A drug burning ceremony in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, is arranged by the country's drug control agency. The men were burning hashish and sacks of opium in a country that many worry is slipping toward becoming a narco-state.
Afghan opium the most lethal drug worldwide, U.N. says
By: Tom Lasseter - McClatchy Newspapers
Posted: 10/22/09MOSCOW - Afghan opium kills more people every year than any other drug on the planet, claiming up to 100,000 lives annually, according to a United Nations report released Wednesday.Although U.S. officials have pointed to the last two years of lower production in Afghanistan, the country still produces 90 percent of the world's opium, which the report says now threatens to sow havoc in much of Central Asia."The catalog of casualties caused by Afghan narcotics is gruesome," Antonio Maria Costa, the executive director of the U.N. office on drugs and crime, says in a note in the report's summary. "We need to go back to the dramatic opium addiction in China a century ago to find comparable statistics."In addition to drug-related deaths, Afghan opium and heroin pay for weapons that anti-U.S. insurgents use to kill American troops.From 2005 to 2008, Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan earned an average annual income of some $125 million from the opium trade, not including money gained from drug-processing facilities or other related business in neighboring Pakistan, according to the report.The Afghan opium crop, used to produce heroin, dropped from 7,700 metric tons in 2008 to 6,900 this year, but because of massive overproduction there are now more than 12,000 metric tons of opium in stockpiles, enough to meet world demand for more than two years. Criminal and insurgent groups probably are holding most of those reserves, the U.N. said.The U.N.'s findings sounded a strong warning about the Central Asian opium-trafficking route, which has become a virtual conveyor belt for heroin between Afghanistan and Russia, referring to it as the "most sinister development yet.""The perfect storm of drugs, crime and insurgency that has swirled around the Afghanistan-Pakistan border for years is heading for Central Asia," Costa said. "If quick preventive measures are not put into place, a big chunk of Eurasia could be lost."McClatchy Newspapers published a series of articles earlier this year that traced the flow of opium from Afghanistan through Tajikistan - a main Central Asian conduit - to Russia.The articles found that Western inaction during the years after the 2001 U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan opened the way for Afghan opium to fuel corruption throughout Afghanistan, turn Tajikistan into a borderline narco-state and create thousands of new addicts in Russia.Russia is now the world's largest consumer of heroin, according to the U.N. report. At least 70 tons of Afghan heroin were consumed in Russia last year, the report says, more than three times the amount in the United States and Canada combined and higher than previous estimates.The number of addicts in Russia has multiplied tenfold during the past decade, and there are now 30,000 to 40,000 Russian drug-related deaths each year, according to Russian government figures cited by the report. Official Russian news services have said that up to 30,000 of those deaths are due to Afghan heroin.Russian leaders repeatedly have voiced their anger about the lack of a Western crackdown on Afghan opium, and the issue was brought up during President Barack Obama's and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's visits to Moscow this year.In May, the head of Russia's federal drug-control service, Viktor Ivanov, said that about 180 Afghan drug cartels were trafficking heroin to Russia."The majority of these 180 drug cartels are based in the U.S. and NATO areas of responsibility," Ivanov said.
Afghan opium the most lethal drug worldwide, U.N. says
By: Tom Lasseter - McClatchy Newspapers
Posted: 10/22/09MOSCOW - Afghan opium kills more people every year than any other drug on the planet, claiming up to 100,000 lives annually, according to a United Nations report released Wednesday.Although U.S. officials have pointed to the last two years of lower production in Afghanistan, the country still produces 90 percent of the world's opium, which the report says now threatens to sow havoc in much of Central Asia."The catalog of casualties caused by Afghan narcotics is gruesome," Antonio Maria Costa, the executive director of the U.N. office on drugs and crime, says in a note in the report's summary. "We need to go back to the dramatic opium addiction in China a century ago to find comparable statistics."In addition to drug-related deaths, Afghan opium and heroin pay for weapons that anti-U.S. insurgents use to kill American troops.From 2005 to 2008, Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan earned an average annual income of some $125 million from the opium trade, not including money gained from drug-processing facilities or other related business in neighboring Pakistan, according to the report.The Afghan opium crop, used to produce heroin, dropped from 7,700 metric tons in 2008 to 6,900 this year, but because of massive overproduction there are now more than 12,000 metric tons of opium in stockpiles, enough to meet world demand for more than two years. Criminal and insurgent groups probably are holding most of those reserves, the U.N. said.The U.N.'s findings sounded a strong warning about the Central Asian opium-trafficking