Karzai on Opium Production

Karzai of Afghanistan just said something I could support. Clearly, the war against opium production is not only being lost in Central Asia, but Afghanistan since we attacked them has produced record amounts.

If we want this to slow down, says Karzai, encourage people, if they wish, to grow poppies, and allow the government (with support from the world community) to pay them for their poppies and then destroy the yield once paid for. If we fail to pay the farmers, then they get to keep their poppies (and we have only ourselves to blame). In other words, put up or shut up.

No, it's not the best solution, but the only group that's been successful with fighting opium production in Afghanistan is the Taliban and... well, they're not a really fine alternative, are they?