Marines ignore Taliban cash crop to not upset Afghan locals - XDTalk Forums - Your HS2000/SA-XD Information Source!

cove702 · 05-06-2008, 08:17 PM

I understand that there is not an easy solution but this policy makes no sense to me.

Marines ignore Taliban cash crop to not upset Afghan locals - Yahoo! News

Last week, the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit moved into southern Helmand province, the world's largest opium poppy-growing region, and now find themselves surrounded by green fields of the illegal plants that produce the main ingredient of heroin.

The Taliban, whose fighters are exchanging daily fire with the Marines in Garmser, derives up to $100 million a year from the poppy harvest by taxing farmers and charging safe passage fees — money that will buy weapons for use against U.S., NATO and Afghan troops.

Yet the Marines are not destroying the plants. In fact, they are reassuring villagers the poppies won't be touched. American commanders say the Marines would only alienate people and drive them to take up arms if they eliminated the impoverished Afghans' only source of income.

Icey101 · 05-07-2008, 06:28 AM

This is nothing new and has being going on for long time. I have read several articles Soldier of Fortune and online sources. One went to describe how we would go in to clear fields. They would go in, be told they can clear this field here...that field there. The fields owner would welcome the person with open arms, have dinner and everything for the people destroying his crops.

**AZXD** · 05-07-2008, 06:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Icey101

This is nothing new and has being going on for long time. I have read several articles Soldier of Fortune and online sources. One went to describe how we would go in to clear fields. They would go in, be told they can clear this field here...that field there. The fields owner would welcome the person with open arms, have dinner and everything for the people destroying his crops.

I watched a CNN special and the crop owners were begging people to not destroy their livelihood. They also showed how they would skip entire fields based on what the locals input was. Can you say kickback to the local government/LE ..... To think that we have DEA agents working the country under these unwritten rules of catch the bad guy only if a foreign government allows it ..... Sure seems like a total waste of time and resources.

But hey .... Poppy production is only up by a huge factor since we arrived on the scene

and yes, this is old news.

yocan · 05-07-2008, 06:51 AM

There is an immediate solution, put the Marine Corps on the border of the US stop 75% of the stuff coming in. That will solve the problem more or less. It will also cause more internal competition and a lack of resources=drug dealer wars, and as long as there are enough cops on the streets it won't be large fights but murders, and drug dealers killing eachother is usually a good thing.

braap · 05-07-2008, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yocan

There is an immediate solution, put the Marine Corps on the border of the US stop 75% of the stuff coming in. That will solve the problem more or less.

I understand what you're saying, but I don't think this will solve much. As long as there is someone willing to purchase the drugs, there will be someone willing to sell them...and they'll get them into the country...one way or another. There's simply too much money involved.

IMO we need to start at the source...the user. If the government passed laws that raised the fines and punishment for merely possesing, then people would be less likely to use. With less users there will be less money to be made by selling/manufacturing/growing, ect. Take away the money and the whole market will crumble from what it is today.

Icey101 · 05-07-2008, 09:38 AM

So our jails are not already overcrowded with users? I really don't feel raising fines or punishments would fix anything. As it stands peoples entire lives are ruined daily by drugs...yet people go and try all sorts of things.

jeepinbanditrider · 05-07-2008, 09:43 AM

Or make it all legal and tax the **** out of it like they do cigs and stuff. The only way to remove the profit from the drug runners is to make it not illegal anymore. Allow the tobbacco (SP?) companies to grow weed and sell it like cigs.

No black market for the **** then. What did prohibition do? Not a whole hell of a lot. And people still drank and partied.

Come up with laws similar to what we have to alcohol in relation to DUI and such. And stiffen the punishments for that.

SgtWKPII · 05-07-2008, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeepinbanditrider

Or make it all legal and tax the **** out of it like they do cigs and stuff. The only way to remove the profit from the drug runners is to make it not illegal anymore. Allow the tobbacco (SP?) companies to grow weed and sell it like cigs.

No black market for the **** then. What did prohibition do? Not a whole hell of a lot. And people still drank and partied.

