Home > Jay Bookman > Archives > 2008 > November > 28 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USTaliban forms its own OPEC
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Taliban seem to have formed their own version of OPEC — in their case the Opium Producing and Exporting Cartel — complete with export limits designed to keep the price of their commodity high. The proceeds are used to fund Taliban operations against the U.S. and the Karzai government.
Says The New York Times:
UNITED NATIONS — Afghanistan has produced so much opium in recent years that the Taliban are cutting poppy cultivation and stockpiling raw opium in an effort to support prices and preserve a major source of financing for the insurgency, Antonio Maria Costa, the executive director of the United Nations drug office, says….
Last year, the insurgents made as much as $300 million from the opium trade, by United Nations estimates. “With two to three hundred million dollars a lot of war effort can be funded,” said Mr. Costa, an Italian diplomat who has served at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime for six years.
But after three years of bumper crops, including this one, the Taliban have succeeded almost too well, producing opium in amounts far in excess of world demand. The result, Mr. Costa said, was now a glut that was putting downward pressure on the price, which had dropped by about 20 percent.
The fact that prices had not collapsed already, he said, was evidence that the Taliban, drug lords and even some farmers have stockpiled the opium, more and more of which is also being processed in Afghanistan. “Insurgents have been holding significant amounts of opium,” Mr. Costa said.
Comments
By getalife
November 28, 2008 1:24 PM | Link to this
Time to end the war on drugs. Can’t afford it.
By "The Corporal"
November 28, 2008 1:27 PM | Link to this
No one should worry about any of this.
It will all be solved by the time the parade is over on January 20th. How do I know this ?
Jay and all the rest of the liberal news media told us during the campaign.
I feel better already.
By TW
November 28, 2008 1:34 PM | Link to this
but…the ‘surge’…but…but…
Fear not. Jan 20 we return to having a leader of the free world.
By Dusty
November 28, 2008 1:41 PM | Link to this
Well, Jay Bookman, this is about as interesting as last month’s water bill. So….the Taliban is going to have sale prices on opium!
As usual, drugs are a scourge to those that use them. Now they will be weapons against us in another way…funding our enemies.
Now let us hear from the libs who think drugs should be legalized. OPIUM TOO so we can help the Taliban???
By Mort Merkel
November 28, 2008 1:46 PM | Link to this
Well, it’s good to see the price coming down on the necessities in life – gas, smack. Maybe milk will go down, too.
But, what’s up with these Talibanners? Why spend that $300 million on guns, bombs and the like? Jack like that would buy you a lot of top-of-the-line hookers.
Get your priorities straight, people
By TW
November 28, 2008 1:53 PM | Link to this
Dusty - I believe there exists a ‘lib’ movement to legalize pot - not opium.
Ironically, there is no greater agrument for the legalization of marijuana than you and your posts :-)
Happy Thanksgiving! Best of luck with the GED!
By getalife
November 28, 2008 2:02 PM | Link to this
In case you have not noticed, some States are decriminalizing small amounts of weed.
Then there are places like these.
The war on drugs is another loser, we can’t afford it and must be cut.
By Dusty
November 28, 2008 2:05 PM | Link to this
Dear TW,1:53
Still making a case for drugs, I see. The lead up line to the hard stuff.
Sorry my posts drive you to drugs BUT I thought you were already on something potent. Your posts indicate hallucination.
See, I told ya…the old GED line. You’ve used that one so many times it is either dementia or drugs. Oh well, my sympathy and may your rehab start soon.
BOOKMAN, could we have something A LITTLE MORE STARTLING?? Like PUSHY NYC SHOPPERS CRUSH WALMART WORKER!
By Dusty
November 28, 2008 2:08 PM | Link to this
getalife@2:02
Are you moving to Switzerland?
By getalife
November 28, 2008 2:11 PM | Link to this
No dusty?
Are you taking Andy’s place?
We have rules on this blog ya know?
By Dust Bunny
November 28, 2008 2:32 PM | Link to this
This place sure could use some cleaning. It’s so filthy in here. Just plain dusty. Cough Cough. Hack Hack. Then again, I suppose we just have to put up with some things while Wooten is away.
By Taxpayer
November 28, 2008 2:54 PM | Link to this
Dusty,
That Walmart employee that got crushed was in Arkansas. Maybe Walmart should try gassing the crowd before opening the doors much like beekeepers do when going for the honey. The things some people will do just to get a good deal on a plasma TV. Pitiful actually.
By RW-(the original)
November 28, 2008 3:05 PM | Link to this
Taxpayer,
Since when is Long Island in Arkansas?
By getalife
November 28, 2008 3:34 PM | Link to this
Perhaps they need a remote lock system for the rabid shoppers and the greeters should take the day off.
Geez.
By GayGrayGeek
November 28, 2008 3:34 PM | Link to this
getalife @ 2:11 - Andy’s still around. He’s marauding the “Toll Lanes” entry over on Wooten’s blog with leftovers from yesterday’s contretemps here in Bookman’s blog, as well as giving me much too much too much credit for much too much too much “power” over him and the AJC blogs.
I never wielded any such “power” when my partner and I lived in Atlanta (OK, well, near Tucker close to Northlake Mall), much less when we left there in 2006 for Columbia, SC, nor when he and I moved on to Nashville, TN, in 2007. I didn’t expect to have all this “power” over the AJC now that we live in a northern exurb of Toronto, Ontario, in Canada…
By Taxpayer
November 28, 2008 3:37 PM | Link to this
Why you are absolutely correct, RW (and Dusty). That poor Wal-Mart worker was indeed trampled to death in NY. I don’t know what made me think of Arkansas unless it was a sign I saw or something that made Arkansas stick in my mind while I typed. Oh well, I do apologize for my mistake.
By Mort Merkel
November 28, 2008 3:52 PM | Link to this
All the stories I read pointed out that Wal-Mart is based in Bentonville, Ark. That’s probably where the confusion came from taxpayer.
By Greg Mendel
November 28, 2008 4:03 PM | Link to this
Wal-Martians are dangerous.
I hope Cut & Paste Management enjoyed Thanksgiving. Biting the head off a live turkey may be more relaxing than we realize.
By Amelia
November 28, 2008 4:20 PM | Link to this
That was horrible what happened at Wal-Mart. What has this world come to? People have gone insane. If you really want to save money, stay home and don’t buy anything. That will save a lot of money. I totally agree with Taxpayer, gas the animals!
By Amelia
November 28, 2008 4:25 PM | Link to this
Oh yeah, I like what Greg Mendel said too, Wal-Martians. :) You may have just coined a new phrase. I’m certainly going to use it. Wal-Martians :)
By Taxpayer
November 28, 2008 4:44 PM | Link to this
Thanks Mort. I think most of us suffer a mental block from time to time. I apologized for my mistake and then took advantage of the opportunity to throw one back with the link that I provided. Do you think we could get Wal-Mart to apologize for that sign.
I like that Wal-Martians thing too, Greg. Some of them do act a lot like aliens. They could even do a re-make of that old TV sitcom and call it My Favorite Wal-Martian. I think it has potential.
As for connecting Wal-Mart with this new OPEC cartel — if driving the price down on opium would put them out of business then I’m in favor of funneling some Fed money through Wal-Mart and let Wal-Mart negotiate for lower and lower prices until it turns growers against each other and reduces revenues to the Taliban, etc. Nothing else seems to be working so maybe it’s time to start thinking outside the [big] box.