Military Dope Dealers
How the U.S. military contributed to the opioid epidemic
Military Dope Dealers
How the U.S. military contributed to the opioid epidemic
We’re told that the U.S. spreads freedom and democracy around the world, but for some reason they don’t bother to mention opiate overdoses as well.
For this story, we have to go all the way back to 1979 with the Soviet invasions of Afghanistan. At that point, the CIA sent money, weapons, and support to back the Mujahedeen in their efforts against the U.S.S.R. We saw this as a way to fight a proxy war against the Soviets in an attempt to bankrupt them, and as it turns out it would contribute to their eventual downfall.
During this time period, 1979–1989 much of the country was destroyed, as well as an estimated 2 million Afghanis, and farmers turned to growing opium poppy as it would net them a much higher profit than growing grains.
So in turn much of their funding came from the opium trade. The U.S. was well aware of this but continued to back them with favorable media coverage all the while knowing that this product was the originating point for heroin being used throughout Europe and the U.S.
Some of these same mujahideen fighters ended up becoming Al-Qaeda, but that is for a whole different story.
As of 1984, Afghanistan was supplying 60 percent of the U.S. heroin market and 80 percent of the European market.
During this time period, the U.S. was supporting them and their resistance against the U.S.S.R., knowing how much opium they were growing, while simultaneously running “Just Say No” ads on TV in the states.
The Soviets finally pulled out in 1989, and left Afghanistan in a civil war, with the Taliban finally coming out on top in 1996.
At this point, the country was producing 75% of the world’s heroin.
After the attacks of 9/11, and the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 the quantity of opium production in Afghanistan went from 180 tonnes in 2001 to 3,000 in 2002, then to over 8,000 in 2007.
At that point, it was producing 93% of the world’s heroin production.
It seems the U.S. was keen to increase this production for some reason. I wonder why?