Come up with laws similar to what we have to alcohol in relation to DUI and such. And stiffen the punishments for that.

+1

SpringfieldXD.40 · 05-07-2008, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeepinbanditrider

Or make it all legal and tax the **** out of it like they do cigs and stuff. The only way to remove the profit from the drug runners is to make it not illegal anymore. Allow the tobbacco (SP?) companies to grow weed and sell it like cigs.

No black market for the **** then. What did prohibition do? Not a whole hell of a lot. And people still drank and partied.

Come up with laws similar to what we have to alcohol in relation to DUI and such. And stiffen the punishments for that.

+1 more

LUVMYSIGP225 · 05-07-2008, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by braap

I understand what you're saying, but I don't think this will solve much. As long as there is someone willing to purchase the drugs, there will be someone willing to sell them...and they'll get them into the country...one way or another. There's simply too much money involved..

Exactly why I am for exterminating drug-users and junkies. Maybe a government sponsored batch of some "bad gack".

05-06-2008, 08:17 PM	#1
cove702 XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Vegas Posts: 139	Marines ignore Taliban cash crop to not upset Afghan locals I understand that there is not an easy solution but this policy makes no sense to me. Marines ignore Taliban cash crop to not upset Afghan locals - Yahoo! News Last week, the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit moved into southern Helmand province, the world's largest opium poppy-growing region, and now find themselves surrounded by green fields of the illegal plants that produce the main ingredient of heroin. The Taliban, whose fighters are exchanging daily fire with the Marines in Garmser, derives up to $100 million a year from the poppy harvest by taxing farmers and charging safe passage fees — money that will buy weapons for use against U.S., NATO and Afghan troops. Yet the Marines are not destroying the plants. In fact, they are reassuring villagers the poppies won't be touched. American commanders say the Marines would only alienate people and drive them to take up arms if they eliminated the impoverished Afghans' only source of income. __________________ U.S.M.C. 78-82 ---------- The following quote has been attributed to Sigmund Freud. However, I don't find this in any of his books. Can you? "A fear of weapons is a sign of retarded sexual and emotional maturity"

05-07-2008, 06:51 AM	#4
yocan XDTalk 1K Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Detroit Posts: 1,807	There is an immediate solution, put the Marine Corps on the border of the US stop 75% of the stuff coming in. That will solve the problem more or less. It will also cause more internal competition and a lack of resources=drug dealer wars, and as long as there are enough cops on the streets it won't be large fights but murders, and drug dealers killing eachother is usually a good thing. __________________ The three requirements for a school shooting. 1 know the floorplan. 2 Know the threats inside the location and response time/entry time for the police 3. Royally screwed up intelligent analytic mind. We need more laws to protect these three rights. Ban guns in schools, it obviously works.

05-07-2008, 09:43 AM	#7
jeepinbanditrider XDTalk 4K Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Mineral Wells, Tx Posts: 4,389	Or make it all legal and tax the ** out of it like they do cigs and stuff. The only way to remove the profit from the drug runners is to make it not illegal anymore. Allow the tobbacco (SP?) companies to grow weed and sell it like cigs. No black market for the ** then. What did prohibition do? Not a whole hell of a lot. And people still drank and partied. Come up with laws similar to what we have to alcohol in relation to DUI and such. And stiffen the punishments for that. __________________ Stuff USPSA-A59201

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05-07-2008, 06:28 AM	#2
Icey101 XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Albuquerque, NM Posts: 192	This is nothing new and has being going on for long time. I have read several articles Soldier of Fortune and online sources. One went to describe how we would go in to clear fields. They would go in, be told they can clear this field here...that field there. The fields owner would welcome the person with open arms, have dinner and everything for the people destroying his crops.

05-07-2008, 09:38 AM	#6
Icey101 XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Albuquerque, NM Posts: 192	So our jails are not already overcrowded with users? I really don't feel raising fines or punishments would fix anything. As it stands peoples entire lives are ruined daily by drugs...yet people go and try all sorts of things.