That's a brilliant strategy. Nothing like stopping the farming of poppies which has been grown in Afghanistan since time itself started. What a great way to win the hearts and minds of the population. Take away their cash crop and replace it with a unprofitable barely able to grow in the climate substitute.
Poppies were grown before the Soviets. Poppies were grown before the Taliban. Poppies were grown during the Taliban. Poppies are being grown after the Taliban. Poppies will always be grown in Afghanistan.
What are the afghan farmers going to grow instead? What sounds good to some experts as a replacement crop is not actually what works on the ground in the soil... I'm sure if there was a different crop they could plant to make a profit, they could. Obviously, since poppies have been grown there since the beginning of time, there are not that many alternatives.
Wouldn't a better strategy be to secure the Afghan population instead of the old WOD strategy that has been proven ineffective ... crop eradication ... look at Columbia today. The FARC is being eliminated, not because of eradicating coca leafs, but by pure military tactics. This is the WOT, not the WOD.
Finally, IMO and countless others, the poppies are not the Taliban's sole funding source. The LWJ has constantly pointed out that large amounts of Taliban and AQ funding comes from wealthy Arabs, Islamists, and foreign intelligence agencies; not to mention charities and other donations from relief agencies (fronts)
Our families buy narcotics from the Taliban/AQ who use that money to kill our families
It's always our families, our children etc.... when dealing with narcotics ...
We have this goofy policy that allows the Afghans to keep growing and harvesting it if they once can get it planted. We are only interdicting seed sales and processing after harvest.
We must eliminate all the poppies. That is a great way of eliminating support for the Taliban, and eliminating support for the government and Coalition soldiers, destroy one of the few sources of income for the population without offering an equal alternative.
Do you think we have that policy to try and prevent afghans from turning on us and turning toward the Taliban, or because we want to act "goofy"?
Many do not realize that poppies are a significant food source in some cultures. Perhaps in areas where the government has influence the poppy seeds could be “pasturized” (mildly heat treated) so they cannot sprout, but could be used as food. The farmers could then be supplied with low opium content seeds for replanting next spring.
Also if there is poppy seed that has little or no opium content, why not “crop dust” it over planted fields so that when the poppies grow there are so many useless (in opium) poppy plants that it will either be tremendous work to separate them out, or the quality of the poppy juice will be inferior enough to reduce the interest of the opium buyers.
I also read somewhere about drug companies putting something into poppies to produce other types of pharmaceuticals. Perhaps farmers could earn a premium over other cash crops by working with drug companies. They obviously know how to grow poppies, they need redirection.
monday is denying that poppy seeds are a significant food in some cultures. Did a little Google search. Found that poppy seed oil is a valuable food. Also the seeds themselves are low colesterol, low sodium, high potassium, high fiber, and a number of other good things. One tablespoon has 2 mg of proteing (one egg has 6), 13% calcium, and 5% iron. They are popular in Middle East and India as food.
So even after they harvest the opium from the capsules, they still have the poppies for food. As I said before, why not “pasturize” the seeds for food and supply low opium seeds for next year.