Summary
It has been reported that General Dan McNeill, the new commander of Nato forces in Afghanistan, has authorised the aerial spraying of poppy fields. This policy will have disastrous consequences for all Afghanis who live in or near sprayed areas.
No money is being provided to compensate farmers for their financial loss. The British have sensibly proposed that the poppies be purchased from the farmers and used to produce medicinal morphine. This proposal has been overruled by the Americans.See the full content of this document
Extract
Chemical Warfare Is to Hit Afghanistan
A similar fumigation policy has been tried in Colombia for the last seven years. The harm that the spray has done to those who live close to sprayed areas is well documented in the book, Chemical Warfare in Colombia, by Hugh O'Shaughnessy and Sue Branford.
The spray used to kill the poppies will contain glyphosate. This is the same chemical that turns a sixth of Britain's arable fields from a pleasant green to a dull orange in May. When glyphosate is sprayed from an aeroplane it is certain to drift....See the full content of this document
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