U.S. Want Afghans to Spray Poppies
Herbicides suggested at U.S. and Afghan Meeting
The Bush administration says they will respect any decision the Afghan government makes but are pushing for aerial spraying.
The U.S. is pushing to eradicate crops by spraying the chemical glyphosate which is a common herbicide sold as the product RoundUp.
- Aerial spraying is the most effective suggested method that will have the largest impact. There is some concern for people's and animals health as well as the concern that food crops planted near poppies will also be eradicated.
- The Taliban is making a lot of money off of poppies which they use for heroin. If the U.S. starts spraying their crops it will not only potentially damage people and plants but could be interpeted as chemical warfare.
According to a recent UN estimate Afghanistan has produced 93% of the worlds opiates in the last year so something needs to be done.
Source: Afghans Pressed by U.S. on Plan to Spray Poppies,The New York Times, October 7, Kirk Semple and Tim Golden
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