Ecthelion, no offense, but seriously, do the research.

Not every crop will grow everywhere. And food is a very poor cash crop. There are considerations of soil, altitude, economics, transportation, and then there's good old supply and demand.

Those farmers have no viable alternative.

And claiming they are sometimes forced to grow is just more of the same old tired "War on Drugs" propaganda.

The situation in Afghanistan just makes me sick. There's this horrible, horrible sense of deja vu, and this opium crap is just one more parallel.

Yeah, that's right, Afghanistan is Obama's Vietnam.

We swore we would never make those mistakes again, we swore we had learned our lessons, Colin Powell himself stood up and said it.

And it's the same thing all over, even down to the poppy eradication plans. (someone will have to say something about the CIA running heroin, watch). The same total disconnect between Washington DC and the reality on the ground. The same business of the poor fucking line animals taking it in the ass because politicians are stupid.

The same ridiculous body counts, the same pathetically inadequate attempts to conceal American casualties, the same valor and dedication and courage and heart-breaking sincerity and good intentions on the part of earnest young Americans both in uniform and out, who are viewed as expendable pawns by the men in expensive Italian silk suits who make the decisions in DC. OH wait, we have a difference! Today some of those people in those expensive suits are women. Yay for progress and equality!!