Opium interesting read on wiki

[Randy]

Afghanistan is currently the primary producer of the drug. After regularly producing 70% of the world's opium, Afghanistan decreased production to 74 tons per year under a ban by the Taliban in 2000, a move which cut production by 94 per cent. A year later, after American and British troops invaded Afghanistan, removed the Taliban and installed the interim government, the land under cultivation leapt back to 285 square miles (740 km2), with Afghanistan supplanting Burma to become the world's largest opium producer once more.

just a piece i thought was interesting

[TonyT]

It's more than interesting, it's the sole reason we fight a war there. It's also the reason Russia fought a war there. It's also the reason we fought the Korean War & Vietnam War. Korea and Vietnam were not about deterring Communism, they were about control of the opium trade.

[Dan]

just a piece i thought was interesting

one would think the Taliban would want the US & UK to do all the heroin they can do !

[TonyT]

one would think the Taliban would want the US & UK to do all the heroin they can do !

It's not just the illegal opium trade. There are much higher profits in legal narcotics for big pharma. For example, an aspirin costs about 2-3 cents from start to finish, a profit margin of several thousand percent. Similar ratios for morphine, demerol, dilaudid, codeine, and other derivatives.

[YeOldeStonecat]

Korea and Vietnam were not about deterring Communism,

I gotta say, although I've heard many stories about drug money playing a major factor in the Vietnam war, I've never heard anything close to that for the Korean war. Just stuff about it being a proxy war, and muscle flexing against Stalin. (since he had a huge hatred towards America due to the last weeks of WWII in Europe...our bad blood started as both sides were closing in on Belin).

[Philip]

I've heard some very high opinions about Afgan Kush as well

[TonyT]

I gotta say, although I've heard many stories about drug money playing a major factor in the Vietnam war, I've never heard anything close to that for the Korean war. Just stuff about it being a proxy war, and muscle flexing against Stalin. (since he had a huge hatred towards America due to the last weeks of WWII in Europe...our bad blood started as both sides were closing in on Belin).

While there indeed was an anti-communism thread that ran through these Asian wars, opium was a major factor. Here's a small history of the CIA's role:
http://www.corbettreport.com/the-cia...pener-preview/

[blebs]

[YeOldeStonecat]

While there indeed was an anti-communism thread that ran through these Asian wars, opium was a major factor. Here's a small history of the CIA's role:
http://www.corbettreport.com/the-cia...pener-preview/

I've read most of those...some are certainly believable, I don't see anything in that link which points to the Korean war though. Just a faint mention of the Chinese troops during that time period...but around Burma.