The Demise of Afghanistan's Poppy Fields

Governors pledge to lead eradication efforts, a nation will boost efforts to destroy its own biggest cash crop.

(KABUL, Afghanistan) - The accelerating program in Afghanistan to slash and burn the country's opium poppy fields shifted gears over the weekend, as governors from the highest poppy growing provinces in Afghanistan came to Kabul Saturday to finalize eradication plans. The political officials are working with the country's Ministries of Interior and Counter Narcotics.

Courtesy: ArabNews.com

Dr. Takkal Abdurrahimzai with Afghanistan's Ministry of Counter Narcotics, says they are serious about the eradication program. The United Nations estimated that cultivation and production had risen 59% in 2006, to 407,000 acres, or 1,650 kilometers. They estimated the yield to be 6,100 tons of opium, which is 92% of the world's supply.

Abdurrahimzai said they commit to carrying out more effective eradication than last year in their relevant provinces.

The value of the resulting heroin was estimated at $3.5 billion. Afghan farmers received about $700 million in revenue according to estimates. The Taliban are said to have collected anywhere between tens of millions, to $140 million in taxes from the crops.

The sad truth is that in this dirt poor nation where George W. Bush canceled the Afghan Children's Fund in 2005, this illegal crop can be up to ten times more profitable than wheat.

Courtesy: DoD

People in Afghanistan will tell you that the opium production will never be halted, but officials like the Acting Minister of Counter Narcotics H.E General Khudaidad, say otherwise.

"The Eradication is part of the overall strategy to fulfill the long term elimination of illegal opium poppy, alongside interdiction efforts, a focus on reducing demand and strengthening institutions. There is also ongoing substantial investment in rural development, helping to create more opportunities for all Afghans, including poppy farmers."

2007 saw much discussion about this subject both in Afghanistan and here in the U.S. Many of us perceive opium to be an old industry in this part of the world and that is true, and it is also true that nothing there today generates more in terms of financial profit.

The cultivation of opium poppies for food, anesthesia, and ritual purposes dates back to at least the Neolithic Age, and opium is referenced in the most important medical texts of the ancient world.

What many of us don't know is that this has not always been the country's big agricultural product. Prior to Afghanistan's three decades of strife through war, grapes were one of their main crops.

In 2007, there was a 17% rise in overall cultivation over the year before, the government has promised to step up its efforts in 2008, according to the Minister of Interior, H.E Zarar Ahmad Muqbil, who stressed that "The government is expanding its capacity for eradication, alongside law enforcement efforts, to fight the opium industry which is destroying this country."

This New Zealand Army photo shows confiscated opium burning in Afghanistan. The
government says they are going to substantially increase eradication efforts in 2008.

But at the weekend meeting the government stressed that eradication would mainly be the responsibility of the governors, with support from the Afghan Eradication Force in selected provinces.

General Khudaidad added, "The government will continually monitor the progress of eradication around the country, through the use of advanced technology, and on the ground verification. We will react to situations as they occur."

In this campaign, farmers will be warned that eradication takes place, and they risked losing their investment if they did not plant legal crops.

Dr. Abdurrahimzai says warnings were also given to the gathered group of political officials representing the various provinces, "that if there is evidence that officials have been involved in bribery or corruption related to eradication, they would be dismissed from their jobs and prosecuted."

The Ministry of Interior has sacked some officials in different provinces, for failing to support the campaign to prevent farmers planting poppy, he said.

"Today, governors from around the country committed themselves to carrying out eradication, as an essential element in Afghanistan’s battle against opium poppy."

Mr. Jelani Popal, Director General of the Independent Directorate for Local Administration/Governance, emphasized strengthening the Governors’ offices as an integral part of Provincial Approach, which he says will help them coordinate all external technical and financial interventions, in a more accountable way, under the direction of the IDLG.

While stressing the significance of the role to be played by governors in bringing about accountable and transparent governance mechanisms at sub national level, Mr. Popal says his agency, "is working on introducing policies that will put governors in the center of government in the provinces and enhance their capacity to deliver services. This will also help the Counter Narcotics initiatives including eradication to realize more successfully."

