I don't have a definate number on the total sales of narcotics from afghanistan. According to BBC it was about $ 40 billion couple of years ago. I guess it is much more. This should give reason to those who are in charge of afghanistan to look after the production of narcotics as a good source of income!!! I wonder if NATO which is in charge of the borders, security and fighting the production of drugs is really willing to reduce the production of it. We know that production of drugs has actually increased instead of decreasing during the NATO and Western reign!! According to the former head of Russian Interpol in an interview with RT, NATO airplanes are used to transport the narcotics to KOSOVO and subsequently Western Europe. Do we need more evidence??? The US wants to control and rule. If you put peoples to sleep or drug them it should be easier to control them!! A good example is Iran. A large chunk of Afghan drugs go to Iran. It helped neutralise a large number of Iranian people. The government of Iran made a lot of money on the sales of it.!!

The Americas could eradicate the poppy field with their well-know "shock and awe" attack any time they wish. The reason these poppy fields are not being eradicated is that the flow of opium into the Russian Federation serves America's interest to poison and eventually weaken the Russian people. There is one other possible explanation for America's willingness to flood the RF with Afghan opium - to blackmail RF into sending troops to help America force its occupation on the Afghan people. If the RF does not send combat troops to Afghanistan, the Americans will flood the RF with Afghan opium until they do send troops. Aren't the Americans clever????

When the Democrats took control of Congress during the later years of the Bush administration, they began making noises about cutting funding for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. George Bush was asked what he would do if the funding was cut, and he said that there was enough funding "in the pipeline" to keep the wars going for a short time. Now I wonder, WHICH pipeline?

Of course US and NATO is doing nothing about drugs, but it is worse than that, US and NATO is dliberately cultivating the drugs as a weapon against Russia. US and NATO are drug dealers, it is as simple as that. It is time to take out the drugs, not just talk about it. But we need do it the clever way, by moving the problem to Europe and USA, then they will be forced to react. They will only do something when it is in their markets. We should focus more on getting them to feel the problem, because us having a problem is their desired result.

The Taliban were good for one reason. Due to their religious zeal, they realy combated the national drug production. And now there are 3 reasons why drug production has exploded in Afghanistan: Firstly it is still a war zone, so whatever you might hope, there is yet little control possible of production and traffic. Moreover Afghanistan is a huge mountainous region, thus controling the transport routes of the drugs and guarding the borders is nearly impossible. Secondly the ISAF force (NATO) wouldn't be able to stay and fight, if it wouldn't have the support of the local warlords. And part of the deal for their support or noninterference, was to allow them the production of opium again. Thirdly and most importantly, I believe, that the either the local NATO command or even their governments actually have their business interests in the drug production. Everyone knows that the CIA, for example, is partly funded on drug money...

Simple minded Russians, you have not yet understood that to succeed in controlling Russia for her huge natural resources and making her an US vassal, imperialists will do whatever is necessary. Doing it militarily is impossible, but destroying the society from within with drugs is very possible. Some reports, even point out that US military trucks are used to bring the drugs to the CEI's borders. To balance mankind' stupidity, South-American states, like Columbia operate in the same manner, procuring as much drugs as the very sick American society needs... Consequently, as I have repeated so many times, Russian leaders should not participate in any deal with the US-NATO consorcium, unless that military organisation's members change radically by concrete actions their attitude and first of all, dissolve NATO... Sorry Future Generations.... Sincerely. Jean-Claude Meslin

The Taliban have shown their moral bankruptcy by switching from executing those involved in drugs when they were in power to actively supporting and earning revenue from the drugs trade. The idea that the US is promoting the drugs trade seems a bit far-fetched - I'm sure everyone would be interested in any evidence supporting this. What certainly has happened is that in their largely ineffectual attempts to win over the locals, the ISAF forces have played a soft approach when it comes to heroin production by ignoring it. Of course, if the farmers concerned had actually been paid the money they were promised to help subsidise food production, they might have been persuaded to stay clear of the drugs trade - but that money seems to have remained in the pockets of their politicians in Kabul. It is a huge mistake. In order to support their drug habits, addicts in all countries turn to other areas of crime like theft and prostitution. In the UK, police estimate that over 50% of all theft is to support drug addiction. Personally, I think the heroin crops should be identified from aerial and satellite imagery and then sprayed from the air. The farmers should be given a few months notice of such a policy before it is implemented without any discussion. Of course, the Americans are a bit worried about spraying anything from the air due to the disaster they caused in Vietnam with Agent Orange. Overall, the governments of the ISAF forces won't take the decisions needed to win the war against the Taliban and the conflict is likely to rumble on for years - but in the end, they will leave and the Taliban will return to power. Given that, they should leave now and stop soldiers dying in a war which they will not be allowed to win.

