Afghanistan now world's top cannabis source: United Nations

I doubt that that much of it is really good enough to compete with new strains available on our continent.

If the feds would get around to legalization, the US could import the world's greatest hashish, slap on a huge importation tax, distribute it in liquor stores, where the states can again tax it. Demand would be huge, the new Afghan government would have financial stability and our economy would be greatly improved. And the poor Afghani farmers might even see a few cents for all their efforts.

While it's true that Al-Qaeda and the Taliban reap massive economical benefits from drug trafficking, the U.S and NATO forces are reluctant to engage in a full on assault on the drug trade in Afghanistan. The truth of matter is that many poor farmers need the opium and cannabis crops to feed their family and scrape out a meager existence. The U.S and NATO forces need to offer alternatives to these poor farmers before any drastic steps are taken or risk alienating the very people we so badly need. Also, our allies, various tribal and regional warlords who are vital in our war against the Taliban also reap the rewards from the drug trade. U.S foreign policy has always historically ignored the disagreeable qualities of our allies until of course we no longer need them. Get the American DEA in there: The Brits are handling counterdrug operations in Afghanistan - with limited success. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency has a minimal presence because Afghan opium isn't (currently) getting to American shores. But the December busts of al Qaeda drug mules in the Persian Gulf indicate al Qaeda is looking for new routes - and destinations, like the United States.

More U.S. military involvement: The Pentagon hates this idea, because it sees counterdrugs as a policing activity. But fighting the drug trade will squeeze the money pipeline that lets the Taliban and al Qaeda launch operations against Coalition forces - and the West. The Pentagon and the international community should also accelerate training of the Afghan army (now just 6,000 of a planned 70,000 man force) and national police force to help with the drug war. (A bigger NATO force in Afghanistan, too, could free up U.S. forces for counterdrug ops.)

Disassembling a drug economy can take a long time - better get started now. We don't need another Colombia. We must pull Afghanistan back from that abyss.