Wars on Drugs & Terror

Some may think that events in Afghanistan are (figuratively) a million miles away and - aside from dead servicemen - have no real impact on our lives.

As I was bitterly reminded recently, they are wrong.

I'm not talking about the so-called "war on terror" - a CIA/Mossad joint venture to achieve certain Zionist ends.

I'm not talking about the fact the the British Ambassador in Kabul says our troops will be there for 30 years.

I'm not even talking about the stirring up of anti-West elements who may seek to attack America/Israel and their allies because of the Neo-Con wars.

No, I'm talking about the here and now, of the lives of people in our communities, in our families and of the impact on the rest of us through an endemic crime wave.

I refer of course to the heroin flooding into Europe and North America from Afghanistan.

Remember the days of the "evil" Taliban? The days when Neo-Cons dictated that the Taliban were no longer trusted (talks to build oil pipelines had fallen through)?

We were told that heroin production in Afghanisan was at unacceptable levels. Of course, since Afghanistan became a democracy (the new god of our age) and our forces of "law n order" moved in, with their Afghan puppets in control in Kabul, heroin production has - increased!

Perhaps we misunderstood when the Neo-Cons said heroin production and exportation was at "unacceptable" levels? Were they being frank in hinting that they wanted to see more exported - provided that they had even more of a role in controlling the trade and the profits?

But, to be serious, they certainly intimated that if they took over Afghanistan, and ousted the Taliban, then they would curb this horrific trade.

But surprise surprise, even on this one issue, the "war on terror" has failed. Was it always destined thus in some arcane-style CIA-plot to maximise profits? Or is this just more ineptitude of huge proportions? Or some kind of bizarre mixture?

Regardless. facts is facts.

Our much beloved (I'm being ironic - for any literate Fox News viewers stumbling in here) leaders have lied to us again. As heroin floods out of Afghanistan, it is our communities that are affected.

But why should I worry about this now, when Afghanistan is relegated to the second layer of news, despite ongoing attacks and servicemen deaths?

I had a phone call from an old friend and he asked if I remembered someone from our school days. The name rang a bell and after ransacking my much (and justly!) maligned and rapidly fading memory I did recall the lad. Although not a close friend - he was known to me and my friends and was generally liked.

He died this year from a heroin overdose.

Not having known him since school days I had no idea if he was a long-term druggy. Perhaps he led a life of crime to fund his habit? Perhaps he had been experimenting after smoking pot for years? Perhaps he had been rejected by a love or sacked from one or jobs?

All I know is that a one-time young kid who was no angel, but certainly not that bad, has died.

This is the third person I've known who has died as a result of hard drugs.

One other, a very close friend in the early 90s, disappeared to join the army after a mutual close friend died of natural causes. Then years later I learnt that he too died of a heroin overdose. I had no idea what we turn him, a really likeable fellow with lots to offer the world, into another sad statistic.

The other was a family friend who was killed by a hard-drug addict. Not long married, he had his whole future ripped away from him.

Now you may or may not be interested in those three sad stories. You may think that two of them deserved their fate, or you may have compassion for them. Obviously I don't know and that's not what I'm trying to address.

The issue here is that despite the pre-war propaganda from the Neo-Cons, their ineptitude, guile, stupidity or greed has resulted in more people in our communities becoming victims of drugs and/or drug-induced criminals.

You may not care about Afghanistan - but you should. It could be your house burgled by a druggy desperate for his next fix, or your friend killed by an addict, or turned into an addict.

I also wonder how many other people know of people killed or murdered as a result of heroin? If I personally know three, there must be a lot more out there...

George W Bush and Tony Blair have many faults as we know.

The failure of their "war on drugs" can be equated and directly related to the failure of their "war on terror."

Whether by omission or commission - perhaps only they and their secretive spooks know - but the fact remains that our people are suffering these failures, day in day out.

Blair has certainly not been "tough on crime and tough on the causes of crime."

We shouldn't be surprised. But we should be outraged!