US Government negotiates with Taliban

[Farnhamia]

Depends on which statistics. The number of villages involved have decreased by over 50%.
Which suggests that the campaign to purge the crop from some areas has worked. Which means the taliban now cannot reliably recruit in those areas and is crippled.

So... farmers equal terrorists? Fewer farmers equals fewer terrorists?

I must be missing some important information here. I'm genuinely confused about how this makes sense and genuinely interested in finding out.

Only if the farmers are growing poppies. If they grow wheat or watermelons or cucumbers or okra, that's okay. *nod*

[The UK in Exile]

My god that's ironic of you to say. A General on the ground says it's working, and get the statistics say otherwise.

Depends on which statistics. The number of villages involved have decreased by over 50%.
Which suggests that the campaign to purge the crop from some areas has worked. Which means the taliban now cannot reliably recruit in those areas and is crippled.

Thats one possible theory, another is thats not a real statistic.

[Verdo-Releignia]

"Allah Akbar! He has given us this victory!"
"Yes, my frie- hey whats the sound?"|
*explosions ereywhur*

[Ostroeuropa]

Depends on which statistics. The number of villages involved have decreased by over 50%.
Which suggests that the campaign to purge the crop from some areas has worked. Which means the taliban now cannot reliably recruit in those areas and is crippled.

So... farmers equal terrorists? Fewer farmers equals fewer terrorists?

I must be missing some important information here. I'm genuinely confused about how this makes sense and genuinely interested in finding out.

If your town grows Opium and such, it gives the taliban an in by which they can influence that town and it's politics and way of life.
If your town grows no Opium, what are they going to do? What can they offer you, exactly? What funds do they deliver? Which mouths do their hands feed, and thus earn the loyalty of?

[Ostroeuropa]

Depends on which statistics. The number of villages involved have decreased by over 50%.
Which suggests that the campaign to purge the crop from some areas has worked. Which means the taliban now cannot reliably recruit in those areas and is crippled.

Thats one possible theory, another is thats not a real statistic.

Your own sources said so.
The number of villages involved in production has decreased.

[United Prefectures of Appia]

Are you serious? The mainstream media hated Bush, especially late into his term. They would have 24/7 analysis of it.

Yeah, and purple unicorns exist IRL.

[Distruzio]

So... farmers equal terrorists? Fewer farmers equals fewer terrorists?

I must be missing some important information here. I'm genuinely confused about how this makes sense and genuinely interested in finding out.

Only if the farmers are growing poppies. If they grow wheat or watermelons or cucumbers or okra, that's okay. *nod*

Ah... so poppy farmers equal terrorists. Got it.

Still confused here. I must've missed the article explaining how farming creates terrorism.

[The UK in Exile]

So... farmers equal terrorists? Fewer farmers equals fewer terrorists?

I must be missing some important information here. I'm genuinely confused about how this makes sense and genuinely interested in finding out.

If your town grows Opium and such, it gives the taliban an in by which they can influence that town and it's politics and way of life.
If your town grows no Opium, what are they going to do? What can they offer you, exactly? What funds do they deliver? Which mouths do their hands feed, and thus earn the loyalty of?

Yes, but you've missed a very important point. the Taliban don't grow opium. The farmers do. They do it because it sells like fucking crack.

[Ostroeuropa]

Only if the farmers are growing poppies. If they grow wheat or watermelons or cucumbers or okra, that's okay. *nod*

Ah... so poppy farmers equal terrorists. Got it.

Still confused here. I must've missed the article explaining how farming creates terrorism.

It's more that the drug trade does. You can't sell opium legitimately really, so you have to deal with criminals.
Terrorism and organized crime are good bedfellows. One funds the other.

[Colbert Super PAC]

I am opposed to this! Even though Reagan did the same when he gave guns in exchange for American hostages.

[Maineiacs]

The US government has recently negotiated with the Taliban to realease an American Army prisoner in return for the release of 5 Taliban commanders from Guantanamo Bay.

Where do you stand on the government's deal? I believe it is a foolish risk that may result in further harm in the future.

"Obama Becomes 44th Consecutive President to Do Something Either Illegal or Extra-Legal; Film at 11."

[Tel]

Disappointing in terms of the Terrorist scum, but great for that one soldier, I guess.

It's a bad deal, but it has an upside to it, at least.

Most political/military fuck-ups don't.

[Distruzio]

So... farmers equal terrorists? Fewer farmers equals fewer terrorists?

I must be missing some important information here. I'm genuinely confused about how this makes sense and genuinely interested in finding out.

If your town grows Opium and such, it gives the taliban an in by which they can influence that town and it's politics and way of life.
If your town grows no Opium, what are they going to do? What can they offer you, exactly? What funds do they deliver? Which mouths do their hands feed, and thus earn the loyalty of?

.... wut?

Now I'm convinced I've no idea what you're talking about. How is opium terrorism? How is opium farming support of the taliban?

