GOP urges change in Afghan drug policy

"By JIM ABRAMS, Associated Press Writer Wed Feb 7, 5:19 PM ET

WASHINGTON - Four House Republicans on Wednesday urged the Bush administration to rethink its policy on opium production in
Afghanistan, saying more needs to be done to counter the growing threat of narco-terrorism.

The lawmakers, in a letter to Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Robert Gates, said the U.S. must end its dispute with Britain over opium eradication and design a uniform counternarcotics policy with the British and
NATO."

Ah, here it is, the GOP's regular reminder to me that I am not a Republican. This is not a case where they can successfully mix active foreign policy with their distaste for alternative lifestyles. At least not anytime soon. Though there is mention of "Promoting Afghan trade to provide alternatives to poppy farming" there needs to be years and years more of this before we can consider taking a harsh stance towards drugs in Afghanistan. Also we have to accept the possibility that the Afghani people will not choose to illegalize drugs, and eventually they'll have that choice given that we're promising them democracy. Forcing their government to do something even though the people voted against it would be the quickest way to bring this fledgling democracy crashing down- they could wind up seeing democracy as another tyranny, only one that also eradicates 60% of the GDP.