He added that, "local level dialogs will be held to understand what is necessary to shift farmers away from poppy and provide them with alternative sources of livelihood."

The Afghan Ministers say there will be no compensation to farmers who have their fields eradicated, and all poppy fields could legally be eradicated in the coming months. It sounds like an extremely ambitious plan, one which may carry all the success of the U.S. War on Drugs, which has turned out to be a miserable failure according to most statistics.

Opium poppy cultivation is illegal under Afghan law, through a Presidential decree, the Constitution, the Counter Narcotics Law and a Fatwa of the Ulema of Afghanistan. Afghan National Police told me that when they are in contact with a criminal, there are no jails or court systems in Kabul to try the case, so it is hard in some ways to imagine what will actually happen to farmers and public officials for that matter, who are caught breaking Afghanistan's opium laws.

Vanity Fair reported a few important facts from Afghanistan in a November 2004 article. If you go back to the pre-Soviet invasion years of the 1970's and even for a short time after that, the country's main export was grapes and raisins.

It was a vineyard culture, something that is so hard for any American to imagine who knows the place today. But as I learned while spending most of the winter of 2006/07 covering the war in Afghanistan, there is not a sign left of that industry, at least not in the parts of the country I visited.

You see, the Soviets didn't just kill a million Afghan people; they poisoned water systems and wrought havoc on these people that is unimaginable by western military standards. This nation has never recovered from that destruction that was followed by the Taliban occupation and the following U.S. military strikes and war.

But the United States troops are not hated there, and perhaps there is a chance that this diverse and culturally rich country will regain the ability to grow grapes and other legal commodities.

I mentioned earlier in the article that the President canceled the Fund for Afghan Children in 2005. This is exactly the opposite of what it will take to adequately support these people that our soldiers greatly depend on as they wage war on Anti-Coalition militia.

I spent time with a Lieutenant named Dan Hewerdine who was stationed at Camp Joyce in the Kunar Province. He said this about how closely our soldiers work with the Afghan National Army, "Not only do we fight side by side, we're friends. Not only are we soldiers beside each other, not only have we been in combat together, we may be from a thousand miles away but in our hearts we're the same people."

So now the U.S. government's ambitions are being realized as Afghanistan steps up efforts to greatly reduce the cultivation of opium poppies. But the Vanity Fair reporter saw a different side of this effort, one that will cause more friction than before.

"An Afghan who was optimistic enough to plant a vine today could expect to wait five years before seeing any return for it, whereas a quick planting of poppies will see pods flourishing in six months. What would you do, if your family or your village were on a knife-edge? The American officers I met, tasked with repressing this cultivation, were to a man convinced that they were wasting their time and abusing the welcome they had at first received in the countryside. It doesn't take much intelligence to understand the history of Prohibition, or to know that American consumer demand is strong enough to overcome any attempt to inhibit supply."

It is a hard call. Other efforts to aid Afghanistan seem to get far less attention than the destruction of the opium fields and the punishments that await those who violate the law. Perhaps if our government wakes up it will institute more programs to help these hungry and cold people whose country has been at war for almost thirty straight years.

We have a plan on the table at Salem-News.com to help direct resources to the children of Kabul, the nation's capitol, and beyond. There are parts of Afghanistan where people are living a reasonable life. I saw examples of this where there were U.S. military troops stationed nearby, and places where they weren't. It wasn't Kabul though, or a muddy place in this war torn country called Bagram. These are places that suffer bitter cold all winter and children travel the streets without adequate shoes. Until we as a nation help in these areas, there is no way the problems will go away. Getting rid of the opium will be great for Afghanistan in an ideal sense, but in reality it will probably mean more starving people willing to possibly turn to other illegal activity to make up for the lost revenue.

Look for future updates on that as well as a tentative plan to produce a documentary on the plight of Afghanistan's women and children from material I recorded last winter.

If you have ideas or ambitions about helping the people where our military is located, please send me an email at the address below or leave a comment.

The 14 Governors participating in the talks are from Hilmand, Kandahar, Urozgan, Nimroz, Nangarhar, Farah, Badakhshan, Badghis, Sar-i-pul, Laghaman, Kunar, Herata, Baghlan and Kabul Provinces.

