BELIEVE KARZAI RE POPPY FIELDS
J. Grant Swank, Jr.
Why not?
Does Afghan President Hamid Karzai want his nation to be destroyed? Hardly. He’s put his life on the line daily to keep democracy planting ongoing in his country. Why then would he lie?
Karzai faced criticism in his US visit. There were those who said that he and his leadership were not doing enough to eradicate the poppy fields.
Yet the Afghan leader stated that he and his citizens have tried especially hard to eradicate poppy fields which lead to opium addiction. After all, that which has been there for decades on end can’t be done away with by the wave a magic wand, not even a liberty banner wand.
It takes time. It takes patience. It takes working with the grassroots where livelihoods have been made via poppy fields. Therefore, when fields leading to addictions are done away with there must be some other crop taking the place of poppy fields.
It’s at that point that the Afghan president rightfully told press that he needs more help from freedom nations. He needs alternative planting provided his farmers. That seems simple enough. And it no doubt is simple enough.
But thus far, since Operation Iraqi Freedom, it’s been a few freedom counties coming to the call of US President George W. Bush to help other nations achieve democracy standing.
There have been plenty of free countries sitting on their hands. Or worse: battling Mr. Bush and his team. That enemy cadre includes the United States Democratic Party with such unpatriotic voices as John F. Kerry, Edward Kennedy, Nancy Pelosi and an unrepentant score of others.
Yet the US and Afghan leadership has persisted, sometimes against extreme odds, to see that human beings find their journeys toward a freedom base. Part of that base in Afghanistan is ridding fields of poppy growth and supplanting poppy fields with other kinds of agriculture.
Who then will respond to the Afghan President’s request for aid? What nation will step up today to answer his plea? It will be very very interesting to note how the media goes after this request and how it supports the President’s clear voice.
It will be very intriguing to note how freedom nations go on their self-centered ways or respond graciously to the Afghan leader’s appeal.
Stay tuned.
Why not?
Does Afghan President Hamid Karzai want his nation to be destroyed? Hardly. He’s put his life on the line daily to keep democracy planting ongoing in his country. Why then would he lie?
Karzai faced criticism in his US visit. There were those who said that he and his leadership were not doing enough to eradicate the poppy fields.
Yet the Afghan leader stated that he and his citizens have tried especially hard to eradicate poppy fields which lead to opium addiction. After all, that which has been there for decades on end can’t be done away with by the wave a magic wand, not even a liberty banner wand.
It takes time. It takes patience. It takes working with the grassroots where livelihoods have been made via poppy fields. Therefore, when fields leading to addictions are done away with there must be some other crop taking the place of poppy fields.
It’s at that point that the Afghan president rightfully told press that he needs more help from freedom nations. He needs alternative planting provided his farmers. That seems simple enough. And it no doubt is simple enough.
But thus far, since Operation Iraqi Freedom, it’s been a few freedom counties coming to the call of US President George W. Bush to help other nations achieve democracy standing.
There have been plenty of free countries sitting on their hands. Or worse: battling Mr. Bush and his team. That enemy cadre includes the United States Democratic Party with such unpatriotic voices as John F. Kerry, Edward Kennedy, Nancy Pelosi and an unrepentant score of others.
Yet the US and Afghan leadership has persisted, sometimes against extreme odds, to see that human beings find their journeys toward a freedom base. Part of that base in Afghanistan is ridding fields of poppy growth and supplanting poppy fields with other kinds of agriculture.
Who then will respond to the Afghan President’s request for aid? What nation will step up today to answer his plea? It will be very very interesting to note how the media goes after this request and how it supports the President’s clear voice.
It will be very intriguing to note how freedom nations go on their self-centered ways or respond graciously to the Afghan leader’s appeal.
Stay tuned.
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