Bill to Cripple Taliban Drug Trade Passes -- After GOP Tries to Kill It
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Bob GeigerWant to meet our members? Click 'Join' above!
In yet another moment that will leave you shaking your head and asking yourself whose side Republicans are really on, the Senate leadership yesterday tried to block a bill by Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) that would provide $700 million in funding for a program to "combat the growth of poppies in Afghanistan and to eliminate the production and trade of opium, and heroin, and to prevent terrorists from using the proceeds for terrorist activities in Afghanistan, Iraq, and elsewhere."
"Our soldiers fought long and hard to rid Afghanistan of terrorists and Taliban,” Schumer said. “However, if the drug trade continues to surge and consume the nation, their heroic efforts may be undone."
"The Taliban draws its strength from the drug trade and in order to prevent them from reclaiming the country, we need to crack down the drugs that fuel their regime," he continued. "We need to ensure that the Department of Defense has the resources available to attack this problem before it becomes far worse.”
Schumer's S.Amdt. 4897, an amendment to the 2007 Defense appropriations bill passed yesterday, was a move by Senate Democrats to double the funding for the existing Department of Defense counter-narcotics operation in Afghanistan and a response to reports that opium production is up 50 percent in that country in 2006.
It is known that Afghanistan's massive drug trade, which provides 92 percent of the world's opium, is one of the primary sources of funding for the Taliban, with that group generating roughly 70 percent of its income through the production and sale of opium. And a report released by the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime said that rampant opium production and illicit drug trafficking could cripple the already fragile Afghan government.
Republicans tried to get rid of Schumer's measure when Ted Stevens (R-AK) made a motion to table the bill, effectively killing it. That attempt was defeated when it failed to receive a simple 50-vote majority. However, 44 Republicans and one Democrat -- is it any surprise that the latter was Nebraska's Ben Nelson? -- voted to kill the amendment and, when that didn't happen, S.Amdt. 4897 passed by a voice vote.
A voice vote is often invoked in the Senate to protect those taking an unpopular stance and was undoubtedly mandated by the GOP leadership when it was obvious the bill would pass and they didn’t want 44 Republican Senators on the record as having voted against it.
Stevens gave weak opposition to the measure saying that drug abatement in Afghanistan is not the Department of Defense's job and that Schumer was requesting too much money.
"In the current bills pending for approval, there is already $346 million for counterdrug activities in Afghanistan for 2007, notwithstanding the carryover money that is available," said Stevens. "This means there is approximately $400 million that will be available in 2007 already and the Senator wants to add $700 million to that. That is an enormous amount of money."
Meanwhile, Schumer pressed the case that it's better to spend a relatively small amount of money to dry up the Taliban's revenue source than to fight their resurgence in Afghanistan and risk losing the gains made there due to the Bush administration's ill-advised focus on Iraq.
"In this year alone, there were over 400,000 acres of poppies planted, compared to 250,000 acres in 2005--a 50-percent increase. Why is this happening?" asked Schumer on the Senate floor yesterday. "It is happening in Afghanistan because the administration failed to finish the job when we changed our focus to Iraq, and now the country is swarming with corrupt warlords and the Taliban is once again taking control over a large portion of the country."
"For people who say this significant amount of money is not useful, it sure is. On a cost-effective basis, it is. It costs a lot more to fight terrorists who use the money from the poppy trade than to fight the poppy trade itself."
Fortunately, despite the GOP's inexplicable opposition to this bill, it passed with the support of a handful of Republican votes.
Schumer completed his speech yesterday by suggesting that as we approach the five-year anniversary of our country being hit with an attack that originated in Afghanistan, we not allow things to go back to the way they were in that country.
"If we want to stop the Taliban from going back to where they were before 9/11, we must stop the way they prosper, survive, and fund themselves," said Schumer. "To show that we are serious about combating cultivation of poppies and the production and trade of opium and heroin, we must put additional resources into the fight. If we don't, Afghanistan's drug trade will come back to haunt us."
You can read more from Bob at BobGeiger.com.
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Comments
Does everyone remember that Bush paid the Taliban...
40 million dollars in May of 2001 to plow under the usual poppy crop and not grow any more.
Now the pricetag is up to 700 million(in this bill). Lessee...this is important legislation before congress adjourns again for a needed rest. They have handled the horsemeat dilemma and now the poppy trade in Afghanistan. Geeez, what happened to all the important stuff they were supposed to take up?
