Posted on 08/22/2007 11:58:59 PM PDT by gandalftb
Musa Qala, Helmand, is unusually peaceful. Farmers in this opium-rich region are busy preparing for autumn planting.
Nor do residents live in fear that the Taleban are coming – they are already here. Said Mohammad Aref, “They collect food from every house, and drive around in their trucks.
The Taleban took over in February after a truce collapsed. "We have no plans to recapture Musa Qala," said Ghulam Mahayuddin Ghuri, commander-in-chief of the Third Corps of the Afghan Army.
The Taleban established their own regime, complete with district governor, police chief and Sharia courts.
Said a Taleban commander. “Everyone gives zakat [Muslim tithe] to their own mullah. It is voluntary. If they don’t give it, no one will force them." "And no one bothers you if you are cultivating poppy. Opium is bought and sold on a very high level."
Helmand will supply close to half of the world's heroin this year. The Taleban had eradicated opium production almost entirely. This time they are more lenient because they are benefiting from the trade.
Musa Qala is known locally as "Smugglers' District", many of the factories that process opium paste into heroin have relocated here, since it is a no-go zone for the government forces.
The Taleban have their radio station, the Voice of Sharia. It broadcasts a daily exhortation to join the jihad, and jihadi songs.
A Taleban, Mullah Ezatullah, noted there is a new district governor, Mullah Matin, while Mullah Mohammad Hassan doubles as deputy governor and mayor. The chief of police, Mullah Torjan, has the security situation under control.
Said Ezatullah. "If a person steals, his hand is cut off. All things are done according to our law.
"People give them food not because they are forced to but because they don’t want to upset the Taleban," he said.
The Taleban are also taxing local businesses, added Abdul Bari.
(Excerpt) Read more at iwpr.net ...
The Brits want us out of Helmand because we are too violent and they have a better plan for winning the "Hearts and Minds" battle. What are they doing to win the "Heroin and Morphine" battle?
Why can’t we quietly kill their opium crops prior to harvest season? It would deprive them of cash. Or is it better to keep them high on it while we hunt?
Crop sprayers have very limited range so the lack of nearby garrisoned airfields is a big problem,
We need to develop drone crop sprayers and spray at night.
We are just now getting drone refueling, we are a couple of years away from aerial crop eradication. It’s coming.
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