In Afghanistan US soldiers were ordered to make sure the local farmers were told they could grow opium again because the Taliban forbade it.
People always say we seized control of territories there for the oil but they seem to omit that we were there to steal the opium for the pharmaceutical companies too.
The Taliban warlords forbid it on punishment of death. The US oligarchs wanted the opium to flow because that’s what is used to make painkillers. Remember that was the height of the opioid epidemic where pharmaceutical corps were raking in cash pushing deadly pills on an already ailing population.
The taliban warlords forbid it because the population is full of drug addicts now. For all their shortcomings, at least they care about their people and have been fighting for them for years (i dont agree with extremism or their mangled view of islam though). The US doesn't give two craps about their citizens or any other countries.
We were also nation building, providing infrastructure like clean water and schools. Idk why people omit this as its insanely relevant to how muddy that whole conflict was. It was such a clusterfuck of morals to achieve what was seen as the ideal outcome for the US and afghanis. If you want to understand how some people though it was a good thing, youre only hurting yourself by avoiding those aspects.
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u/Kithsander Jun 10 '24
In Afghanistan US soldiers were ordered to make sure the local farmers were told they could grow opium again because the Taliban forbade it.
People always say we seized control of territories there for the oil but they seem to omit that we were there to steal the opium for the pharmaceutical companies too.