Tim King is a former U.S. Marine with almost twenty years experience on the west coast as a television news producer, photojournalist and reporter. Today, in addition to his role as a war correspondent in Afghanistan where he spent the winter of 2006/07, this Los Angeles native serves as Salem-News.com's Executive News Editor. Salem-News.com is the nation's only truly independent high traffic news Website, affiliated only with Google News. You can send Tim an email at this address: newsroom@salem-news.com

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you pakies October 10, 2008 3:34 am (Pacific time)

your all batties

Storai February 27, 2008 1:25 am (Pacific time)

No-one will be eager to change his, horse on a donkey. If world really wants Afghan farmers not to grow poppy, then they must be helped. they should be given alternative livelihood.

Jefferson January 15, 2008 9:53 am (Pacific time)

Matt my 1/14 11:45 post has now allowed Henry/SFI to engage in his typical narcissitic verbosity. Geriatric research and treatment methods are very stressful things to pursue. Poor dear. P.S. If you only knew what I knew about some of the posters on this site...be vigilant!

Henry Ruark January 15, 2008 5:48 am (Pacific time)

To all: We continue to see very amateur use of techniques of "distraction, diversion, division and defiance" by N-N. Quote is from draft of one early neocon manual designed to assist such in precisely such attacks as occur here. Unfortunately cannot confirm by source, since to do so "may bring on violent retaliation" by those so unmasked. If you believe N-N re hiding behind tree, that should also suffice here...even if it happens to be true, as it is. Did NOT spend 3 yrs in D.C. without building some ongoing relationships there. Ditto the Chicago scene, and also Salem, with ten years in OrDeptEd. dispensing annual $9 million in NDEA funds for approvable items in law built in D.C. with Morse assistance to some 100 of us from thirty nonprofit educational groups. Oregon applications often stacked 3-ft. high on MY desk, from many schools and every county, with each item in each and every one checked for full approval via federal funds. No waterboarding ever used vs any participant in NDEA, either. No trigger-twitch to take care of interior opposition, no impalement-stake "threat" ever voiced, no "command and control"arbitrarily exercised, either. What we accomplished we did by honest, open dialog, face to face with participants, and with full responsibility to voters-here, whose dollars we spent as taxes dispensed via U.S. and State partnership. No 15/20 percent profit pealed off-top for any one "in business" either - just simple dollars to school boards to use as Congress determined was just, fair, and badly needed. They then chose suppliers with no interference from us, ever.

Neal Feldman January 14, 2008 11:51 pm (Pacific time)

Jefferson - And among ignorant rednecks who have no concept of the constitution other than it mentions guns somewhere neocons get 99% of the vote. So what? I bet you still believe SoDamn Insane was piloting all the planes on 9-11 too. LOL! Ah well...

Neal Feldman January 14, 2008 11:45 pm (Pacific time)

Jefferson - there were no misconceptions.. you made a statement of direct accusation and were properly called on the lack of legitimacy inherent in your statement and instead of admitting your error you just tried to lie your way out of it with arrogant blustering ignorant ravings. And you have been caught in that too. Poor baby, you just can't catch a break, huh? Ah well...

Neal Feldman January 14, 2008 11:41 pm (Pacific time)

Jefferson - in context there was no reason to state the surge in production 'under Clinton's watch' unless you were trying to blame him for it. Last I checked he was not President of Afghanistan so you clearly are the clueless one, especially if you think anyone but the most clueless neocon moron would buy into your lightspeed backpedaling. Ah well...

Jefferson January 14, 2008 6:05 pm (Pacific time)

Matt my initial post dealt with opium production surging during Bubba's administration. Then it was pointed out that Obama admitted to using cocaine, which is a felony act (if caught). Kind of like if demo Goldschmidt was caught violently raping young children. Now you go off in a tangent, which makes you perfect foil from someone of Henry/SFI's ilk. He is simply using you to further his desire to change any issue that shines light onto leftist causes or those individuals who pursue those anti-American causes. As far as Obama's "national" leadership potential, I assume that you would expect that an elected offical, even a state legislator should show up and represent the people who put him in ofice, and vote up or down on legislation, right? Well are you familiar with Obama's state legislative voting performance? Yeah Matt, a lot of "verifiable" info will be coming out on him, but guess what, it will be from Chillary's people. Watch and see Matt. I am already starting to enjoy the daily reports, for example: "Somewhat surprisingly, as the campaign has tightened, racial tensions have bubbled to the surface with the two camps exchanging accusations. Those tensions are reflected in this week’s polling data. Overall, Clinton and Obama are close nationally in the Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll. But, among white voters, Clinton leads 41% to 27%. Among African-American voters, Obama leads 66% to 16%.

