Forced Eradication of Opium in Afghanistan

In this earlier post, this blogger pontificated on why the fusion of the efforts to eradicate the cultivation of opium poppy in Afghanistan should not be fused with the real war against the Taliban. A very elaborate article by Jon lee Anderson in The New Yorker here traces the complicated results of the militarized approach that is informed by the misguided thinking that the two are correlated.

As is clear from this recommended piece, needless deaths have resulted from the march to clear poppy plants from small farms while the larger cultivators remain untouchable. Jon L. Anderson's sojourn through Afghanistan reveals why the approach has currency. it is that the eradication units are headed by officials that will not review their thinking but also need to emphasize that connection because they have a financial interest in eradication in spite of its efficacy or necessity. A number of them cite efforts in Colombia, Bolivia and other Latin American states without stating the benefits that emerged from that disastrous record. The prospects are far from good especially since the farmers are aware of the financial advantages of growing the opium poppy over cultivation of wheat. Apparently, what makes sense to these villagers is lost to well-traveled bureacrats!