Matt Gurney has an article about how the U.S. is changing its strategy to try to wean Afghan farmers off of opium, which funds the Taliban and finds its way onto the streets of the U.S.  Here’s two elements of the new strategy:

• Increased DEA presence (from about a dozen agents to 81 by next year)
• “Simultaneously, special National Guard agriculture units will be working with local farmers, sharing advanced Western farming techniques and establishing irrigation systems with farmers willing to move away from narcotics production. An Afghan provincial official, touring the United States, recently praised the efforts the Missouri National Guard, which he credits with helping make his province virtually drug free.”

Personally, I think that as long as opium is profitable above other crops, the capitalist within Afghan farmers will make them stick to it, especially since it’s a practice they’ve grown comfortable with. The debate should focus more on how to make growing and selling opium an unwise investment option for farmers. The second option above is a step in the right direction, and results are being seen, but a deeper analysis has to be made of what it will take to make Afghans decide that selling opium isn’t a wise business decision.

Posted by Ryan Mauro at 5:16 am
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