route, which has become a virtual conveyor belt for heroin between Afghanistan and Russia, referring to it as the "most sinister development yet.""The perfect storm of drugs, crime and insurgency that has swirled around the Afghanistan-Pakistan border for years is heading for Central Asia," Costa said. "If quick preventive measures are not put into place, a big chunk of Eurasia could be lost."McClatchy Newspapers published a series of articles earlier this year that traced the flow of opium from Afghanistan through Tajikistan - a main Central Asian conduit - to Russia.The articles found that Western inaction during the years after the 2001 U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan opened the way for Afghan opium to fuel corruption throughout Afghanistan, turn Tajikistan into a borderline narco-state and create thousands of new addicts in Russia.Russia is now the world's largest consumer of heroin, according to the U.N. report. At least 70 tons of Afghan heroin were consumed in Russia last year, the report says, more than three times the amount in the United States and Canada combined and higher than previous estimates.The number of addicts in Russia has multiplied tenfold during the past decade, and there are now 30,000 to 40,000 Russian drug-related deaths each year, according to Russian government figures cited by the report. Official Russian news services have said that up to 30,000 of those deaths are due to Afghan heroin.Russian leaders repeatedly have voiced their anger about the lack of a Western crackdown on Afghan opium, and the issue was brought up during President Barack Obama's and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's visits to Moscow this year.In May, the head of Russia's federal drug-control service, Viktor Ivanov, said that about 180 Afghan drug cartels were trafficking heroin to Russia."The majority of these 180 drug cartels are based in the U.S. and NATO areas of responsibility," Ivanov said.
Afghanistan - What is it all about?
Monday, 26 October 2009 18:18 Added by PT Editor Sarah Price
Monday, 26 October 2009 18:18 Added by PT Editor Sarah Price
Afghanistan, October 26, 2009, (Pal Telegraph) - If we listen to our leaders we are led to believe that when the Afghanistan war first started the main area of activity was in the Nangarhar Province in the north-eastern region of Afghanistan.
Extensive carpet bombing was carried out in the vicinity of the Tora Bora Mountains.
Could this be Al Qaeda watching Tora Bora?
The entire border area between the Khyber Pass to the North and the Pakistani Federally Admininistered Tribal Area (FATA) to the south became a major area of operations. This series of bombing operations were clumsy to say the least. The bombing covering an extremely broad area and by the time operations had been completed they had killed over two hundred innocent civilians and just a couple of Taliban.
It was during the early stages of the war that we were told that this region was the stronghold of the Taliban and Al Qaeda with Osama bin Laden having his headquarter somewhere in this mountainous area. After some time we were again told that these key Taliban and Al Queda bases had been weakened and that most of these militants had now fled over the border into Pakistan.
The US blamed Al Qaeda for the 9/11 attack and this was why this particular area became their first priority. What President Bush didn't tell you is that he had already made plans to attack Afghanistan almost six months prior to 9/11 when he realised that the US backed Turkmenistan - Afghanistan - Pakistan - India (TAPI) could be in jeopardy. The US at the time were big friends of the Taliban and why not? When it comes to oil they would sell their soul! They had previously helped in training the Taliban during the Russian occupation and later realised that they would make good partner for a Joint Venture pipeline. As usual the US drove home a hard bargain and the Taliban rejected the deal. This immediately put the US on a war footing in order to secure this extremely lucrative deal that would bring trillions of dollars to the US economy over a long period of time when complete.
Once the US had pushed the militia over the border into Pakistan they then refocused their activity to secure the route for the proposed TAPI pipeline much further south and in doing so neglected the area they had secured in the north-east. This was not the first time we were to hear that Al-Qaida were now pushed over the border and firmly embedded in northwest Pakistan. The British PM Gordon Brown also said on camera that the main threat now comes from Pakistan.
Extensive carpet bombing was carried out in the vicinity of the Tora Bora Mountains.
Could this be Al Qaeda watching Tora Bora?
The entire border area between the Khyber Pass to the North and the Pakistani Federally Admininistered Tribal Area (FATA) to the south became a major area of operations. This series of bombing operations were clumsy to say the least. The bombing covering an extremely broad area and by the time operations had been completed they had killed over two hundred innocent civilians and just a couple of Taliban.
It was during the early stages of the war that we were told that this region was the stronghold of the Taliban and Al Qaeda with Osama bin Laden having his headquarter somewhere in this mountainous area. After some time we were again told that these key Taliban and Al Queda bases had been weakened and that most of these militants had now fled over the border into Pakistan.
