Sen. Joe Biden, speaking on Capitol Hill today with Sen. John Kerry on their recent trip to Afghanistan, was critical of the current administration.
Biden said the Bush administration is creating more problems than it is solving with its approach to the heroin trade in Afghanistan.
"The money available on the ground to provide an alternative crop does not even appear in Afghanistan until five months after the growing season begins," he said.
Senators Joe Biden (D-Del.) and John Kerry (D-Mass.) hold a press conference to discuss their recent trip to Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkey and India in the Senate Radio and TV Gallery of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., Tuesday, February 26, 2008. (Michael Connor/The Washington Times)
He pointed to drug lords who paid regional farmers before the crop goes out instead of afterward. He said that the United States doesn't provide financial support for farmers until June.
"We need additional troops but they are not available," he said.
Sen. Biden said that Pakistan's president, Pervez Musharraf, needed to exercise the role of president, not that of a dictator or prime minister.
The senators' advice, he said, was to "focus on the future ... You've got a shot to get this done."
Kerry echoed Biden, saying that the clock is ticking on the ability of the U.S. Senate to get things done. He said there is a chance for early solution if agreements are formed by late May or early June.
He ended by commenting that Senators Obama and Clinton, in their race for the White House, understood their position. He said that they intend to "restore America's leverage and credibility."
-- Harrison Keely, intern, The Washington Times
Comments (3)
So the answer is get an alternative crop out there, a troop surge and allow the Senate to establish foreign policy. Once again, Senators Biden and Kerry are resorting to that old Democrat agenda of blame politics. Their solutions are shallow and short sighted. Where is their evaluation of NATO's role in Afghanistan? I thought the situation there had been turned over to NATO? Germany only wants to deal with humanitarian efforts. Why can't they handle the agriculture issue? Additional troops not available? Where did this information come from? Additional U.S. troops or additional NATO troops not available? The ability of the Senate to get things done? When did the Senate take over foreign policy?
Posted by Larry Stone | February 27, 2008 5:00 AM
I don't suppose someone has suggested buying all of the poppy crop direct from the growers, and putting the Taleban out of buisiness in a couple of seasons.
Then you'd have more leverage to suggest alternative crops, I think.
Posted by Eric Jette | March 2, 2008 1:18 AM
History of hookas
The hookah pipe originated in North Western India in Rjasthan and Gujarat almost over 2000 years ago. The original hookahs were made from coconut shells with a tube attached and were designed to be used for Opium and Hashish. As this cultural trend spread, it made its way through the Persian Kingdom, modern day Pakistan, Afghanistan, and much of the Middle East. During this time, it acquired tombeik, which is a dark hookah tobacco grown in modern day Iran.
Approximately 500 years ago, the Hookah made its way through Turkey where it gained enormous popularity among elites and intellectuals alike. It was these people that eventually led to the changes in the Hookah’s design and application. With time, the basic coconut base was replaced with glass and the Hookah came to resemble what we have today.
As the Hookah’s popularity started to soar, the tombeik, dark tobacco, was slowly replaced with shisha, a combination of foreign tobaccos, honey molasses, and dried fruit extracts. Hookah tobacco, shisha, comes in a variety of flavors from Apple to Strawberry. Although initially Hookah smoking has been associated with illegal drugs, as awareness spreads the Hookah is becoming more and more popular in Western society.
Today you can find hookahs all over the internet and in many smoke shops around the world. Hookahs have certainly become a worldly-phenomena attracting virtually everyone from all four corners of our globe.
How to Use Hookahs
First you must place water, preferably ice water to cool the Hookah smoke, into the base of the Hookah. After the Hookah’s base is filled appropriately, place the shisha, flavored tobacco, into the ceramic bowl. Cover the Hookah bowl with foil and poke several small holes in it using a small yet sharp device, such as a pen. Light 1-2 Hookah coals and wait until they are amply lit. Place the coal on top of the foil and let it sit for a few moments to start heating the shisha. Gently start to inhale the smooth hookah smoke. Be sure to invite your friends to enjoy this ancient socializing tradition!
There is this site that is having a hookah contest on who can make the nicest glass hooka design. Winner gets a free hookah and 6 months worth of shisha free!
http://www.blowos.com/hookah.jpg
Posted by ashleyg | March 7, 2008 11:53 PM