A mind once expanded can never return to its original dimensions.
Anne Hathaway: 1556-1623
The greatest derangement of the mind is to believe in something because one wishes it to be so.
Louis Pasteur
Afghanis Could Starve
No doubt, drugs aren't good and, of course, neither is drug money used for terrorism. But what have we offered as an alternative?
No, drugs and drug money aren't good, but neither is starvation.
I Feel Really Stupid
In response the post above, I just asked that question because it has bothered me for years. Thank you so much for reminding the public that Bush did this.
Maybe this is a story for Keith Oberman, Countdown?
The Taliban zeroed out the
The Taliban zeroed out the drug trade when they were in charge.
Closing down the drug trade will mean that the only cash crop of thousands of Afghans will end and the population will be even more impoverished than they are now.
The US invasion returned things to the way they were before the Taliban took charge. Once again 90% of the heroin originates there. It's back to the good old days when lots of drug/war/tribal lords were jostling for more territory, power and drug money.
The drug/war/tribal lords Bush bribed to fight the Taliban were in the drug trade. These are the people the occupation/counter-insurgency troops rely on. Maybe the US anti-drug troops will have to square off with the US counter-insurgency troops. The Busho-fascists could always bribe the drug/war/tribal lords not to engage in the drug trade. Paying people not to grow crops is one of the things the US government does.
The Taliban were installed by the Pakistani intelligence and military forces. Pakistan is concerned that India will invade and cut the country in two. They want some strategic depth. Pakistan will reinstall a puppet government in Afghanistan as soon as they are able. The 4th big Pakistan-India war could easily turn nuclear.
Bush promised India that he would help to make their nukes better; India never signed the NPT and secretly developed their nukes. At that time the US imposed sanctions.
I would think that many in Pakistan think Bush's promise is the functional equivalent of a declaration of war. One response from Pakistan was the announcement that they would let Osama bin Laden retire there.
The billions the US has wasted on Raygun's 'war on drugs' has accomplished absolutely nothing except creating job security for DEA and other anti-drug agents US illegal drug prices have not skyrocketed because of Raygun's 'war on drugs'.
In Colombia, the drug war is just a ruse so the US can be actively and directly involved in helping the rich and powerful fight against the poor in a civil war that's been going on for 20 years. The right-wing paramilitaries and the military in Colombia have not seen any diminution in profits.
Anti-drug laws are unConstitutional. Otherwise, why was it necessary to get a Constitutional Amendment outlawing alcohol? The only thing Prohibition did was to give organized crime a big boost.
Cocaine and opium use were widespread even in polite society in the US before they were unConstitutionally made illegal. Making drugs illegal means wasting billions on building prisons and enforcing the anti-drug laws. It's why the US has the largest prison population in the world.
The money Schumer wants to throw away would be better deployed as a down-payment for all the development money Bush (and the rest of the world) promised but never delivered. Or for social programs in the US.
There is no security and no development in Afghanistan after the US invasion and occupation. Karzai couldn't leave Kabul when he was running for president for fear of his life. The US turned Afghanistan into a failed state. There is no doubt that there are more terrorists training there than before the US bombardment.
It never ceases to amaze me how the US is so willing to throw-away billions on programs that involve guns, death and destruction and how miserly the US is when the program is for the benefit of middle class and poor Americans.
"The mass of mankind has not been born with saddles on their backs, nor a favored few booted and spurred, ready to ride them legitimately, by the grace of God."
Thomas Jefferson, July 4, 1826
The Taliban
In May 2001 George W. Bush gave the Taliban 41 Million dollars. I am almost positive it was on this site. Does anyone have any information as to why we would give them 41 million dollars in May, 2001 only to have them attack us in September 2001.
This is an important issue. To me it proves a relationship with Bush and the Taliban.
I know this happened, I am not dreaming. If this site can check their archives I know you will find this story.
Bush gave the Taliban 40 million in May of '01...
the purpose was for the Taliban to destroy the current poppy crop. They did so.
This year, the crop is the largest they have ever had. The poppy trade is their largest cash crop.
Note that the Taliban is not only alive and well now, but firmly in charge of most of Afghanistan and some parts of the border area of Pakistan.
A mind once expanded can never return to its original dimensions.
