I caught an awkward exchange on Meet the Press this Morning between Tim Russert and Afghan President Hamid Karzai:
I find both the question and the answer problematic. It should have gone more like this:
In fairness, Karzai subsequently acknowledged that heâs got a major opium cultivation problem on his hands. Still, you gotta wonder what a narco-state looks like if Afghanistan isnât one.
Among his excuses for this yearâs explosion in Afghan opium cultivation was the observation that poppies seem resistant to drought conditions. I didnât know that, but it doesnât surprise me. Drug plants tend to grow vigorously; yet another reason that sending soldiers after them is a ridiculous waste of time.
Maybe we should utilize these resilient flowers instead of fighting over them.
Tim Russert: Is Afghanistan becoming a narco-state?
Hamid Karzai: Noâ¦
I find both the question and the answer problematic. It should have gone more like this:
Tim Russert: So, quite a narco-state youâve got over there, huh?
Hamid Karzai: Yeah, no kiddingâ¦
In fairness, Karzai subsequently acknowledged that heâs got a major opium cultivation problem on his hands. Still, you gotta wonder what a narco-state looks like if Afghanistan isnât one.
Among his excuses for this yearâs explosion in Afghan opium cultivation was the observation that poppies seem resistant to drought conditions. I didnât know that, but it doesnât surprise me. Drug plants tend to grow vigorously; yet another reason that sending soldiers after them is a ridiculous waste of time.
Maybe we should utilize these resilient flowers instead of fighting over them.
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