From: Stroh, Mark E Sent: Monday, January 21, 2008 To: mshank@gmu.edu Subject: Interesting Letter to the Financial Times
Mr. Shank:
I read with interest and appreciation your letter to the Financial Times of January 17, 2008, "Overdue Wisdom in Afghanistan." It is rare that anyone has anything positive - however qualified - to say about U.S. counter narcotics strategy in Afghanistan.
You are quite right to note the importance of alternative livelihood programs in counter narcotics strategy, especially in Afghanistan. We have high hopes for the continued success here not only of pomegranate but also apricot, almond, chili pepper and grape cultivation, particularly in the South.
However, I would respectfully disagree with your suggestion that a robust alternative livelihood program means that eradication is on the "back burner." To the contrary, we continue to believe that forceful, non-negotiated eradication is a crucial aspect of a full-spectrum counter narcotics plan. Such eradication is ongoing as I write this letter. Poppy cultivation must still be reduced as alternatives develop. Indeed, eradication serves as a "stick," spurring those farmers who have a choice in what they grow away from illegal crops, even as the rich markets and demand for Afghan produce in places like New Delhi and Dubai serve as a "carrot."
There is no simple solution to the problems posed by the Afghan narcotics industry, particularly in places like Helmand and Kandahar, where the industry is intimately and increasingly intertwined with the Taliban insurgency. But your expression of support for alternative livelihood development is a welcome recognition of an all too often overlooked aspect of our strategy.