2005 Afghan opium harvest begins

May 3, 2005 

Most heroin sold in Europe comes from Afghanistan's poppies. This past week, the 2005 opium harvest was in full view and going full speed in Afghanistan. The cultivators gathering resin from the crop are operating even near the main road through Kandahar and the farmers are out gathering resin from opium poppies in full view. 
Last year 80% of the world's opium came from Afghanistan and production is up over 239% since 2003, according to U.S. government estimates. Afghanistan is the world's largest producer of illegal drugs. 
In 2002 Super Bowl ads, the White House sent out the message that "drugs fund terrorists". Doug Wankel, a former U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) official, says the opium industry is "financing terrorism. It's financing subversive activities. It's financing warlordism... And if it's a threat to the government of Afghanistan, it's a direct threat to the national security interests of the United States."
2005 Afghan opium harvest begins May 3 , 2005 Most heroin sold in Europe comes from Afghanistan 's poppies . This past week , the 2005 opium harvest was in full view and going full speed in Afghanistan . The cultivators gathering resin from the crop are operating even near the main road through Kandahar and the farmers are out gathering resin from opium poppies in full view . Last year 80 % of the world 's opium came from Afghanistan and production is up over 239 % since 2003 , according to U.S. government estimates . Afghanistan is the world 's largest producer of illegal drugs . In 2002 Super Bowl ads , the White House sent out the message that " drugs fund terrorists " . Doug Wankel , a former U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration ( DEA ) official , says the opium industry is " financing terrorism . It 's financing subversive activities . It 's financing warlordism ... And if it 's a threat to the government of Afghanistan , it 's a direct threat to the national security interests of the United States . "
2005 Afghan opium harvest
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Most heroin
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Europe
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Afghanistan's poppies
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the 2005 opium harvest
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full view
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full speed
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Afghanistan
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The cultivators
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resin
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the crop
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the main road
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Kandahar
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the farmers
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resin
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opium poppies
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full view
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80%
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the world's opium
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Afghanistan
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production
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U.S. government estimates
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Afghanistan
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the world's largest producer
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illegal drugs
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2002 Super Bowl ads
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the White House
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the message
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Doug Wankel
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a former U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) official
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the opium industry
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terrorism
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subversive activities
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financing warlordism
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a threat
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the government
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Afghanistan
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a direct threat
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the national security interests
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the United States
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U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
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