In the county of Afghanistan, it has been noted that the Taliban has taken over control of areas that have high concentration of poppy plants. The poppies are processed into opium, an illegal substance. The United Nations (UN) reports that the end of 2008, over twenty of the thirty-four Afghan provinces will be free of poppy crops. In turn, those areas will be opium-free.
There are still places that do grow poppy. One such place is the Helmand province which is under Taliban domination. However, the growth of poppy and creation of opium is starting to decrease.
In short, the Taliban faces a new and highly formidable opponent. Instead of poppy, there have been wheat crops. The price of wheat has pushed up wheat growth and production. Wheat production has caused the decline of opium production.
The wheat market has become a more powerful opponent to the Taliban than the combined UN, NATO, and US forces. Instead of a joint force working to eliminate the production of opium, it is the wheat market.
Afghanistan has recently benefited from a ban on wheat exports placed by Pakistan.
Of course the Taliban could try to take control of the wheat market. But, wheat and opium are two different things. For the most part, the Taliban’s pretty much screwed. While one cannot eat opium, one can surely eat wheat.
That would mean that the farmers don’t need the Taliban for money. The farmers can sell off their wheat produce. Figuratively, the farmers of Afghanistan can flip the proverbial bird to the Taliban.
One could say that the Taliban did not see that one coming.
For everybody not in Afghanistan and what to their part to fight the Taliban, eat your Wheaties! Each bowl of Wheaties equates to a damaging blow against the Taliban.
Perhaps this could be a potential topic for the 2008 US Presidential Elections.
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