Do the taliban eat opium? Is it their currency?

[Valaran]

Only if the farmers are growing poppies. If they grow wheat or watermelons or cucumbers or okra, that's okay. *nod*

Ah... so poppy farmers equal terrorists. Got it.

Still confused here. I must've missed the article explaining how farming creates terrorism.

I think what he was trying to say is that the opium farming funds terrorism, as the opium is used to make heroin which is then sold. So, it helps it indirectly, though of course the farmers are not terrorists

[United States of Devonta]

Look at the liberals here, rushing to defend their lord and savior, NDAA-Signing and patriot-act extending Emperor Barackus Hussien Obama the Third. "Yeah, he broke the law, but for good reason." So when Bush breaks the law it's bad, but when Obama does it it's good?

*Claps hands* Yes, let's all pray at the altar of Hussein. He is morally superior, that's right. let's love him and his administration now. It's Bush's fault that Obama broke the law, yes it's all bush's fault. When wwwe break the law, we normally pay a penalty. But our Emperor Hussein doesn't. Yes. Keep following Hussein NS brainwashed liberals.

Is this worth responding to? I mean whats up with the Republican fetish with his middle name? Is it because of his middle name they connect it to Muslims?

[The UK in Exile]

Thats one possible theory, another is thats not a real statistic.

Your own sources said so.
The number of villages involved in production has decreased.

Out of 23 villages where Afghan officials had eradicated poppies in 2008, 11 continued to cultivate opium this year.

In other words, out of the number of villages we actually bothered to visit. which is nowhere close to:

The number of villages involved haves decreased by over 50%.

[Occupied Deutschland]

I'm confused.

My understanding was that the 'detainees/enemy-combatants/etc.' in Guantanamo Bay quite specifically WEREN'T POWs. Would such not make them ineligible for prisoner exchanges?

[Condunum]

Ah... so poppy farmers equal terrorists. Got it.

Still confused here. I must've missed the article explaining how farming creates terrorism.

It's more that the drug trade does. You can't sell opium legitimately really, so you have to deal with criminals.
Terrorism and organized crime are good bedfellows. One funds the other.

If the drug trade is the source of terrorism, legalize drugs. Legal marijuana is damaging the cartels at a far faster rate than brute force.

[Ostroeuropa]

Your own sources said so.
The number of villages involved in production has decreased.

Out of 23 villages where Afghan officials had eradicated poppies in 2008, 11 continued to cultivate opium this year.

In other words, out of the number of villages we actually bothered to visit. which is nowhere close to:

The number of villages involved haves decreased by over 50%.

So visit more of them. It's working.

[Distruzio]

Ah... so poppy farmers equal terrorists. Got it.

Still confused here. I must've missed the article explaining how farming creates terrorism.

It's more that the drug trade does. You can't sell opium legitimately really, so you have to deal with criminals.
Terrorism and organized crime are good bedfellows. One funds the other.

Where'd organized crime come in, Ostro? Where'd the selling of opium come in?

Are you saying that the taliban are farmers?

I'm not mocking or arguing with you at all. I genuinely have no idea how this makes sense. To me, you're saying that, since farmers are taliban, farmers are terrorists.

[Ostroeuropa]

It's more that the drug trade does. You can't sell opium legitimately really, so you have to deal with criminals.
Terrorism and organized crime are good bedfellows. One funds the other.

If the drug trade is the source of terrorism, legalize drugs. Legal marijuana is damaging the cartels at a far faster rate than brute force.

I couldn't agree more. That should have been our first step when we realized the connection.

[Farnhamia]

Disappointing in terms of the Terrorist scum, but great for that one soldier, I guess.

It's a bad deal, but it has an upside to it, at least.

Most political/military fuck-ups don't.

Good for him, yes, though his story is kind of complicated.

[Valaran]

It's more that the drug trade does. You can't sell opium legitimately really, so you have to deal with criminals.
Terrorism and organized crime are good bedfellows. One funds the other.

If the drug trade is the source of terrorism, legalize drugs. Legal marijuana is damaging the cartels at a far faster rate than brute force.

Well opium is used for heroin, and I have more doubts about that one, it actually does harm. (though obviously agree about marijuana)

[Ostroeuropa]

It's more that the drug trade does. You can't sell opium legitimately really, so you have to deal with criminals.
Terrorism and organized crime are good bedfellows. One funds the other.

Where'd organized crime come in, Ostro? Where'd the selling of opium come in?

Are you saying that the taliban are farmers?

I'm not mocking or arguing with you at all. I genuinely have no idea how this makes sense. To me, you're saying that, since farmers are taliban, farmers are terrorists.

No, the Taliban are the drug trafficers and traders, and perhaps even producers in the sense of Poppy - > Opium.

[The UK in Exile]

In other words, out of the number of villages we actually bothered to visit. which is nowhere close to:

So visit more of them. It's working.

Not if they just grow more in the villages they don't visit and can't visit it isn't.