In a move Pentagon officials say is directed at Taliban revenue streams, US F-22 stealth fighters and B-52 Stratofortress bombers attacked what they’re describing as “opium labs” in the northern part of the Helmand Province.
A pair of buildings were destroyed in the attack, which Gen. John Nicholson claimed caused “minimal collateral damage.” Nicholson noted there was a third building they didn’t attack, claiming it was to avoid civilian casualties.
Mich of Helmand Province is dedicated to opium farming, which is why the Taliban has long been interested in controlling the area. This talk of labs and factories is new, however, and it’s not clear what these buildings were actually for.
It’s been a recurring problem for the Pentagon that claims of destroying important militant facilities in airstrikes don’t ultimately prove to be true, and with recent reports of strikes destroying “ISIS bomb factories” actually just leveling a pair of civilian homes, this new claim of labs may be taken with a grain of salt.
US Air Strikes target CIA Opium Labs
Big Pharma hates the free enterprise competition.
“The buying and selling of dope may be the last vestige of free enterprise left in this country.”
Sgt Stedenko.
Actually, the US bombs the labs that are not under the control of the CIA.
Indeed, the CIA hates competition.
looking at the other comments it is most obvious there is not much faith in our government . this has gradually been getting more true over the years . maybe about to reach a breaking point
Remember in 2001 when the USA invaded Afghanistan and admitted that the Taliban had reduced production of poppies to a historically small amount? Ever since, the amount has vastly increased and the USA pretends it is fighting it. What else are the people supposed to live on? Anyone following the CIA’s drug policies all over Latin America knows that stopping drug production is never the option. Like fighting terrorism, it is all pretence.
Several reports say Pat Tillman turned against the war after seeing US troops guarding newly planted Afghan poppy fields. If true, the reason behind his friendly-fire death becomes crystal clear. The poster boy for the war could not be allowed to denounce it and reveal the CIA’s role in resurrecting the opium trade.
That this is not considered absurd scares the hell out of me.
“US Airstrikes Target Taliban Opium Labs” but not US opium labs.
The Taliban despise opium. When they took over they did their very best to eradicate it. Poppy production didn’t increase until after the US took over,