International Taliban Appears to Have Nearly Eradicated Opium Cultivation in Afghanistan

[tastaylvr]

Oh shut up

you have a serious blind spot for how the world actually works lol

we have people in this thread who actually served over there contradicting your own points and you still deny the truth

Thinking that the dea has not abused human rights is comical to say the least

 

[Blayt7hh]

you have a serious blind spot for how the world actually works lol

we have people in this thread who actually served over there contradicting your own points and you still deny the truth

Thinking that the dea has not abused human rights is comical to say the least

No if you think the DEA is anywhere near as bad as the Taliban you’re a moron plain and simple.

Is that actually what you think and believe? Then flat out you’re and idiot. BTW I’m probably not the best person to try the “have you been there”card with.

 

[Mike Hagger]

Opium production nearly doubled under US control of Afghanistan.

We made sure production was nice and safe...

The Taliban forced growth of opium to fund their insurgency. It’s pretty obvious that’s the reason why production increased. I walked those same fields with the DEA and destroyed acres of the shit. There was so much we had to target fields that may also have TB fighters training or whatever in those locations. Otherwise, destroying those fields hurt the locals who were forced to do it more than the TB and lost more rapport with those villages. The people were starving but the TB forced the farmers to grow opium. If they grew anything else those farmers would not be paid for whatever they grew. Nonetheless they would then be a target of the TB.

I never saw any soldier or marine ordered to protect any field. Those marines were looking for fighters and caches not fields of opium. Where are you seeing the military state they protected opium fields?

 

[tastaylvr]

No if you think the DEA is anywhere near as bad as the Taliban you’re a moron plain and simple.

Is that actually what you think and believe? Then flat out you’re and idiot. BTW I’m probably not the best person to try the “have you been there”card with.

So it went from the DEA doesn't break human rights laws to "they are not as bad as the Taliban"? gotcha..

 

[Blayt7hh]

So it went from the DEA doesn't break human rights laws to "they are not as bad as the Taliban"? gotcha..

I never said anything about the dea. I just told you to shut up because you’re being childish and stupid. I don’t know if you expect a serious response or are just trolling. If you think this is going to lead to a serious discussion though, it’s not because your hot take is moronic. I want you to think about that before you hit post on your next half-baked reply.

Unless you’re just trying to troll in which case I guess troll away

 

[Blayt7hh]

The Taliban forced growth of opium to fund their insurgency. It’s pretty obvious that’s the reason why production increased. I walked those same fields with the DEA and destroyed acres of the shit. There was so much we had to target fields that may also have TB fighters training or whatever in those locations. Otherwise, destroying those fields hurt the locals who were forced to do it more than the TB and lost more rapport with those villages. The people were starving but the TB forced the farmers to grow opium. If they grew anything else those farmers would not be paid for whatever they grew. Nonetheless they would then be a target of the TB.

I never saw any soldier or marine ordered to protect any field. Those marines were looking for fighters and caches not fields of opium. Where are you seeing the military state they protected opium fields?

Because it never happened. They’re living in make believe land and demonizing a bunch of people over something they clearly don’t know anything about

 

[Mike Hagger]

You're forgetting the best part - working with ANP and Afghan soldiers who you KNOW are raping little boys but being told there's nothing you can do about it.

The military brass even tried to kick soldiers out who tried to protect these kids.

https://aclj.org/human-rights/speaking-truth-to-power-for-green-beret-sergeant-first-class-martland

Unfortunately I see the argument… trying to reverse a culture, with the method we choose, was never going to be a success. But neither was our entire campaign strategy post 2002.

 

[Mike Hagger]

Because it never happened. They’re living in make believe land and demonizing a bunch of people over something they clearly don’t know anything about

I agree it’s an unfounded myth but there’s probably just enough fringe information available that if you wanted to see the argument of the US actively protecting drug trade in Afghanistan… I suppose one could contort their opinion in that direction. But like you said, that person probably did 0 time in that country.

 

[ocean size]

https://www.alcis.org/post/taliban-drugs-ban If you scroll down on their older blog post, it's pretty interesting to see last year predicting production may just increase, the price had been falling and there was clearly plenty of inventory.

