by Marcus Brooks

Created on: June 08, 2009

America's global "war on terror" superceded its national "war on drugs". Immediately following 9/11, President Bush and his military advisers formulated a plan to invade Afghanistan and overthrow its Islamic, Taliban regime. It was an operation to destroy Al Qaeda's terror camps and extradite the most wanted man in world, Osama Bin Laden.

In accomplishing this feat, the U.S. military had to look away. They had to ignore its "Holier Than Thou" mentality and let their Afghan allies dictate the terms. They paid warlords to volunteer their private armies for anti-Al Qaeda missions. They also gave those warlords "free reign" over territories they controlled. That free reign included several things, such as violating civilians' human rights, torturing "suspected" militants and allowing a lucrative, drug trade to flourish.

The combined force of U.S. soldiers and Afghan rebels completely routed the Taliban and Al Qaeda. From October 2001 to March 2002, Afghanistan was quickly overrun. Taliban strongholds in Kabul and Kandahar fell. When the regime dissolved, Bush appointed Harman Karzai as president of new, democratic nation.

That democracy bought and paid for increased, Afghan drug trafficking. Since 2002, about 80% of all hashish and opium (heroin) came out of a 'liberated" Afghanistan. With that explosion, more Americans became drug addicts. American cities experienced spikes in drug-related crimes; especially robbery, burglary and murder. Afghan warlords welcomed freedom has opportunities to set up their worldwide, distribution network. They funneled their drugs to Asian markets. They established a pipeline through southern Europe, North Africa and eventually reached the coasts of Miami and New York City.

Afghanistan's Taliban regime put to death drug smugglers and traffickers. Their harsh statute made it impossible for drug cartels to survive.

In post 9/11 Afghanistan, Kandahar opened a McDonald's restaurant. Free enterprise existed without hinderance from hard-line Islamic law. America chose a lesser evil. They overthrew a government that exported terrorism. And, Western-born capitalism allowed for anyone, including criminals to make comfortable livings.

In a perfect world, Karzai should've enforced anti-drug trafficking law. But, Afghan warlords sacrificed their lives to get Bush his revenge. That loyalty had to be paid back somehow.

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