Take a look at this video report from MSNBC about a new tactic the U.S. is using to fight the Taliban in Afghanistan. The U.S. is attempting to interrupt the flow of money to the Taliban by burning the poppy fields. There’s no doubt that in a traditional war this would make sense: attack the enemy directly while destroying their supply lines. The poppy/opium trade is a multimillion dollar business, has been for years, and is believed to represent a substantial source of funding for the Taliban. I wonder, though, about the wisdom of this approach when it comes to fighting an insurgency. If we destroy the local farmers best cash crop, and thus their livelihood, is this more or less likely to diminish their support for the Taliban?
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