I'm not saying its definitely bogus but I would have liked to see the validation done on the machine learning model they used to ID what is growing in a field.

Something seems kinda odd that not only there was a nearly instant complete end to poppy production after steady production even last year with Taliban back in power, but virtually every single little parcel that had poppy in it previously got replanted with wheat and almost none of it was left fallow.

You can zoom into the same geographic feature on both plots in different tabs and swap between them to see.
https://static.wixstatic.com/media/a5fe58_6737753269dd4883b3b56856987ea447~mv2.jpg
https://static.wixstatic.com/media/a5fe58_97a0514b243e4acab94108344a1ba2b8~mv2.jpg
Big images

Spoiler

edit:

On reading some more, maybe its plausible since the ban went in during 2022 poppy harvest, Helmand (in the maps) may have been targeted because it was producing 50% of the country's opium, and maybe the farmers are replanting so much wheat because even with all of it they are economically fucked:

The Alcis report said that while denied the possibilities of growing poppy, many have turned almost entirely to wheat but will not have sufficient land to feed their families.

“Some will cultivate a portion of land with crops like onion, garlic, and tomato, but will not raise enough income to feed, cloth, and provide healthcare for a family of ten or more people,” the report said.
“The government should help us regarding the cultivation of wheat. Provide us wheat seeds,” said Farid Ahmad, a farmer in Kandahar.

“After the poppy cultivation was banned, the people could not earn their expenses. The people are so worried about the water—the water used to be found at the surface 10 meters deep but it cannot be reached now even 20 meters deep,” said Abdul Wali, a farmer in Kandahar.

 

[4daLuLZ]

So when is OP moving there ?

 

[4daLuLZ]

China came in and collected that with USA military equipment

Why and for what ?
You think a couple of humvees are good enough for them to kit out their entire army ?

 

[LeonardoBjj]

The military brass even tried to kick soldiers out who tried to protect these kids.

https://aclj.org/human-rights/speaking-truth-to-power-for-green-beret-sergeant-first-class-martland

Unfortunately I see the argument… trying to reverse a culture, with the method we choose, was never going to be a success. But neither was our entire campaign strategy post 2002.

- Saw that on the same vídeo that showed how unathletic were the talibã soldiers they where training.
The private military said they were told to look the other way around.

 

[PBAC]

It's great to have wonderful allies like the Taliban. The Taliban are our friends and have always been our friends. Unlike that damn Canada who we have always been at war with.

 

[Blayt7hh]

Maybe DEA should hire them as consultants. They're far more successful with their war on drugs than Murica.

Inside the Taliban's war on drugs - opium poppy crops slashed - BBC News



This is supported by satellite intelligence.

Unprecedented reduction of opium production (alcis.org)

it’s not really a secret, just take away all basic human rights and murder anyone you suspect of breaking your laws.

I’m sure that’s the kind of government you want to live under isn’t it?

I actually want you to answer this question TS. All I see is you constantly starting threads shitting on America. Well would you rather live under Taliban rule or not? We all know the answer is no and you should stfu but I want to hear it from you

 

[Orgasmo]

I actually want you to answer this question TS. All I see is you constantly starting threads shitting on America. Well would you rather live under Taliban rule or not? We all know the answer is no and you should stfu but I want to hear it from you

So Murica the state is infallible? Sounds like you would make a fine Taliban subject.

 

[lifelessheap]

See eye ayyy.switxhes to fent?

 

[Blayt7hh]

So Murica the state is infallible? Sounds like you would make a fine Taliban subject.

Why is it you can’t answer a question that’s asked directly of you? Instead I get this limp dick attempt to deflect.

Man the fuck up

 

[ringking1982]

Maybe DEA should hire them as consultants. They're far more successful with their war on drugs than Murica.

Inside the Taliban's war on drugs - opium poppy crops slashed - BBC News



This is supported by satellite intelligence.

Unprecedented reduction of opium production (alcis.org)

Their GDP will be cut in half. Well...braindead Americans will have to get their hard drugs from south America even more now.

 

[Rational Poster]

I believe the Taliban because the one image was pink and then the second image was green.

Plus they posted it on twitter.

 

[Kingz]

I had always thought that they were primarily the ones behind the opium trade while they were out of power.