Poppy crop eliminated in Jauzgan province (by Gen. Dostum)

PakTribune ^ | May 17, 2003 | PakTribune News

[FairOpinion]

KABUL, May 17 (Online): Security personnel have eliminated poppy crop that was cultivated on hundred of acres land in Dast-e-Laili, some 70 kilometres away from Shiberghan City in Jauzgan province in Northern- Afghanistan.

It has been told that security personnel destroyed the poppy crop on the directives of General Abdal Rashid Dostum.

The poppy was cultivated in Jauzgan for the first time. The security personnel have so far eliminated poppy crop from forty acres. Most of the farmers of the province had cultivated poppy crop this year.

Sources said that several Americans officials and observers were present during the operation.

[FairOpinion]

I always liked Gen. Dostum. I think he is the kind of person who could run Afghanistan and bring them into the 20th century. He is also very pro-American and he was leading the Northern Alliance troops, who were key in our war against the Taliban in Afghanistan

[akash]

Abdul Rashid Dostum was for a time also allied with the commie govt of Najibullah. His decisive switch to the front of Ahmed Shah Masood titled the balance in favour of the jihadis led by hekmatyar. If course you know better than me, for instance being in the CIA then I will buy what you see else he is simply someone who sells himself to the highest bidder.

[JohnGalt]

So it would be fair to think he cut a deal to wipe out a portion of a larger crop for show or did he wipe out the crop of a rival producer?

I figure, that's how it works in the US, so its probably how it works in Afghanistan.

[robertpaulsen]

Ooh, those grapes are sour!

[akash]

I wasnt talking about the poppy crop at all ....

I was simply offering my view of Mr Dostum's character from what I know/have heard of him over the years.

[Teacher317]

Sources said that several Americans officials and observers were present during the operation...

inhaling deeply as the crops burned throught the day. ;^)

[JohnGalt]

I appreciated your insights, and I extended your insights to a logical conclusion. A more simple explanation is he set up a mini-feifdom collecting payoffs (70 kilometers is a pretty close proximity for a hundred acre crop I would think) and someone chose not to pay or if he is a real chap, he collected some protection money and then had the US pay him more to destroy it.

[Libertarianize the GOP]

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