Henry Ruark January 14, 2008 5:58 pm (Pacific time)

So now I'm "flippant" and also "irrelevant" ? So why respond so feelingly and in depth ? Re my copy "confusing", in your obvious mental state that is hardly confusing to all others. All that's really confusing here is how you ever managed to make it through all the roles and responsibilities you so vociferously claim while in such rabid, ranting, raging, bad-name/calling personality convolutions ? If this was playing on any theatre stage, wonder what kind of fruit would be most catapulted at your character ?

Matt Johnson January 14, 2008 3:56 pm (Pacific time)

Jefferson, are you talking about the fact that Obama admitted smoking pot in high school? Wake up man, that isn't news! The funny part is that the critics have little to nothing to grab onto because Obama is a guy with a pretty clean past. He promises to make our country a better place for the lesser people. I like that, don't you? You are trying to hang things on the guy and for what? They don't stick man. Bush snorted cocaine for years, he is a drunk and an alcoholic and word has it that his sobriety is a ruse. Is that OK with you? Oh wait, I'll bet you deny that Bush did all that even though there are more witnesses than you could ever stick in a room. I just don't understand wanting to take down Democrats and people who root for women and families and kids and peace and food on the table for all people. Our country has been in a nosedive thanks to your kind of politics, glad your heroes are on their way out man.

Henry Ruark January 14, 2008 3:40 pm (Pacific time)

To all: Matt J's Comment appreciated, and confirms reality here that Jeff et al have unwinnable ongoing quarrel with celebrated, authoritative, PUBLISHED major figures whose probity, mental health, responsibility and accountability --all adding up to credibility here-- fr outweigh any possible tonnage of contemptuous, contemptible remarks finally revealing, inescapably, true worth of their Comments. Per ongoing principle here, "see with own eyes" and then "think with own brain" --and disregard their desperate plea to "Listen ONLY and FOREVER to ME !! ME !! ME !!"

Jefferson January 14, 2008 3:24 pm (Pacific time)

So Matt no comment on your misperception that dealt with Obama? The impetus for my initial post! Note: It has been the Henry/SFI who generally makes some flippant and irrelevant comment about one of my posts, which you also seem to enjoy doing. I do find many of Henry/SFI's articles confusing, as I think others may also. But this still does not have anything to do with my comment about admitted drug user Obama, now does it?!

Matt Johnson January 14, 2008 2:48 pm (Pacific time)

Jefferson, you are really out of line, I think it is you who needs to check your meds, not Henry. I've been coming to this site for news for a long time and I like the fact that Henry has a heart, you sir do not. There is a big difference there and everybody sees it. You and your kind will always make up new lies about Clinton and now Obama and what little sense you may sometimes make is buried by the really stupid things you blurt out. So now the NY Times has no credibility because of old jason? Well you and he have all too much in common and non-truth types who make it up as they go. I'm sorry if you can't understand things and if Hank's stories are too complex for you that is not his fault. You just can't stand to let the truth have a pass, you are going to jump to the other program and you should learn that nobody really respects anyone who approaches things with such thick blinders on.

Jefferson January 14, 2008 2:38 pm (Pacific time)

Yes people after the insulting comments by Matt and his inaccurate assessment of my previous post here comes Henry/SFI chiming in with his ramblings that if you or anyone clarifies someone else's misperception then you are bad, just bad bad bad. Oh and thanks for the NewYork Times reference. Is jayson blair still there? Henry/SFI are you still making, i.e.,attempting to make political hay out of veteran's suffering from PTSD? That's what he did folks and his quotes have been sent out to veteran's all over the Northwest. And to make sure there were no misunderstandings, SFI was directly and accurately quoted. Please look at other posters that offer comments that are contrary to "judgement-proof" Henry/SFI. Yeah he just brings up some incredibly strange comments and/or irrelevant sources that have nothing to do with your post(s). Geriatrics, a difficult specialty to pursue as SFI clearly demonstrates...

