[opergolon]

[QUOTE] Originally posted by lord of the mark
Originally posted by Serb
The opium situation is more complex than simply being a measure of the influence of warlords. Sure. And I even know why exactly (see below and feel free to mark it as another conspire theory).
Except they control most of the country. You know why I find it hard to believe? Because Afghanistan and Iraq are apporiximately of the same size both in terms of population 20mln+something, and territory. Iraq, in general is a desert - the worst terrain for guerilla warfare ever, while Afghanistan has a mountainous terrain , wich is just perfect for guerilla warfare. In Iraq you have 200K troops and not doing very well. You claim that in Afghanistan you have only 10K soldiers, which is less than a division. So, why should I believe that in Afghanistan, which has much more favorable terrain for you enemy, and where you have a 20 times less troops, you are doing better than in Iraq?

10 000 troops, perhaps is enough to impose some kind of control over Kabul. I harldy can see how it's enough to control the country of aprx. the same size as Iraq, where, let's face it, you efforts are failing, while there are 200 000 of your troops.
So, I believe those 10 000 troops are doing they job to protect the "elected government" of Afghanistan from its citizens. 10K troops simple is not enough to do anything else. That "elected government" may issue whatever orders for all they care - they even may think everyone will follow those orders, they may think their orders have a full strength upon the territory of the entire country, they may think whatever they wish, but the warlords, who actually controll the country can always use those orders as a good piece of toilet paper for their precious slave-holding, drug-dealing butts and nothing else.

But since absolute majority of Afghani drugs goes to Russia and further to Europe, and the occupying force - USA, don't give a **** about that (if more of those shitty frenchy euros and redass russians would die next year due to Afghani heroin, who cares? And why the hell we should care? It's actually good: EU and Russia would have a serious headache.) And as we all know, thanks to CIV series - anything which brings a headache to your rivals is good for you.

In 2004, every third Afghani worked at opium fields. 90% of world's heroin came from Afghanistan.The opium growing equals to 1/2 of Afghani GDP.
So, how could it be that you democraticly elected government, which controls "most of the country" allow that? When your appointed, excuse me, elected president Karzai came to power the output of opium increased in 2001 17 times comparing to 2000. Is it a clear indication that the covernment controls the entire country? I don't think so. Today Afghanistan is the world's leading heroin manufacturer.
So, I dare to claim that the guys who have real power in Afghanistan are warlords and they don't give a **** about Karzai's government orders.
Any government which have a situation when half of its GDP equals to opium manufacture in their country, doesn't control a thing by definition.

Simple as that.

As for riots, I believe riots in Kabul caused by behavior of your troops and since it's not possible to cover an entire country with 10 000 troops only, there are no factors which encourage riots outside of Kabul. In fact, I think most of your 10 000 force in Afghanistan is located in Kabul. So, people outside the capital have little reason to be pissed off by presence of your troops, and therefore have little need to follow the oreders of your puppet Karzai's government those troops are protecting.

A few thousand more. Cause its an international commitment. Good. It's simply not enough comparing to Iraq. See above.
The support we gave the mujahadeen was small, compared to say the money we funneled into central america in the same period. It was a sideshow, it wasnt the principle focus of US foreign policy. If you think THAT was taking on a superpower, its a good thing you didnt have to take on a real superpower effort.
No, theyre not our lackey. You were misinformed. These statements deserve its own reply. See my next post.

I dont know who they are. But there is a series of high casualty battles going on in the countryside. If you really followed the situation in Afghanistan, youd know that. I was asking about participants of riot in Kabul. You've answered my question - "I dont know who they are", the rest has no importance to me. Since you don't know who they are, I can share my view with you - imho, they are inhabitants of Kabul, who riot against foreign occupation. The Taliban do its sh!tty work in the countryside and doesn not seriously connected to the riot in the capital. I mean, in my opinion, the riot in Kabul is not a Talinban deed, but a people's outrage. The Taliban would simply blow-up a thing or two, but throwing stones to American jeeps? Oh, come on.


p.s. I would be glad if I'm wrong and you are doing just a fine job in Afghanistan, because Russia, as perhaps no one else, is interested in stable situation in Afghanistan, where the government really controll things. Hell, I personally don't mind if it would be your puppet government, if that government suppress the spread of religous fanatism and drug manufacturing. But so far, that's not what I can see there.