The Drug-Terror Cycle: How Afghanistan Poppy Production Fuels Global Terrorism

Russia Invades Afghanistan and Creates a New Narco-State:

Russian forces invaded and occupied Afghanistan in December of 1979. Prior to the Russian invasion of Afghanistan the country did not produce large amounts of opium. Surrounding countries such as Iran and Turkey were major producers of this drug. Jihad ensued in this country for the next twenty years. Mujahidin flocked to Afghanistan and is where many modern-day al Qaeda leaders trained to become the successful terrorists they are today. In order to combat the mujahidin, Russian military personnel destroyed legitimate agriculture that grew in Afghanistan. The consequences which arose out of these actions were a boom in the growth of poppy and a steady flow of resources to the mujahidin taking up arms against the Russian occupiers.

Afghan farmers were put in a predicament because of the destruction of their legitimate crops during the Russian occupation. “Unlike many other countries in the region, Afghanistan did not have much of an ‘opium culture’” (UNODC 2003). They were forced to turn to poppy as an alternative plant that would not be destroyed by the Russians. The 1979 invasion of Afghanistan “decimated” the legitimate agricultural economy in Afghanistan (Farrell and Thorne 2004). The Russians were trying to starve the mujahidin and the Afghan population into surrendering. As a result food supply dropped dramatically in the country. A vacuum ensued in the southwest Asian opium economy because of crackdowns by neighboring countries. Afghan farmers took advantage of this situation and “turned to subsistence farming of the opium poppy” (Farrell and Thorne 2004). Not only did the illicit opium market find a supplier, the mujahidin fighting against the Russians filled their financial void by using the drug trade to obtain weapons.

In recent history opium production has played a large role in illicit arms sales for the mujahidin, warlords, and terrorist organizations. Even during the 1980s a large sum of cash was produced to provide weapons for the struggle against the Russian occupiers. “There were indications that the mujahidin were using the production and sale of opium to finance some weapons needs” (UNODC 2003). Subsequently, the United States, in particular the Central Intelligence Agency, was another means of funding for the mujahidin’s purchasing of weapons. Opium is highly important to the global arms trade especially in Afghanistan. During the Russian invasion “Opium was one of the only commodities which could generate enough income for large scale arms purchases” (UNODC 2003). Mujahidin and tribal warlords leading the resistance against the Russians found an efficient means to combat the occupation forces. The ultimate defeat of the Russians was caused by their own hands. While a weak communist economy produced the retreat of occupying Soviet forces and its fall from superpowerdom, the Afghan struggle against the Soviet Union played a small factor in the ultimate destruction of the Soviet empire.

The United States and NATO forces have made similar mistakes that the Russians made in their invasion of Afghanistan. Illicit poppy production sustains the ability of al Qaeda to raise funds for future terrorist attacks and allows tribal warlords to recruit new mujahidin. Russia made the mistake by eradicating the wrong crop. They eradicated legitimate agriculture instead of illicit drug supplies. Throughout the rest of this project there will be some similar mistakes made by coalition forces and the Russians. Those mistakes will be displayed below.

Sources:

Farrell, Graham, and John Thorne. 2004. “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?: An Evaluation of the Taliban Crackdown Against Opium Poppy Cultivation in Afghanistan.” International Journal of Drug Policy 16(2005).
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2003). The Opium Economy in Afghanistan: An International Problem.