I wonder why the Russian Federation doesn't take action on her own to destroy these poppy fields. It shouldn't be too difficult for RF to convince the world that they are taking action to protect the lives and health of the people suffering from the spread of opium. RF should just napalm all the poppy fields with a message that the next strike will target those who grow the poppies. Look folks! If the US could justify their barbarous attack on Iraq using entirely concocted WMD lies as a pretext, the RF would have a perfectly legitimate right to destroy the poppy fields in order to protect the lives and health of it's people from the American sanctioned opium WMD. It shouldn't be too difficult for the RF to contact the sane members of NATO, like the Germans and the French, with their proposal to eradicate the Afghan poppy fields. I am sure the Americans will erupt with screams to high heavens about the "inviolable sovereignty" of Afghanistan, and will put pressure on the Germans and French not to participate. The Russian Federation has no other choice but to act in her own interests.

Razkolnik, Your comments are very valid and the closeset I have seen so far to 'recent studies', however I have this important point to make: Computer based models, and scenario simulations discused by think-tank groups have shown that the opium supply must not be cut off quickly or completlely due to the risk of severe consequences in the US, and in some European countries (and although not specifically mentioned I am sure that Russia could be included too). The domestic consequences of a sudden or complete stop in the supply of opium were considerable and unpredictable and included 1) a significant rise in violent crime in major population centres, 2) significant and unsustainable draining of, and diversion of, law inforcement resources, 3) social fragmentation (due to those who can afford to, moving away from crime centres - usually large cities - and into suburbs / small towns) and increased economically induced aprtheid, 4) reduced economic output (at city level, regional level, and national level - due to too many reasons to discuss here) 5) increases in health care costs and the rationing of medicinal opiates 6) unpredicatable political leadership issues - challenges to the leadership, loss of confidence, possible social unrest. There are many other effects too, all interlinked, and highly complex, however I think that you will get the basic idea from the above and from what Razkolnik has already written as to why no serious attempt has yet been made to stop the Afghan drug trade. It is clear that opium has become an incidious substance and one not easily dismissed.

"I wonder why the Russian Federation doesn't take action on her own to destroy these poppy fields." Answer - because that is exactly the move US and NATO want us to make, to get us locked in, so that they can complete their work of lighting the under belly of Russia. Then they go away with mission complete. It is the move that would lose us at least a Bishop. Better move - be as attentative to drugs as the US and NATO, so they can flow from Afghanistan right upto the boarders of the EU and US. It would be difficult for us, just as the US and NATO are finding it 'difficult' to shut down this trade, as we miss EU drug dealers coming and filling up un-noticed in big drug warehouses right on their border, just to trip across into the whole Shengen area. The EU would then have a huge issue with Afghan drugs, as the profits are bigger there. Hence they could try to act to shut down the Afghan production, and we of course could help by being more attentative to the distribution network to Europe. The same goes for Latin America! If you make a drugs situation, then who knows it could spread! We will of course try as hard as the US and NATO to stop it!

JG. You do not seem to understand much about modern warfare. With the use of satellites, the US-NATO forces have a picture of Afghanistan's each scare-meter. Poppy-fields do not move around like talibans. If the coalitions armies really wanted to get ride of all the drugs in Afghanistan, they will do it in one day. They don't want because there is corruption at all levels of governments, as well as in the high ranking invasion forces. We can even say that the drugs dealing pay for the war. Having Russia taking the matter on her own will be rejected by NATO. The only thing that she can do is help her CEI's friends to shot and kill all drugs' traffickers crossing the borders (even if they are American). I am convinced that the drugs' matter is part of the US strategy to reach her goals. You, all have difficulties to admit that; but for the American strategists, human life has very little value. All those tanned peoples are like American-Indians: under-humans, negligible collateral casualties. My description may look cynical but it is the simple truth. Sorry Future Generations ! your friend: Jean-Claude Mrslin

