Oz editorial: hurt the Taliban by investing in biofuels
Photo of Afghanistan by Carl Montgomery. Licensed under Creative Commons license 2.0.
Afghanistan is a tricky place for outside powers. Beginning 800 years ago, outside forces have invaded, occupied and in other ways tried to influence the land and people there. Today, American and NATO military forces still fight the Taliban in an increasingly-worsening war. Australia also has troops in the country, and the Canberra Times thinks that focusing on biofuels is one way to reduce the Taliban's power. The basic idea: convince farmers who are currently growing poppy, which is made into opium/heroin and is controlled by the Taliban, to switch to growing biofuel crops. This would benefit the environment by reducing the amount of diesel fuel needed locally, and also reduce the Taliban's income stream. There is no way the Canberra Times' idea would work as well as they describe it - there are many reasons the region has been in a civil war for decaded - but shifting fields from drugs to biofuel can't hurt.
[Source: Canberra Times]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Mike Z 12:14PM (1/08/2009)
Wow an entire article that does not answer the first question to pop into my head 'Does the client support biofuel crops to begin with?'
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Mike Z 12:14PM (1/08/2009)
Climate
ronEbear 12:35PM (1/08/2009)
Money talks, and if a farmer can make more cash growing poppies than growing corn (THE bio fuel crop) , well, he`ll grow poppies. This isn`t the USA, these farmers won`t be receiving government subsidies to grow crops for fuel. This ideas, at best, is a fantasy,
John Bäckstrand 3:42PM (1/08/2009)
Scuse me, but was the "than growing corn (THE bio fuel crop)" a joke?
Afaik corn -> biofuel is not efficient at all?
noz 12:49PM (1/08/2009)
What a stupid article...yeah..lol...it's the Taliban's fault.
What else can we blame on them? Spousal abuse in the US? Bad beef in grocery stores?
Run for the hills!!!!
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Tim 2:22PM (1/08/2009)
If you REALLY want to hurt the Taliban, take away their primary recruiting tool by:
1) Ending the US occupation of the Middle East by closing ALL of our bases there and bringing ALL of our troops home. This was why they attacked us. (save $Trillions)
2) Stop dropping bombs on their friends and families and start asking questions. Adults talk, children hit.
3) Stop paying Israel to drop US Made bombs on their friends and families. Their 2000 year old problems should NOT be ours!
4) Follow the advice given in George Washington's farewell address which laid the foundation for a tradition of American non-interventionism:
"The great rule of conduct for us, in regard to domestic nations, is in extending our commercial relations, to have with them as little political connection as possible. Europe (the rest of the word at the time) has a set of primary interests, which to us have none, or a very remote relation. Hence she must be engaged in frequent controversies the causes of which are essentially foreign to our concerns. Hence, therefore, it must be unwise in us to implicate ourselves, by artificial ties, in the ordinary vicissitudes of her politics, or the ordinary combinations and collisions of her friendships or enmities."
To the confused masses, non-interventionism is NOT even close to isolationism:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_non-interventionism
We should be Friends with all, Trade with all and have tangling political Alliances with NONE!
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johnny.barker 12:41AM (1/09/2009)
Tim, while I agree with you on some of your points, I think your view of the Taliban is very misguided. Please do more research on who they are, why they are, and why they do what they do. I'm going to leave it here at that and not get into it, but I'd be happy to discuss it more with you if you would like. (I'll even discuss it in Pashto if you want)
Tim 2:21PM (1/08/2009)
SteveCT,
I’m not going to debate EACH point because that could take volumes however, I like any follower of Austrian economics understand and agree that limited regulation is needed to keep monopolies (like the Fed or the Federal Gov’t) from taking over with unlimited power.
It is the courts who protect the citizens by punishing those responsible to the atrocities you referred to. Unfortunately, today’s courts are clogged with the trial lawyer’s legal get rich quick lottery but “loser pays” and “limited damages” would help end the lottery winning’s lawyer split scam. (the bar monopoly would NEVER allow that!)
Anyway, please read the 10th Amendment to the Constitution for guidance regarding the form that regulation should take. Leaving these things to the States would create 50 competitors fighting for corporate and private citizen tax base. This aggressive competition for OUR tax dollars would provide better and more diverse services and an environment for innovation to ALL at far lower gov't costs. Central planning does just the opposite.
Again, the Austrians are NOT anarchists, however the Keynesians ARE socialists.
If you don’t like the supreme law (Constitution), then work within its framework to LEGALLY change it. Each congressman SWORE AN OATH of office to: “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic…” and can only “legally” adjust is as needed via its own provisions.
NEVER interpret or ignore parts of the law because they are not convenient to your political ends. Remember “equal protection and equal application of law”?
If we all acted like the president or congress and ignored or interpreted parts we didn’t’ like…
Well, then that IS anarchy!
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Tim 2:24PM (1/08/2009)
Sorry everyone.
My post #5 above was meant to be attached to a different thread.
Again, I apologize.
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noz 4:08PM (1/08/2009)
TIM:
Regardless, you are correct. We want everyone to take the blame but ourselves....
We suffer self-righteous delusional fascist syndrome in this country.
Good post.
Nathan 5:35PM (1/08/2009)
Just a factual note...
Under the Taliban poppy reduction was far below current levels, mostly because the Taliban looked and continues to look down on poppy production, and doesn't benefit from its cultivation - because They aren't getting the FUNDS from its sale, unless they are stealing funds from small farming communities. Which probably happens.
It is only since US intervention that poppy production rose from about 8% to 90% of the global consumption. Check your facts, or get off the renewable bandwaggon. We don't need idiots spouting misinformation. And corn is the WORST product for making biofuel. Unless your cart runs on biogel...
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Tim 5:46PM (1/08/2009)
Ron Paul and the CIA would both call this "Poppy issue" an unintended consequence also known as "blow back".
You know, the way the Taliban hates the US because we occupy the Middle East with many military bases while we bomb their citizens for their own good.
Bill 5:50PM (1/08/2009)
Wouldn't "not using heroin" would be the best way to hurt them?
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