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Afghanistan

It's the opium, stupid: ‘Afghan surge guarantees CIA black-ops budget boost'

2017-08-25

Russia Today opines.

[RT] The CIA is also overjoyed because its black-ops budget - which is tied to the exponential growth of opium production in Afghanistan - is now secured possibly for another 20-50 years, claims Mike Raddie, co-editor of online site BSNews.

The announcement on US strategy in Afghanistan comes as Donald Trump shakes up his inner circle: chief strategist, Steve Bannon, has become the latest to head for the exit.

The US military said that in a matter of days additional US troops could be deployed to Afghanistan, following President Trump’s speech on a new strategy for the region.

The first new deployments of American military personnel will happen "pretty quickly," Gen. Joseph Votel told reporters on Tuesday, as quoted by AP.

Posted by:Skidmark

#4 On most ops opium or its base was found...along with stolen or capture US and Coalition materiel. The stuff is prolific...tons...and I mean tons of are destroyed on ops. I am not a fan of the CIA, and I call this article pure BS and propaganda.

The real money is made when this stuff hits the Stans...kinda seems like the good ole Russian or Chinese intel is the likely agency that stands to make the money...this is a diversion ploy.

Posted by: Tennessee 2017-08-25 12:19

#3 Just because the Russians say so doesn't mean it isn't true. The evidence is all those poppy fields that Tony Blaire said would be eradicated. We should have known better.

Posted by: Abu Uluque 2017-08-25 10:24

#2 RT propaganda with grain of salt; Afghan wheat, corn, and soy bean futures are in something of a slump. Complicating the economic woes, there really is little hope that the Afghan tech, heavy industrial, or rug making sectors will provide any relief.

Appears a 'single crop economy' will continue to be the trend, a business development reality which should be missed by no one, not even a Klingon geo-political analyst.

On the bright side, narcotics induced pacification works. Trade is stimulated and the violence is tribal and localized. Our own inner-cities might provide some supporting evidence.

Posted by: Besoeker 2017-08-25 07:50

#1 Well, there are those persistent rumors dating back to Viet Nam and Mena, Arkansas.

Posted by: JohnQC 2017-08-25 07:28

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