The US blamed Al Qaeda for the 9/11 attack and this was why this particular area became their first priority. What President Bush didn't tell you is that he had already made plans to attack Afghanistan almost six months prior to 9/11 when he realised that the US backed Turkmenistan - Afghanistan - Pakistan - India (TAPI) could be in jeopardy. The US at the time were big friends of the Taliban and why not? When it comes to oil they would sell their soul! They had previously helped in training the Taliban during the Russian occupation and later realised that they would make good partner for a Joint Venture pipeline. As usual the US drove home a hard bargain and the Taliban rejected the deal. This immediately put the US on a war footing in order to secure this extremely lucrative deal that would bring trillions of dollars to the US economy over a long period of time when complete.
Once the US had pushed the militia over the border into Pakistan they then refocused their activity to secure the route for the proposed TAPI pipeline much further south and in doing so neglected the area they had secured in the north-east. This was not the first time we were to hear that Al-Qaida were now pushed over the border and firmly embedded in northwest Pakistan. The British PM Gordon Brown also said on camera that the main threat now comes from Pakistan.
I continue to ask the question "Why are we still in Afghanistan? Why are there so many troops and more required? If the main terrorist activity is in the region indicated why are NATO troop's fighter such a long distance away from those they have been tracking down for such a long period of time? Ironically we have since heard that only around 100 Al Qaida now exist in Afghanistan so why remain? Is there some other hidden agenda such as the TAPI pipeline? Lets just take a brief look at the map above to show where the main problems area are in regard to these so called terrorist and also see where all our troops are dying and for what?
One can see that there is significant activity along the pipeline route with the highest death rate. The main enemy (according to the US, UK and NATO forces) are those that were driven over the border, but this factor doesn't appear to cause any concern. How many times have we seen a surge in certain areas to then see them pull out and watch the Taliban return to the area that so many people died for? If it was so important to remove the enemy from the area why wouldn't you stand your ground, defend and protect it?
As we can now see the Pakistan Government were harassed by the US to do something about terrorism in the northwest but for what purpose, to again attack the militia and have them cross back over the border into Afghanistan and if so who will stop them re grouping and killing more soldiers?
There are so many things that really do not make sense so let's look at the current action by Pakistan and see what the NATO forces are doing.I once read that someone called this operation. "Operation Enduring Pipeline" I have always believed that this was all about oil (just like the Iraq war) and therefore this title really does fit the reality of what's going on in Afghanistan.
Pakistan sent in around 30,000 soldiers into the insurgent stronghold of South Waziristan, a tribal region bordering Afghanistan (as marked on the map). It was estimated that around 10,000 militants and foreign fighters exist in the region. The Pakistan Army stated that this was a full-scale ground offensive against Taliban and al-Qaida insurgents.
The headlines after day two of this operation read as follows:
"Pakistan hits Taliban, urges NATO to seal border" the article went on to say that the remote and rugged South Waziristan is a global hub for militants. It's ironic that the US forces have only returned to the adjacent Afghanistan province for a two day operation this month after an absence of over three years. One can see the frustration by Pakistan in being pushed by the US to resolve terrorism in their country which was as a direct result of US forces pushing the problem over the border. Now we see Pakistan troops have the potential to push them back into Afghanistan and no one will be on the other side to deal with the return of the problem.
Is the US really after Al Qaeda or is this all about prolonging the war effort to retain troops in Afghanistan for a much longer period and at the same time give them the opportunity to secure the proposed pipeline route that has been delayed so many times before. The US has applied much pressure on this TAPI pipeline and has now declared that construction will start in 2010, hence the urgent surge in troop requirements to secure the route.
One can see that there is significant activity along the pipeline route with the highest death rate. The main enemy (according to the US, UK and NATO forces) are those that were driven over the border, but this factor doesn't appear to cause any concern. How many times have we seen a surge in certain areas to then see them pull out and watch the Taliban return to the area that so many people died for? If it was so important to remove the enemy from the area why wouldn't you stand your ground, defend and protect it?
As we can now see the Pakistan Government were harassed by the US to do something about terrorism in the northwest but for what purpose, to again attack the militia and have them cross back over the border into Afghanistan and if so who will stop them re grouping and killing more soldiers?
There are so many things that really do not make sense so let's look at the current action by Pakistan and see what the NATO forces are doing.I once read that someone called this operation. "Operation Enduring Pipeline" I have always believed that this was all about oil (just like the Iraq war) and therefore this title really does fit the reality of what's going on in Afghanistan.
Pakistan sent in around 30,000 soldiers into the insurgent stronghold of South Waziristan, a tribal region bordering Afghanistan (as marked on the map). It was estimated that around 10,000 militants and foreign fighters exist in the region. The Pakistan Army stated that this was a full-scale ground offensive against Taliban and al-Qaida insurgents.