Anne Hathaway: 1556-1623
The greatest derangement of the mind is to believe in something because one wishes it to be so.
Louis Pasteur
CIA met with Osama Bin Laden
CIA met with Osama Bin Laden in July 2001 in a hospital in Dubai and gave him a donation of $200,000. And the government says that 9/11 cost about $250,000 to carry out. But I am supposed to believe it is all just a coincidence.
"They want the federal government controlling Social Security
like it's some kind of federal program."
- George W. Bush in a debate in St. Charles, Mo., Nov. 2, 2000
BUSH DOESN'T WANT THE DRUG TRADE STOPPED
In the history of the Bush dynasty there has always been this stench of illegal activities that lined their pockets with money.
Bush doesn't want to stop the drug trade. He used drugs and on a higher level, excuse the pun, he is making millions on the drug trade now thru contributions.
In 2000 race for president this subject came up often and the people were trashed and their reputations ruined. The Rove machine made them look like fanatics.
It is hard to believe that people like Bush would do this, but as far as I am concerned the Bush Dynasty is a piece of trash who will do anything for the dollar bill.
Look at Bush's twins gina and tonic, if these children were brought up in a God fearing environment one would think that their actions would have shown it.
The Bush Dynasty just wants power and money, if we take back the Senate and Congress, lets impeach him, and hopefully it will be the last Bush that will run for office.
Oh and on another note, I noticed that Bush flew in on a fighter jet with his suit on, I want to see the SOB fly alone. Flying in with a co pilot and being allowed to touch the stick just doesn't cut it. I want to see the SOB do a fly by around the White House alone. He can't fly because he never served.
When all is said and done Bush will be ousted or at least leave with history not on his side. My concern is the damage he is going to create between now and November. And, thank the Lord that Congress takes so many vacations. Gives us a breather and enables all us to create damage control and regroup.
Howard Dean must hire a press secretary to speak on his behalf, everytime the GOP sticks their noses out the door, we need to jump on it.Attack the issues head on. So far, the GOP says whatever they want and we are not saying anything.
Kathy, Bush had about 300 hours of flying time when...
he bailed out of the TANG because(probably due to the drug test he was about to take). The flight suit he wore for the landing on the carrier was appropriate for all personnel on such a flight. Last time I checked however, there has never been a carrier based in Texas...in any case, Bush would not have been carrier qualified...and would not have been able to pilot the jet that landed him on the 'Mission Accomplished' carrier off San Diego.
A mind once expanded can never return to its original dimensions.
Anne Hathaway: 1556-1623
The greatest derangement of the mind is to believe in something because one wishes it to be so.
Louis Pasteur
Bush and his military service
He states he was trained to fly, he has a photo in his plane, 300 hours are enough for him to remember how to fly. His father jumped so why can't Bush fly.
His entire life is a lie. Just like the farm in Crawford. I am from Texas and I know that during the bulding of the house, which by the way is environmentally perfect, solar, etc., this was done during a terrible drought.
Texans lost all of their crops, it was so sad, but Bush drew his water from an adjuducated water plan, Brazos Valley Water Authority, he did this to fill the man made tanks, then once they were full, the state for free stocked the tanks with fish. I don't think I have ever seen anything as orchestrated as this.
I have no respect for George W. Bush, he is not my president. I just hope that when we take the House back we can at least censure him for what he has done to this country.
It's also been reported that
It's also been reported that he bought the ranch when he decided to run for president so he could act like Raygun. A Rovian photo-op that just keeps on giving.
"The mass of mankind has not been born with saddles on their backs, nor a favored few booted and spurred, ready to ride them legitimately, by the grace of God."
Thomas Jefferson, July 4, 1826
He was also only trained on
He was also only trained on a plane the military thought was obsolute(at least for duty in Viet Nam). There's a story that Bush tried to show-off to one of his cronies and tried to fly a different kind of jet and almost crashed it.
"The mass of mankind has not been born with saddles on their backs, nor a favored few booted and spurred, ready to ride them legitimately, by the grace of God."
Thomas Jefferson, July 4, 1826
Thanks
I dislike this man so much that it makes me angry when he goes for a photo op. Anyone who doesn't understand this fell for the photo op, including myself. This was just the other day when he landed somewhere with his helmet, flight jacket and it made me sick. My dad was in the Air Force and he served. My husband served.
I still think the media should push more on that story of his service. Thanks for the reply