Does Drug Prohibiton Fund Terrorism?
By Susan Hubenthal
On September 11, 2001 terrorists hijacked four airplanes. Two destroyed the World Trade Center, one caused mass damage to the Pentagon, and one plane crashed into the Pennsylvania countryside killing all aboard. Over 6,000 lives were lost.
Have you ever wondered where these war ravaged, underdeveloped countries get the funding to enact such an undertaking? Besides being supported by a Middle Eastern millionaire, the drug war also funds terrorism. Terrorist networks are also reaping profits from drug sales. The drug war provides terrorists with billions of dollars in underground sales of drugs.
The fight between the terrorists and the drug war are similar. If we could change society?s thinking about drug abusers by treating our addicted citizens with dignity and medically for the illness that addiction truly is, instead of viewing them as morally deficient and incarcerating them, we could save billions of dollars. Those monies could be used for treatment, research and education. Going one step further, if we could end prohibition and regulate illegal drugs ourselves; the terrorists would lose a huge part of their income.
In 1999, the US gave $43 million to the Taliban as a reward for cutting down their opium production. They have stockpiled opium instead of slowing down the production. The terrorists need money to function and they have counted on opium sales to help supply their needs. The use of drug profits to fund political violence is nothing new, it has happened in many conflicts including the Vietnam War, Central America in the 1980?s and Colombia, to name a few.
Afghanistan has been wracked with war for over 20 years. It has become the world?s undisputed leader in opium production. The United Nations estimates that Afghanistan produced three quarters of global output in 1999, and sells heroin to its neighbor Pakistan who has approximately 2 million addicts. Ninety percent of Great Britain?s heroin comes from Afghanistan. Although most of the heroin sold in the US in 1999 came from Colombia, US officials are seeing increased quantities of Afghan drugs now coming to America. Opium is sold in public markets, in Afghanistan, in storefronts hang scales. The wet opium is kept plastic bags inside, and dried opium is stacked in cakes. Some merchants earned as much as $132,000.00 in 1998. For many Afghani?s, opium is the only way they can earn a living.
The link between the drug trade and political violence will hopefully be watched more carefully, now.
On September 11, 2001 terrorists hijacked four airplanes. Two destroyed the World Trade Center, one caused mass damage to the Pentagon, and one plane crashed into the Pennsylvania countryside killing all aboard. Over 6,000 lives were lost.
Have you ever wondered where these war ravaged, underdeveloped countries get the funding to enact such an undertaking? Besides being supported by a Middle Eastern millionaire, the drug war also funds terrorism. Terrorist networks are also reaping profits from drug sales. The drug war provides terrorists with billions of dollars in underground sales of drugs.
The fight between the terrorists and the drug war are similar. If we could change society?s thinking about drug abusers by treating our addicted citizens with dignity and medically for the illness that addiction truly is, instead of viewing them as morally deficient and incarcerating them, we could save billions of dollars. Those monies could be used for treatment, research and education. Going one step further, if we could end prohibition and regulate illegal drugs ourselves; the terrorists would lose a huge part of their income.
In 1999, the US gave $43 million to the Taliban as a reward for cutting down their opium production. They have stockpiled opium instead of slowing down the production. The terrorists need money to function and they have counted on opium sales to help supply their needs. The use of drug profits to fund political violence is nothing new, it has happened in many conflicts including the Vietnam War, Central America in the 1980?s and Colombia, to name a few.
Afghanistan has been wracked with war for over 20 years. It has become the world?s undisputed leader in opium production. The United Nations estimates that Afghanistan produced three quarters of global output in 1999, and sells heroin to its neighbor Pakistan who has approximately 2 million addicts. Ninety percent of Great Britain?s heroin comes from Afghanistan. Although most of the heroin sold in the US in 1999 came from Colombia, US officials are seeing increased quantities of Afghan drugs now coming to America. Opium is sold in public markets, in Afghanistan, in storefronts hang scales. The wet opium is kept plastic bags inside, and dried opium is stacked in cakes. Some merchants earned as much as $132,000.00 in 1998. For many Afghani?s, opium is the only way they can earn a living.
The link between the drug trade and political violence will hopefully be watched more carefully, now.
Editor's Picks Articles
Top Ten Articles
Previous Features
Site Map
Content copyright © 2023 by Susan Hubenthal. All rights reserved.
This content was written by Susan Hubenthal. If you wish to use this content in any manner, you need written permission. Contact Danielle Cardillo for details.
