hi doma,
i recommend you read the two articles i linked.
afghan farmers grow opium because it is economically appealing.
the afghan government and warlords are complicit.
when it formed the government, the taliban had some success preventing the farmers from growing opium at the expense of wealth. but now it taxes production where it controls territory. just like the other afghan authorities.
the western powers are in no position to prevent opium growth because it would make an enemy of all parties. so there's no incentive for them to promote an aggressive program of prevention.
engaging with afghanistan is pointless. you either get corruption and the narcostate or you get fundamentalism and terrorism. this has been going on for decades.
the russians got out. the us is getting out.
maybe it is time to let the chinese have a turn.
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