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I have been calling for this since this whole war on the Taliban, Al-Q, etc. has started, and we are FINALLY doing it. Bush didn't do this... Obama didn't do this. Trump is doing it.
The strategy that took down the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria is now on full display in Afghanistan. U.S. Afghanistan commander Gen. John “Mick” Nicholson says that in the first “significant” use of expanded authorities he is now able to target the source of the Taliban’s power: Its estimated $200 million annual income from opium sales.
...
Under President Trump’s new strategy, the U.S. is free to seek and destroy the drug labs that are the lifeblood of the Taliban, in the same way the U.S. targeted oil trucks, refineries and cash storage that provided a steady stream of revenue for ISIS fighters in Iraq and Syria.
U.S. and Afghan airstrikes have destroyed nine Taliban drug factories and labs, killing 44 suspected traffickers in a border area of southern Helmand province.
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He said the airstrikes focused on a narcotics market run by the Taliban in Bahramcha, a remote, divided village on the border with Pakistan, which serves as a main center for shipping drugs from Afghanistan. The general described Bahramcha as the biggest narcotics market in Asia.
Of course, Taliban spokespeople said there are no drug facilities and civilians were bombed... which I don't believe.
This is amazing...
The United States has spent $8.6 billion on narcotics eradication in Afghanistan since 2002, but critics say there was record-breaking poppy production in 2017.
The United Nations announced last week that narcotics production almost doubled this year in Afghanistan to around 9,000 tons, with a 63 percent increase in cultivation areas compared with 2016.
We spent $8.6 billion... for absolutely nothing... it probably aided in their production... smh...
The first link above has a good outline of the administration's Afghanistan policy.
Nicholson noted that only about 66 percent of the population of Afghanistan is under government control, with the rest of the country either under the Taliban or control is contested. “So we would like to see that increase to at least 80 percent,” Nicholson said. “Why 80 percent? Because we think that gives them a critical mass where they control 80, the Taliban are driven to less than 10 percent of the population, maybe the rest is contested.” It’s going to take time to build up Afghanistan’s air forces and special operations commandos. “We think, it’s going to take about two years to get to this 80 percent.
The Afghan force actually led the bombing strike this past weekend.
The US dropped a 2,000 pound bomb on a facility that was currently producing 50 barrels of opium worth millions.
I don't believe it. If we are targeting Taliban drug processing it's because they're competitors. All those billions were probably us setting up our network.
I have no faith in my government whatsoever when it comes to noble intentions anymore.
I agree... it wouldn't take $8.6 billion to send some servicemen in there to set fire to those fields.
BUT... it's better than what has been going on the last decade and a half.
If true.........as I said, I hope it is but when you have a story about someone taking the far harder route over something that would be far easier, I'm not so sure.
If true.........as I said, I hope it is but when you have a story about someone taking the far harder route over something that would be far easier, I'm not so sure.
Not sure about the logistics of being easier. Bombing from a high altitude is easier and less risky the boots on the ground. Now it is more expensive - that I agree with.
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