bumper crop of opium in afganistan

[mata hati]

So - no-one can do anything about this bumper crop of killer drugs. Are the Americans still there ? Where are the flame throwers? They burnt enough foliage and roasted enough people alive in Vietnam. Why not try it on the crops in Afganistan ?

[johnlambert]

The Americans also lost a lot of soldiers when they tried this in Vienam, they burned the crops and the wind changed directionm, the yanks breathed in the opium filled smoke, became "high" and got slaughtered by the Viet Cong.
The problem with burning the crops is that you cannot protect the local populace from the fumes short of uprooting them from their homes and you can imagine the field day the press would have with that.

[sp1814]

johnlambert

Seriously?

Is that true about what happened in Vietnam???

[johnlambert]

Yes sp
they lost a company of Engineers (about 150 men)

[China Doll]

I think if they're going to do any burning of poppy fields it's only fair that we're all invited to the party.

It could be a bonding experience.

I'll bring some CD's.

[amonty1144]

absolutely china doll, the slaughter of british and american service men in afghanistan is very amusing.
I'm sure the familes of the recently deceased would laugh all the way to the cemetary

[Goodsoulette]

I see your point, you would think there would be other ways to destroy the crops other than fire though.

[mata hati]

Thanks johnlabert - I didn't take that into consideration.
Perhaps my plan would fail miserably then!

It's so depressing to 'read all about in" in the news - the whole world seems to have gone mad within the last two decades - war and civilian life alike!!
It just seems a merry-go-round of violence and disasters .Where will it all end I ask

[jno]

the Americans want to. The Europeans don't. The Europeans' argument is that you would wipe out a major export industry and leave thousands and thousands of people impoverished - which would drive them into the arms of the Taliban. They feel this is not time to be recruiting for the enemy, however much they may dislike the drugs trade - in other words, that terror is a more important issue than drugs. Tough call, but I think they're probably right.