The headlines after day two of this operation read as follows:
"Pakistan hits Taliban, urges NATO to seal border" the article went on to say that the remote and rugged South Waziristan is a global hub for militants. It's ironic that the US forces have only returned to the adjacent Afghanistan province for a two day operation this month after an absence of over three years. One can see the frustration by Pakistan in being pushed by the US to resolve terrorism in their country which was as a direct result of US forces pushing the problem over the border. Now we see Pakistan troops have the potential to push them back into Afghanistan and no one will be on the other side to deal with the return of the problem.
Is the US really after Al Qaeda or is this all about prolonging the war effort to retain troops in Afghanistan for a much longer period and at the same time give them the opportunity to secure the proposed pipeline route that has been delayed so many times before. The US has applied much pressure on this TAPI pipeline and has now declared that construction will start in 2010, hence the urgent surge in troop requirements to secure the route.
It was also interesting to note that a brand new highway was constructed between Herat and Kandahar which the Afghans thought served no purpose but of course it does serve a purpose because the pipeline will run alongside the highway. We now see the US Commander Gen. McChrystal asking for up to another 80,000 troops in Afghanistan if they are going to win this war. I find it absolutely unacceptable to send so many young men to meet their maker. If the Taliban doesn't get them then their own uranium based weapons will. As Doug Rokke once said if you go war you will die.
This is a classic rerun of the Vietnam War whereby the US with their huge army and extremely sophisticated weapons cannot defeat tribal foot soldiers who only use RPG's, small arms and roadside devices. Again I ask the question, when this next surge takes place where will the centre of focus be? Will it be where it should be, on the border of Pakistan adjacent to the existing Pakistani Army surge or will it be along the pipeline route?
This is a classic rerun of the Vietnam War whereby the US with their huge army and extremely sophisticated weapons cannot defeat tribal foot soldiers who only use RPG's, small arms and roadside devices. Again I ask the question, when this next surge takes place where will the centre of focus be? Will it be where it should be, on the border of Pakistan adjacent to the existing Pakistani Army surge or will it be along the pipeline route?
I am sure we all know the answer to this question. How many more young lives are going to be taken? How many more 18-25 year old men are going to return minus their limbs? During the Iraq war we never manage to find the statistics for those severely injured or who have become limbless. In Iraq it was thousands and in Afghanistan the number is steadily rising because of roadside bombs etc. What shocked me today was to hear the start of a huge appeal for funds to support those returning that are badly injured. I find it unacceptable that such victims have to ask for charity money when they have served their country. All this in the name of economic greed and control of the worlds oil and gas supplies. The despicable actions by all those implicated in this false façade of lies and cover-ups are beyond imagination. Their arrogance and blasé approach to the risks associated with sending troops into a war zone that is totally contaminated by their own weapons is beyond words.
I remember an interview this week with the Afghan Ambassador to the US in Washington. He was asked what he thought about the war effort and why many thousands of troops are still required? He answered that we must remember that this is to protect the streets of America and Europe and therefore it is to our advantage to finish the job. It is interesting to note that the Taliban have never carried out any acts of terrorism in the US or EU to date. Obviously now that the US has labeled them as terrorists this will induce retaliatory acts of terrorism at a later date. I again repeat that Imperialism leading to the occupation of any Islamic country leads to self induced terrorism which then leads to suffering and extremes of poverty.
We have time and time again heard the denials from almost every official source and yet within their own organizations we see instructions being handed out to staff advising them of the dangers associated with uranium based weapons. I again name and shame all those implicated in the DU/EU cover-up and the true reason behind the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan namely: The United Nations(UN) - United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) - The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP World Health Organisation (WHO) - The International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) - International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) - The Governments of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) - The respective Departments of Defence/ Military - The Nuclear Industry - The Pharmaceutical Industry and all those Medical Experts and Institutions who accepted that DU was safe. I guess one must also add the World Bank (WB) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to this list, not because it is has any connection to Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) but because of the suffering they have caused around the world by Weapons of Mass Deception and Weapons of Mass Dependency. Shame on you all.
