$8.5 Billion U.S. Counter Narcotics Effort in Afghanistan Boosts Opium Production

Judicial Watch ^ | 2/9/17

[eyeamok]

The U.S. government’s multi-billion-dollar effort to counter narcotics in Afghanistan

FAKE NEWS, NO SUCH THING EVER HAPPENED, The US has been PROTECTING the Opium Poppy Trade for over 50 years, We didn’t actually protect the fields and farmers and labs, what we did was make damn sure the Supply Routes were safe for them to sell their products out of the country, same thing though.it is their largest Cash Crop and always has been.

[Garth Tater]

Poison the crops and that is that.

And shut down the insanely lucrative money machine of some of the richest and most powerful people on the planet? Sorry, the world doesn't work like that.

[A CA Guy]

Well, confiscate that illegally gotten wealth and direct it to the border and national debt.

[Theoria]

That would be the dynamic duo of Bush and Obama.

[spintreebob]

When Billions are spent for the War on Poverty to rebuild inner cities Conservatives are skeptical that the money will be spent wisely or effectively.

But why are conservatives so willing to believe that Nation Building can work by throwing billions at the dysfunctional nation?

Why do Conservatives mimic the Left and say that it is all the fault of the person who was in power. If only our guy was in power then Nation Building would work.

Sorry, regardless of who the President is, who runs the DOD, who runs the operation overseas, throwing money at Nation Building does not work. It is not Obama incompetence. It is the agenda that is the problem.

[Garth Tater]

Well, confiscate that illegally gotten wealth and direct it to the border and national debt.

Their wealth is well hidden and well protected and can't simply be confiscated. These people are actually so wealthy that they own the banks that their money is kept in (check out the history of HSCB - originally created to service the opium trade.) When a bank is outed and targeted by a govt for dealing in drug money they hire the world's best lawyers and eventually settle for a fine that is EASILY paid out of the proceeds of this business. here

They also own many politicians. With the amount of money involved in the drug trade you could easily say that they own as many politicians as they need. And if they ever need more - there is PLENTY of money for that. See: HSBC Tackles Money Laundering Scandal With Former US Deputy Attorney General Hire (hint: it's James Comey - Current FBI Director)

The families and organizations involved in the world drug trade go back for hundreds of years and they know this business well. They have started wars to facilitate their evil trade (China's opium wars, Latin American drug wars) and have also kept wars going for their benefit (Vietnam and the SE Asian Golden Triangle, Afghanistan.) Confiscating their wealth is simply not going to happen without blood being shed. Something they are also very good at doing both in open battle and in the dark of night.

[Sheapdog]

I remember seeing an investigative report years ago I believe before Obama that appeared reveal that the US were basically protecting the really large plantations that were off limits to any policing. Likely going after a few of the small time share croppers while turning a blind eye to the big boys. Unfortunately I would agree that the US has a very poor track record in this area.