Trump declares that he will win the Afghan war. The Guardian describes that war as unwinnable and unlosable (Leader, 23rd August). If the war is to
continue indefinitely, then the world faces a miserable future, because
the so-called War on Terror is one of the main drivers of Islamic
terrorism.
However, there is a way of bringing the misery to an end. To win a
war we need to win the hearts and minds of the people. We cannot do this
while the most valuable crop they are growing is illegal. The economy
of Afghanistan is now heavily dependent on opium, and at present the
trade is run by the Taliban, who are sustained by its profits, and
export it to feed addiction and crime in the West. The illicit opium
trade is one factor in the endemic corruption that is holding the
country back.
Meanwhile, about 6 million of Africans die of cancer each
year, their agony unrelieved by morphine or heroin.
Five problems, one simple solution. Buy the opium crop from the Afghan
farmers, medicalise it, and use it in Africa. Everyone benefits, except
the Taliban and the drug barons.
When asked why this is not done, the stock reply from Government is
"Some of the medical morphine might leak onto the drugs market".
So sad, as Trump would say.
(More on this)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment