One of the well known consequences of the invasion of Afghanistan had been the dramatic increase of opium production over the last few years. As much of the traditional economy is ruined as a result of fighting and warfare in country, farmers are often forced to turn to growing opium poppies. It’s no longer just an Afghan issue now. Farmers in Iraq, with assistance from Afghan opium growers, are now producing opium in the Diyala province. Not surprisingly, it’s Patrick Cockburn who is reporting on the story in the Independent. Farmers have become involved in opium production since it’s one of the few ways to earn money:
The agency cites a local agricultural engineer identified as M S
al-Azawi as saying that local farmers got no support from the
government and could not compete with cheap imports of fruit and
vegetables. The price of fertiliser and fuel has also risen sharply. Mr
Azawi says: “The cultivation of opium is the likely solution [to these
problems].”
The worrisome part of this trend is that “Al-Qa’ida is in control of many of the newly established opium farms and has sometimes taken the land of farmers it has killed.” You have to applaud George Bush. Not only has he completely failed in capturing Osama bin Ladin, but now he has also provided his organization with the financial means to continue fighting in Iraq.
Technorati Tags: opium, middle-east, iraq, al-qaeda
