Opium in Afghanistan: Lessons Learned from the Counterdrug Strategies of Colombia

Abstract

This thesis presents an analysis of the current counterdrug operation in Afghanistan, and how this operation affects counterinsurgent operations against the Taliban. The thesis examines the Taliban's control of opium cultivation to support its operations, describes how and why the people of Afghanistan rely on the profits from opium for their livelihood, and identifies possible ways to stop the opium trade that will not alienate the people of Afghanistan from the Afghan government or Coalition Forces. The thesis includes a case study of Colombia that reveals the policies that were implemented there in an attempt to control the country's illicit cocaine trade. The thesis concludes by providing policy recommendations for the Afghanistan government gained from the lessons learned from Colombia.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 01, 2009
Accession Number
ADA514330

Entities

People

  • Scott R. Whittenburg

Organizations

  • Naval Postgraduate School

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Addiction
  • Afghanistan
  • Case Studies
  • Central Asia
  • Colombia
  • Commerce
  • Drug Abuse
  • Economic Development
  • Governments
  • Joint Military Activities
  • Law
  • Lessons Learned
  • New York
  • South America
  • Street Drugs
  • United States
  • Urban Areas

Fields of Study

  • Political science

Readers

  • Child and Adolescent Substance Abuse Science in Autism Spectrum Disorders.
  • Military and Counterinsurgency Studies.