That Hideous Strength... Er, Opium

Hey folks. It's Tuesday. Joy. This is going to be a long week. Hell, it's already been a long week. Yes, you read that correctly. It's Tuesday, and it's already been a long week. On the flip-side, it's these weeks that prove that I can work miracles. Just don't ask me to turn water into wine; as I've made quite clear, I'm a beer man.

I was going to post a particular link today, but I'm going to consult with my distinguished comrade, Sam-Wise, on that one. In its place, I saw an article about Nazi bunkers in Denmark that were uncovered by storms earlier this year. Very interesting stuff.

I've seen a number of articles in the last couple of months about addressing the problem of the Afghan opium trade. In lieu of a comprehensive artcle at the moment (as I have far more on my plate as far as writing projects than I can handle), I'm going to give you bullets again.

Reforming Afghan opium for pharmaceuticals (Repost)

Afghan opium bumper crop (repost?)

Afghans growing wheat instead of poppies (repost, discusses this change in light of high food prices)

British dude suggests that Afghans grow pomegranates instead of opium (new)

I'm really fascinated by Afghanistan, as I can see myself ending up there at some point within the next few years. The opium issue is one that's not going to go away, as it's extremely difficult due to both economic, political, and agricultural conditions for many Afghans to grow anything else. As a result, the counterinsurgency operation there will remain tied to fighting the opium trade for the foreseeable future.

Alright, now I'm going to go to bed (sorry, I know that will confuse some of you due to the fact that I'll be posting this tomorrow morning, so try not to think too hard about it). Check back tomorrow.