From fallen towers to opium

This story starts when, for the first time in history, three large steel skyscrapers collapsed in their own footprints in Manhattan. Their destruction was planned by Osama bin Laden, according to the U.S. government, even though he denied it from his location in Afghanistan. His organization refused to give him up without proof he was responsible. They never did.

That is why the U.S. government invaded Afghanistan, a country of about 32 million people. The U.S. government attracted allies to join the fight and has tried to defeat the indigenous militias for over 14 years. It is still working on that project with the government of Afghanistan.

The United States has given about $10 billion a year to that government, spent hundreds of billions of dollars in the cost of the war so far and, as a result, many thousands of lives have been lost.

The chief source of income in Afghanistan is opium. During the time the U.S. has been there, the production of opium/heroin has more than doubled, so that now it is cheap in the U.S. and the people are more easily hooked. And there is no ending to this story.

Bart Haggin

Spokane