Two Middle East countries have been part of United States war involvement in recent years. Afghanistan and Syria. Military wars, directly and indirectly. Simultaneously, there has been a second war being fought by the United States in both countries. The war on drugs.
Afghanistan is a country that has generally been overrun by foreign powers. As far back as recorded history takes us. Alexander the Great and then Genghis Khan. In modern times, foreign nations waging war. Most recently, Russia and the United States.
The United States has had boots on the ground in one fashion or another for thirteen years. Billions have been spent in dollars and thousands in lives by the United States. At the same time that the military war was being fought, the United States has waged the war on drugs.
Afghanistan is home to opium. Poppy fields galore. These farms work full time producing opium. Three million Afghanistan citizens are employed. Last year's production was record high. Five thousand five hundred tons of opium grown on 516 acres. The yield $3 billion. A tidy sum.
Opium becomes heroin and finds its way to the streets of the United States. Billions have been spent to eradicate the heroin problem at its source. To no avail.
Billions spent by the United States in the military war and additional billions in the drug war.
The United States has been unsuccessful in the drug battle for two reasons. Karzi and the Pentagon.
Till recently, Karzi was President for many years. He protected the opium growers. Not because he was a nice guy. It has to have been for money. Corruption is rampant in government, even at the highest levels. On the rare occasions a drug dealer has been arrested and convicted, he went in the front door of the jail, paid a bribe and walked out the back door. All in the same day.
Our drug people have been asking for military assistance for years. Not much has been forthcoming. The Pentagon consistently has taken the position that ".....we do not do the drug thing" and ".....not our job.
Ninety percent of the world's heroin originates in the Afghan poppy fields. The money being made is beyond contemplation. Sixteen new banks have opened in recent years.
A partner in the opium trade is the Taliban. Its aggressive activities against the United States and others is funded by the opium production.
Syria is benefiting big time by the drug trade, also. With Syria, it is marijuana. Pot in all its forms, including hashish. Syria has the reputation of growing the best marijuana in the world. Syria also has the distinction of being the leading producer of marijuana world wide.
Historically, Syria has been occupied over the years by one country or another. Its sole distinction is Paul the Apostle. He was converted on the road to Damascus. Today, Syria has an elected government of sorts. The current Assad and his father before him have been President since 1970.
Millions are involved in the marijuana production. Farmers large and small. All protected by corrupt public officials and farmer armies. Many farmers have their own military forces. They have a reputation of shooting first. No questions ever asked. No one attempts to enter upon the fields where the marijuana is grown.
Farmers could grow vegetables. There is a market. It cannot compete with pot revenue, however. It is also cheaper to grow marijuana. The irrigation of 1/4 acre to grow potatoes costs $1,000. To irrigate a 1/4 field for marijuana $400.
Hezbollah is involved big time also. The profits fuel their terrorist activities.
The thrust of this article is not to write about Afghanistan and Syria making billions of dollars off their drug trade. What motivated me was the fact that while devastating wars have been going on in both countries, the opium and marijuana fields are unscathed. The wars do not touch them.
Think about it. We have all seen on television and in the newspapers pictures of the devastation in each country. Buildings demolished. People running to avoid death. Our soldiers being killed, losing legs and arms.
Yet the opium and marijuana fields go untouched.
It has to be money.
It makes me sick.
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