Perhaps Russia should simply offer higher price to traffickers by transporting them by planes to Alaska-USA border so that they can sell heroin in USA on much higher prices than in Russia! I'm sure that after 6 months of that approach when quantity of heroin would become in USA 10 times higher than usual USA would IMMEDIATELY "menage" to destroy all poppy fields by spraying them from helicopters with some weed killer BTW I've just read in newspapers Germany has "doubts" that some German firm (that does laundry for German army in Afghanistan) whose owners are ALBANIANS are smuggling drugs (actually they pretend not to be sure) Personally I am SHOCKED! Who would think that ALBANIANS are smuggling heroin :) , when whole planet knows that Afghanistan is the BIGGEST world source of Heroin and Kosovo ALBANIANS are the BIGGEST Heroin smugglers in Europe! What "surprise"! Perhaps it's time for Robert De Niro to make "Godfather 3" but this time he would not be Italian-"Godfather" but NATO general in role of "Godfather" or head CIA officer as "Godfather" surrounded with his Albanian cronies!

We have the same problem in Iran, but much worse. We have been complaining about it for years, but to deaf ears. Read government news reels and you will often catch a headline describing several tons of opium being caught every now and then, so far 3500 Iranian police have died trying to stop this crap from getting to Iran and to Europe.. About time your Russian officials start slapping NATO for this.. Using narcotics on enemy civilization has been a European method of war for centuries.. Iran, Russia and China present a challenge for US/NATO Euro asian dominance.. Drugs are a method of war.. its about time Russia learns that no matter what you do.. you will never be equal in US and NATO eyes.. time to make the shanghai a real alliance..

After all, the UK used to export opium to China to balance their trade deficit, and the result were the Opium Wars... Heroin is becoming the second most important health problem of Russia after alcoholism, now that the life expectancy of Russians was recovering...

Besides what's used for medicines,I wish to God we would wipe out all of the poppy farms,since I have a brother that's addicted to heroin,and every day looks like it's his last.

"Time to make the shanghai a real alliance..." Amen to that!

“Afghan heroin amounts to 90% of all drugs sold in Russia. The Americans accused Saddam of possessing WMD which he didn't have. Yet, the Americans are facilitating the influx of this heroin WMD to flood into the Russian Federation without a whimper of concern. Russia has two options in my opinion: 1. Destroy the Afghan poppy fields, or 2. Terminate all who are involved in smuggling this poison into the RF. These scum should first be subjected to American style "enhanced interrogation" until they give up their cohorts, or they die. Afterwards they should be promptly executed. Sure, there may be some innocent persons who will suffer. What is the American term for such people? Oh that's right - they are called "collateral damage". Of course the pro-occupation Americans will run about screaming at the Russians, but so what.

This whole deal with not stopping the heroin productions is outright ridiculous. NATO and a whole gang of supporters and liberal... ok never mind, the main point being they can`t stop it because "poor afghan farmers have nothing else to do". Oh cry me a river! Even if spraying the fields with weed killers involved killing the farmer`s "livelihood", and him along with it so be it. Either they (nato) are as helpless as they admit, which is very doubtful, or they along with the puppet government are profiting from them. I mean come on! The number one exporter of heroin, and they don`t consider the fact what a goldmine for drug dealers this is? Someone is making as much if not more money than those Mexican cartels. The war didn`t put an end to Al-Qaeda, they didn`t get Bin Laden, they FAILED to transform Afghanistan into anything other than it was for the last 500 years, they "control" only what their guns are pointed at, and now they fail - or willingly continue - the heroin flow. Is there ANYTHING about that war, anything AT ALL that is good? Can someone name me one single thing? Build a 100-meter high concrete wall around the whole country and problem solved.

Critic: "Is there ANYTHING about that war, anything AT ALL that is good? Can someone name me one single thing?" "Good" is a relative term. The Afghan war has been very good for some and terrible for others. 1. Bush's invasion of Afghanistan made Eric Prince, the founder of Blackwater, a multi-millionaire. 2. The Pentagon generals are happy with their new sandbox in which they play their "war games" and test their new killing toys. 3. Karzai, his cousins, and their cronies have become immensely wealthy off of American bribes. 4. Opium growers and heroin dealers are smiling. Morally speaking, the Americans have brought a bloody hell to the Afghan people.