It has reinstated the power of opium-funded warlords, the suppression of whom was perhaps the Taliban's only popular achievement.

That is not entirely true. The Taleban banned opium in 2001, but it only slows down its production whenever farmers were willing to get State compensations until the war started in there. As a success opium production went down from 3,400 to 185 tons for 2001. Since the Karzei administration was appointed in Afghanistan, opium and heroine production skyrocketted again, and I think that opium production is higher than 3,400 tons this time. Production went up because there is no more State compensation anymore.

Here is a link:
http://www.opioids.com/afghanist...istan/ 2002.html
Steven Rix | Homepage | 08.27.06 - 2:11 am | #

I forgot to mention that opium production is a way to finance guerillas over there.
Steven Rix | Homepage | 08.27.06 - 2:13 am | #