Quote:
Originally Posted by TheLastBoyScout
It's a myth that the Taliban tried to eradicate Opium production while they were in power. What happened is that they curbed production for a couple of years to drive the price up. They had huge surplusses in storage and so they created a false shortage so that it would be more profitable.
The Taliban still makes money off the drug trade.
If poppy production were legalized and regulated, the Taliban would lose a vital part of their funding.
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You're missing an important piece of the management chain. Afghanistan tribal and clan leadership derive the majority of profits from poppy production. Taliban received a 'tax' on those proceeds until a couple of years before the US invasion and were convinced to formally outlaw poppy production by the US DEA by more money than the taxes were earning right up to the invasion while poppy production continued. In spite of US propaganda, Afghanistan is absolutely controlled by tribal leaders, many of whom also serve in the puppet government.