The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime is to publish annual survey today. It will show that Afghanistan has broken opium production records again. Just what exactly are the billions being spent over there actually achieving? Helmand province, where our troops are operating, is expected to be named as the world's largest drug-producing area. Just great.
Gen Khodaidad, Afghanistan's acting minister of counter narcotics, said: "Unfortunately we have failed, in security we have failed and in drug issue we have failed, we have not done a good job in Helmand. "This year we must change the strategy, how to fight, how to work in Helmand to improve the security and tackle the poppy in Helmand province."
The justice system is blamed for failing to prosecute drug barons and corrupt government officials. Our troops are fighting hard and doing their best, but they are not getting the political support they need and deserve. Until they do, our men and women are giving up their lives for little return.
3 comments:
It was reported just recently that Br*tish troops have been forbidden to touch the poppy crop.
A record poppy crop this year, and presumably a record amount of money coming into Afganistan. So why the need for huge amounts invested in Afgan infrastructure, schools, power plants and roads from the Americans and British. I assume it has been easy for the British to spray the poppy crop with herbacides if they wanted to destroy it, after all we are on the spot. So one must assume the British have agreed with the Afgan president that the crop must not be damaged. Certainly, bring our troops home. Why waste lives on the Afgans. We have fought over this ground several times in this, and the last century, with no benefit at all. The only benefit must be to the British ruling political elite, which I have not yet sussed out.
Mr Gruff & Anon,
Charlie Marks asked the following question in a previous post comment. I thought it would be suitable to repeat here:
Tories have backed these wars, haven't they? If they knew that the armed forces were underfunded, why haven't they called for them to be brought home?
My reply was:
Charlie,
You are correct, the Tories did back these wars. Iraq was backed after they were given false intelligence by Tony Blair. And in the case of Afghanistan they believed it was the right thing to do. We are now stuck in both places and must stay there until it is resolved. I don't quite get your question. Why should the Tories want the troops to be brought home because they are under funded? What the Tories want and are asking for is the correct level of funding and political support to get the job done, so they can come home mission accomplished.
And soon.
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