Henry Ruark January 14, 2008 1:51 pm (Pacific time)

To all: N-N demonstrates beautifully here precisely what Pinker lays out re "morality", and latest cognitive science findings on it. See NYTIMES Magazine 1/13 for "The Moral Instinct" by Steven Pinker. Matt is "right on" re forcing all others to one-up insultingly contemptous Comments continued by Jeff et al: That's part of damage now inflicted constantly on open, honest dialog, building strong frustration for many who might otherwise participate and add to sharing-learning, per plan for this channel. To force censorship or other action here is form of small victory for "them", worth the effort since that's ALL they can now win given ongoing wit, wisdom and will of most of us.

Jefferson January 14, 2008 1:05 pm (Pacific time)

Matt I don't want to call you clueless, but the reference was the ADMITTED "felony" drug use by Obama/ Get it? (also quoted in his poorly crafted book) Thanks buddy. P.S. I did not say that opium production was Bubba Clintons fault, I said that it "surged" during his administration. Have you been checked for a possible stroke? Anyway Matt, the purpose of my below post was simple, cannot the democratic party field a better candidate than Obama? Druggie and an open-border advocate. So he has no chance, nor does any oper-border advocate.

Neal Feldman January 14, 2008 12:30 pm (Pacific time)

Neocons are the snake-oil salesmen of the modern age. Ah well...

Neal Feldman January 14, 2008 12:25 pm (Pacific time)

Jefferson - Solutions? What solutions do you propose? Obviously you propose continuation of the most failed policy this country has ever done, the War on Some Drugs aka a facet of Prohibition. Organized crime anf gangs laugh at you all the way to the bank. Ah well...

Matt Johnson January 14, 2008 11:53 am (Pacific time)

Jefferson, you are such a moron, haven't you figured out that your claims are so outlandish that nobody even starts to believe them? Afghanistan's opium production is CLINTON's fault??? What a joke. If you recall Clinton was grilled about that irrelevant side of life and made a half hearted admission, you are such a bold face liar Jefferson, he was lambasted for that and never once boasted about it, not by any account conservative or liberal or otherwise, so it is just your "made up" thought for this comment I guess, a little play pretend game from Jefferson. Honestly, I wouldn't call you a liar if you weren't, it isn't like I get off on insulting people, I just wish you said things that were true, then the rest of us who visit this site wouldn't have to one up you like we always do, I'd think you would get tired of it. Do you ever seek to mellow your politics and try to see what is wrong with your side and correct about ours? I try and I see countless good things about conservative America, but when I look at this crook from Texas in office lying through is teeth at us with a smile, I don't see conservative America at all. The real republican causes are all buried by the BS of today's neocons and sadly you are as misguided as any.

Jefferson January 14, 2008 11:45 am (Pacific time)

The opium production really surged during the 8 years of Clinton. It's so unfortunate that one of the major presidential democratic candidates boasted about his narcotic use...is this the type of "behavior" democrats want to lead their party? Our nation? No thank you is what America will say, no thank you! It's because of people of this ilk that create the "demand" that we have this horrible global malady. Please note that it is always those pathetics on the left who blame others for their "own" problems, whereas others, who love this country, look for solutions!

Henry Ruark January 14, 2008 7:08 am (Pacific time)

To all: Where ELSE in Oregon do you find this level and quality of reporting via "see with own eyes" experience --on a topic which is essential to understanding "what and why" of the Afghanistan struggle ? Puts into perspective one part of the impacts of our "wasting wars" on which so much now teeters, not only for the U.S. either. HOW we handle what we can and should do to help remedy this ongoing Afghanistan situation is part of our own inescapable problem, primarily forced on us by our allowing continuing neocon impact on our once/democratic-republic decisions.

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The Demise of Afghanistan's Poppy Fields

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