U.N. Reports That Taliban is Stockpiling Opium

Debranya Brower
12-4-09 5pm

In this article I have learned that the Taliban have been putting raw opium aside for themselves as they continue to strive to figure out ways to fund their group. The U.N. reported that the Taliban are cutting poppy cultivation. It was also reported that poppy cultivation had retreated in much of the country and was now overwhelmingly concentrated in the 7 of 34 provinces where the insurgency remains strong, most those in the south. Last year $300 million was made from opium alone. Due to the skillful ways of the Taliban they have been able to porduce opium in amounts that far exceed the world demand. The report stated that both the NATO and American forces have their work cut out for them in trying to deal with the drug trade but they also stated that they should focus on the places where the opium is sold.
I think that because of the fact that they can produce opium both on their own and they can put fear into the farmers the only thing that will truly be able to stop the Taliban will be the downturning economy. In the article it was said that there is not as big of a demand for it as it once was. Until things become more stable they are probably going to go about getting funding different ways. I believe that the Taliban seems to feel that they are untouchable so if the NATO and American forces don't start focusing more are who is selling and who is buying the drugs they will never get anywhere with any investigation. The only people that the America will catch will probably be farmers. They're not really going after the people that they should or in the areas that they need to be. The Taliban will remain destructive until the armies unite and outsmart them.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/28/world/middleeast/28opium.html?scp=2&sq=taliban%20drugs%20and%20crime&st=Search