can all wear them in recognition of the armies recent achievements ? What could be more fitting ?
I'll be writing to the MoD suggesting this. Should they fail to respond, instead of a poppy, on the 11th of the 11th I'll be pinning a syringe full of blood to my lapel. Thanks to the British army these are easy to find in the streets of my town for the past few years.
We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give. -Sir Winston Churchill
http://www.poppy.org.uk/
I advocate using poisoned gas against uncivilised tribes and against recalcitrant Arabs as an experiment. I do not understand the squeamishness about the use of gas. - Sir Winston Churchill
Taliban Push Poppy Production to a Record Again
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/26/world/asia/26heroin.html?hp
August 26, 2007
Mr. Wood said the current American programs for eradication, interdiction and alternative livelihoods should be intensified, but he added that spraying poppy crops with herbicide remained “a possibility.” Afghan and British officials have opposed spraying, saying it would drive farmers into the arms of the Taliban...
Mr. Stoddard, who helped Wal-Mart move into Central America in his previous posting, predicted that poppy production had become so prolific in Helmand that the opium market was flooded and prices were beginning to drop. “It seems likely they’ll have a rough year this year,” he said, referring to Helmand’s poppy farmers. “Labor prices are up and poppy prices are down. I think they’re going to be looking for new things.”
Afghans planting opium after strikes
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/1613222.stm
22 October, 2001
A Taleban ban on planting is being ignored
The United Nations Drug Control Programme has warned that US strikes against Afghanistan will almost certainly lead to a rise in opium production. Bernard Frahi, head of the UNDCP's southwest Asia office, said fields were being prepared for planting, ready for the October-May growing season. Mr Frahi said farmers were planting in expectation that the Taleban government, reeling from US air strikes, will not be able to enforce a July 2000 ban on poppy cultivation.
Afghanistan ends opium poppy cultivation
http://www.unodc.org/unodc/newsletter_2001-06-30_1_page002.html
From the ODCCP Update, June 2001
Farmers in Afghanistan, the world's number one producer of opium poppy, did not plant the illegal crop this year. Following a ban on poppy cultivation issued by the head of the Taliban in July 2000, UNDCP was able to verify thousands of hectares of poppy-free land in February 2001. Since 1999, Afghanistan has produced approximately 75 per cent of the world's opium cultivated on 91,000 hectares in 1999 and 82,000 hectares in 2000. A survey team led by the UNDCP regional office in Islamabad visited 80 per cent of the known poppy growing areas in the 51 districts known to have produced 86 per cent of last year's crop. The team found less than 30 hectares of poppy which were later eradicated. This signals the potential reduction of opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan by at least 70,000 hectares this year.
In light of the Afghanistan debacle and the 73 UK troops killed there so far, it should be noted that they have managed to liberate the biggest heroin stash in history for UK junkies.
The army claim to want to destroy the Afghan poppy crop they have helped to create. They also want us to wear an artificial poppy every November 11th. Producing artificial poppies is unenvironmental and costly. So why not ship back real Afghan poppies so that we can all wear them in recognition of the armies recent achievements ? What could be more fitting ?
I'll be writing to the MoD suggesting this. Should they fail to respond, instead of a poppy, on the 11th of the 11th I'll be pinning a syringe full of blood to my lapel. Thanks to the British army these are easy to find in the streets of my town for the past few years.
We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give. -Sir Winston Churchill
http://www.poppy.org.uk/ I advocate using poisoned gas against uncivilised tribes and against recalcitrant Arabs as an experiment. I do not understand the squeamishness about the use of gas. - Sir Winston Churchill
Taliban Push Poppy Production to a Record Again
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/26/world/asia/26heroin.html?hp August 26, 2007
Mr. Wood said the current American programs for eradication, interdiction and alternative livelihoods should be intensified, but he added that spraying poppy crops with herbicide remained “a possibility.” Afghan and British officials have opposed spraying, saying it would drive farmers into the arms of the Taliban...
Mr. Stoddard, who helped Wal-Mart move into Central America in his previous posting, predicted that poppy production had become so prolific in Helmand that the opium market was flooded and prices were beginning to drop. “It seems likely they’ll have a rough year this year,” he said, referring to Helmand’s poppy farmers. “Labor prices are up and poppy prices are down. I think they’re going to be looking for new things.”
Afghans planting opium after strikes
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/1613222.stm 22 October, 2001
A Taleban ban on planting is being ignored
The United Nations Drug Control Programme has warned that US strikes against Afghanistan will almost certainly lead to a rise in opium production. Bernard Frahi, head of the UNDCP's southwest Asia office, said fields were being prepared for planting, ready for the October-May growing season. Mr Frahi said farmers were planting in expectation that the Taleban government, reeling from US air strikes, will not be able to enforce a July 2000 ban on poppy cultivation.
Afghanistan ends opium poppy cultivation
http://www.unodc.org/unodc/newsletter_2001-06-30_1_page002.html From the ODCCP Update, June 2001
Farmers in Afghanistan, the world's number one producer of opium poppy, did not plant the illegal crop this year. Following a ban on poppy cultivation issued by the head of the Taliban in July 2000, UNDCP was able to verify thousands of hectares of poppy-free land in February 2001. Since 1999, Afghanistan has produced approximately 75 per cent of the world's opium cultivated on 91,000 hectares in 1999 and 82,000 hectares in 2000. A survey team led by the UNDCP regional office in Islamabad visited 80 per cent of the known poppy growing areas in the 51 districts known to have produced 86 per cent of last year's crop. The team found less than 30 hectares of poppy which were later eradicated. This signals the potential reduction of opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan by at least 70,000 hectares this year.
poppy