[quote=patb][quote=CONCHO][quote=martink110]The war in Afganistan is about oil and gas.[/quote]
There is at least one other very valuable global commodity in the region as well. The Taliban had unwisely outlawed production of this important resource but it is being produced and exported in large quantities again.[/quote]
lots of opium from Burma, India, Thailand.
Now Michael Moore said there was a
Pipeline the bushies wanted to run through
Afghanistan, but, seems awful silly to invade over a pipeline route.[/quote]
Afghanistan is, as of March, 2008, the greatest illicit opium producer in the world, ahead of Burma (Myanmar) and the “Golden Triangle”. Afghanistan is the main producer of opium in “Golden Crescent”. Opium production in Afghanistan has been on the rise since the downfall of the Taliban in 2001. Based on UNODC data, there has been more opium poppy cultivation in each of the past four growing seasons (2004–2007) than in any one year during Taliban rule. Also, more land is now used for opium in Afghanistan than for coca cultivation in Latin America. In 2007, 93% of the opiates on the world market originated in Afghanistan.[1] This amounts to an export value of about $64 billion,
Illegal narcotics are about the 3rd or 4th biggest industry in the world behind energy and weapons @ about 4-500 billion per year. CIA and proxies have a history of involvement and 85% of it winds up in western banks.
