A Wink And A Nod
"War" in Afghanistan is a corrupt farce.
Australian base surrounded by opium poppies
"MORE than half the fields surrounding the main Australian base in Afghanistan are being used to grow opium poppies, as coalition forces struggle to ween locals off the lucrative crop.
Locals question why troops and police have failed to crack down on the semi-open sale of the poppies, according to the report of a respected non-governmental organisation.
While the allied forces in Oruzgan province have had some success in convincing locals to grow wheat, fruit and saffron, opium poppies are still the province's biggest cash crop.
''Locals find it hard to comprehend why military forces or Afghan National Police have not intervened into poppy cultivation or sale so close to the district centre of Tarin Kowt, and blame it on corruption,'' The Liaison Office says in its report, which analyses the four years of Dutch control of the province.
''There are indeed allegations that several pro-government strongmen, and not just the insurgency, are involved in the drug trade.
''Furthermore, the fact that there are semi-open poppy bazaars in both Deh Rawud and Tarin Kowt adds to the perception of impunity.''
"Taliban militants have claimed that they have driven US troops out of a military outpost in Afghanistan's northeastern Kunar Province.
They also said that the Americans fled the military outpost in Kunar's Marawara district in helicopters on Monday.
A senior Taliban commander said the group is now in full control of the district where the outpost is located.
He added that the militants attacked the outpost with rockets and machine guns.
Taliban say the ensuing clashes forced the US forces stationed there to flee.
The militants say they have seized all weapons and munitions left behind in the outpost.
The US military has not yet commented on the attack."
And this country seems to lose things with astounding regularity.
Probe launched into 500 missing Nato vehicles
"Local markets are awash with goods looted from Nato vehicles."
Australian base surrounded by opium poppies
"MORE than half the fields surrounding the main Australian base in Afghanistan are being used to grow opium poppies, as coalition forces struggle to ween locals off the lucrative crop.
Locals question why troops and police have failed to crack down on the semi-open sale of the poppies, according to the report of a respected non-governmental organisation.
While the allied forces in Oruzgan province have had some success in convincing locals to grow wheat, fruit and saffron, opium poppies are still the province's biggest cash crop.
''Locals find it hard to comprehend why military forces or Afghan National Police have not intervened into poppy cultivation or sale so close to the district centre of Tarin Kowt, and blame it on corruption,'' The Liaison Office says in its report, which analyses the four years of Dutch control of the province.
''There are indeed allegations that several pro-government strongmen, and not just the insurgency, are involved in the drug trade.
''Furthermore, the fact that there are semi-open poppy bazaars in both Deh Rawud and Tarin Kowt adds to the perception of impunity.''
And an increasingly unwinnable farce.
US Base in Afghanistan Captured by Taliban"Taliban militants have claimed that they have driven US troops out of a military outpost in Afghanistan's northeastern Kunar Province.
They also said that the Americans fled the military outpost in Kunar's Marawara district in helicopters on Monday.
A senior Taliban commander said the group is now in full control of the district where the outpost is located.
He added that the militants attacked the outpost with rockets and machine guns.
Taliban say the ensuing clashes forced the US forces stationed there to flee.
The militants say they have seized all weapons and munitions left behind in the outpost.
The US military has not yet commented on the attack."
And this country seems to lose things with astounding regularity.
Probe launched into 500 missing Nato vehicles
"Local markets are awash with goods looted from Nato vehicles."
posted by nolocontendere at 5:26 AM
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