In 1996 Bin Laden gave some pre warning of the troubles ahead after feeling frustrated at the US Foreign Policy. As one would expect it fell on deaf ears. Here is what he had to say:
"The people of Islam have been afflicted with oppression, hostility and injustice by the Judio-Christian alliance and its supporter" "This shows our enemies "belief that Muslims" blood is the cheapest and that their property and wealth is merely loot." "Your blood has been spilt in Palestine and Iraq and the horrific image of the massacre in Qana in Lebanon are still fresh in people's minds."He went on to say "The massacres that have taken place in Tajikistan, Burma, Kashmir, Assam, the Philippines, Fatani, Ogaden, Somalia, Eritrea, Chechnya and Bosnia-Herzegovina send shivers down our spines and stir up our passions" All this has happened before the eyes and ears of the world, but the blatant imperialism of America, under the cover of the immoral United Nations, has prevented the dispossessed from arming themselves."Finally he said: "The latest and most serious" "is the occupation of Saudi Arabia, which is the corner stone of the Islamic world, place of revelation."
In closing I would also like to quote some words used by the World Islamic Front on the 23rd February 1998 which further revealed their anger and frustration at America:"Ever since God made the Arabian Peninsula flat created a desert in it and surrounded it with the sea, it has never suffered such a calamity as these crusader hordes that have spread through it like locusts, consuming its wealth and destroying its fertility" "Firstly, for over seven years America has occupied the holiest parts of the Islamic lands, the Arabian peninsula, plundering its wealth, dictating to its leaders, humiliating its people, terrorizing its neighbours and turning its bases there into a spearhead with which to fight the neighbouring Muslim peoples."
I remember an interview this week with the Afghan Ambassador to the US in Washington. He was asked what he thought about the war effort and why many thousands of troops are still required? He answered that we must remember that this is to protect the streets of America and Europe and therefore it is to our advantage to finish the job. It is interesting to note that the Taliban have never carried out any acts of terrorism in the US or EU to date. Obviously now that the US has labeled them as terrorists this will induce retaliatory acts of terrorism at a later date. I again repeat that Imperialism leading to the occupation of any Islamic country leads to self induced terrorism which then leads to suffering and extremes of poverty.
We have time and time again heard the denials from almost every official source and yet within their own organizations we see instructions being handed out to staff advising them of the dangers associated with uranium based weapons. I again name and shame all those implicated in the DU/EU cover-up and the true reason behind the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan namely: The United Nations(UN) - United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) - The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP World Health Organisation (WHO) - The International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) - International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) - The Governments of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) - The respective Departments of Defence/ Military - The Nuclear Industry - The Pharmaceutical Industry and all those Medical Experts and Institutions who accepted that DU was safe. I guess one must also add the World Bank (WB) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to this list, not because it is has any connection to Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) but because of the suffering they have caused around the world by Weapons of Mass Deception and Weapons of Mass Dependency. Shame on you all.
In 1996 Bin Laden gave some pre warning of the troubles ahead after feeling frustrated at the US Foreign Policy. As one would expect it fell on deaf ears. Here is what he had to say:
"The people of Islam have been afflicted with oppression, hostility and injustice by the Judio-Christian alliance and its supporter" "This shows our enemies "belief that Muslims" blood is the cheapest and that their property and wealth is merely loot." "Your blood has been spilt in Palestine and Iraq and the horrific image of the massacre in Qana in Lebanon are still fresh in people's minds."He went on to say "The massacres that have taken place in Tajikistan, Burma, Kashmir, Assam, the Philippines, Fatani, Ogaden, Somalia, Eritrea, Chechnya and Bosnia-Herzegovina send shivers down our spines and stir up our passions" All this has happened before the eyes and ears of the world, but the blatant imperialism of America, under the cover of the immoral United Nations, has prevented the dispossessed from arming themselves."Finally he said: "The latest and most serious" "is the occupation of Saudi Arabia, which is the corner stone of the Islamic world, place of revelation."
In closing I would also like to quote some words used by the World Islamic Front on the 23rd February 1998 which further revealed their anger and frustration at America:"Ever since God made the Arabian Peninsula flat created a desert in it and surrounded it with the sea, it has never suffered such a calamity as these crusader hordes that have spread through it like locusts, consuming its wealth and destroying its fertility" "Firstly, for over seven years America has occupied the holiest parts of the Islamic lands, the Arabian peninsula, plundering its wealth, dictating to its leaders, humiliating its people, terrorizing its neighbours and turning its bases there into a spearhead with which to fight the neighbouring Muslim peoples."
Mohandas Gandhi once said "What difference does it make to the dead, the orphans, and the homeless, whether the mad destruction is wrought under the name of totalitarianism or the holy name of liberty and democracy"This last paragraph sums it all up in relation to my own beliefs that "What goes around comes around" when he used these powerful words:
"When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they seem invincible but in the end, they always fall -- think of it, ALWAYS." Mohandas Gandhi
"When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they seem invincible but in the end, they always fall -- think of it, ALWAYS." Mohandas Gandhi
Peter Eyre, Middle East Consultant
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