Well there goes funds the needy won't get

[Guest Peeves]

Bin thar done that...over and over and over ......

Honestly does ANYONE think this will cause peace or friendship for the donors...NOT!

These Islamist countries are not going to change their stripes.Opium will still be grown,corruption will exist, the West will be hated, but the hands will always be out for $$$$$ and takiya will continue to be the order of the day.

Donors Pledge $16 Billion for Afghanistan

Nations demanded the Afghan government pledge to fight corruption in exchange for the $4 billion a year.

By Daniel Politi | Posted Sunday, July 8, 2012, at 2:04 PM ET

148012260

International donors vowed they wouldn't abandon Afghanistan after most foreign troops leave in 2014

UPDATE: It’s slightly more than what Afghanistan needs to avoid collapsing but less than it was hoping for. Donors from about 70 countries and organizations meeting in Tokyo pledged to grant $16 billion in development aid for Afghanistan as part of an effort to demonstrate the country won’t be abandoned once most foreign troops leave in 2014, reports the Associated Press.

OTTAWA - Canada will contribute an extra $227 million in development aid to Afghanistan between 2014 and 2017, with the money aimed at empowering women and girls in the areas of education, human rights and humanitarian assistance.

The money is in addition to the initial commitment of $300 million that Canada has promised to complete between 2011 and 2014.

The announcement was made today by the parliamentary secretary for national defence, Chris Alexander, as part of the Tokyo Conference on Afghanistan.

At the conference, international donors pledged $16 billion in development aid for Afghanistan.

But they stressed the aid money will be closely monitored to make sure it is not squandered through corruption or mismanagement.

So lets give some to China, N. Korea, Cuba, Africa, and Iraq.

Actually Canada does give to China annually.

http://slatest.slate.com/posts/2012/07/07/afghanistan_designated_as_major_non_nato_ally_before_tokyo_aid_conference.html?from=rss/&wpisrc=newsletter_slatest

Edited July 9, 2012 by Peeves

[GostHacked]

Just on a note about the opium. The Taliban had practically eradicated opium crops. And now opium production is at an all time high in Afghanistan. The troops are not destroying these fields now.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/21/world/asia/21marja.html?pagewanted=all

KABUL, Afghanistan — The effort to win over Afghans on former Taliban turf in Marja has put American and NATO commanders in the unusual position of arguing against opium eradication, pitting them against some Afghan officials who are pushing to destroy the harvest.

Most of that opium is headed for Europe and North American. Pharmaceutical companies us opium to make several varieties of prescription drugs.

“Marja is a special case right now,” said Cmdr. Jeffrey Eggers, a member of the general’s Strategic Advisory Group, his top advisory body. “We don’t trample the livelihood of those we’re trying to win over.”

Oh that's a good one.

But to your point, you are correct. The funds will not go to those who need it most. It will be blown on bureaucracy, security and other meaningless projects that don't actually help the Afghan people out.

10 years later and under Karzai the laws are very similar to when the Taliban was in power. So there is little to no progression in that area.

[Shady]

Just on a note about the opium. The Taliban had practically eradicated opium crops.

That just isn't true.

[dre]

Afghanistan should grow all the opium that westerners wish to purchase. They need to eek out an economy somehow, and there just isnt a lot of options there.

[GostHacked]

That just isn't true.

A little too quick on the draw there Shady, because this is something we have gone over in other threads.

http://www.nytimes.com/2001/05/20/world/taliban-s-ban-on-poppy-a-success-us-aides-say.html

The first American narcotics experts to go to Afghanistan under Taliban rule have concluded that the movement's ban on opium-poppy cultivation appears to have wiped out the world's largest crop in less than a year, officials said today.

The American findings confirm earlier reports from the United Nations drug control program that Afghanistan, which supplied about three-quarters of the world's opium and most of the heroin reaching Europe, had ended poppy planting in one season.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2001/sep/25/afghanistan.terrorism8

The Taliban virtually eradicated Afghanistan's opium crop last season after an edict by Mullah Mohammad Omar, the Taliban leader.

In July last year he said that growing opium was "un-Islamic" and warned that anyone caught planting seeds would be severely punished.

Taliban soldiers enforced the ruling two summers ago and made thousands of villagers across Afghanistan plough up their fields. Earlier this year UN observers agreed that Afghanistan's opium crop had been completely wiped out.

[Shady]

That's nonsense. The Taliban taxed opium.

[Canuckistani]

My understanding is that the Taliban virtually eliminated opium during their reign. They've now adapted to the NATO invasion by promoting the opium trade in order to finance their operations. Another unintended consequence.

[GostHacked]

That's nonsense. The Taliban taxed opium.

I backed up my claim, let's see you do the same.

[Signals.Cpl]

Bin thar done that...over and over and over ......

Honestly does ANYONE think this will cause peace or friendship for the donors...NOT!

These Islamist countries are not going to change their stripes.Opium will still be grown,corruption will exist, the West will be hated, but the hands will always be out for $$$$$ and takiya will continue to be the order of the day.

Donors Pledge $16 Billion for Afghanistan

Nations demanded the Afghan government pledge to fight corruption in exchange for the $4 billion a year.

By Daniel Politi | Posted Sunday, July 8, 2012, at 2:04 PM ET

148012260

International donors vowed they wouldn't abandon Afghanistan after most foreign troops leave in 2014

So lets give some to China, N. Korea, Cuba, Africa, and Iraq.

Actually Canada does give to China annually.

http://slatest.slate.com/posts/2012/07/07/afghanistan_designated_as_major_non_nato_ally_before_tokyo_aid_conference.html?from=rss/&wpisrc=newsletter_slatest

After all the blood and treasure that the West in General and the US in particular has spend in the country and the region I think that trying to do a little more to avoid having all those deaths and all that money already invested in the region go to waste.

[dre]

After all the blood and treasure that the West in General and the US in particular has spend in the country and the region I think that trying to do a little more to avoid having all those deaths and all that money already invested in the region go to waste.

Yup. Im a big poker player and they call that being "pot commited". Its a dangerous position to in because unless you are very sure of your hand theres a good chance you will just throw good money after bad. The ability to walk away in this situation and to know when you should, is what separates good players from bad ones.

[Signals.Cpl]

Yup. Im a big poker player and they call that being "pot commited". Its a dangerous position to in because unless you are very sure of your hand theres a good chance you will just throw good money after bad. The ability to walk away in this situation and to know when you should, is what separates good players from bad ones.

Yeah, but in this case the 16 billion divided amongst 70 nations means that there is still a chance no matter how big or small to have the Afghans keep their heads above water. Otherwise might as well pack it in and go, no point in keeping NATO soldiers there is we know for a fact that they will collapse within a year after we leave.

[bud]

That's nonsense. The Taliban taxed opium.

either support your claims or stfu. you have a habit of saying things and then not being able to back them up.

[bud]

Bin thar done that...over and over and over ......

Honestly does ANYONE think this will cause peace or friendship for the donors...NOT!

totally right.

the same thing has to happen for all the money sent to israel and egypt. particularly israel who receives over $3 billion a year. most of that money is used for weapons.

[TheNewTeddy]

I admit I don't know the full issues, but saying that the Needy won't get it, the Afghans will is like saying that I don't have any Fruit, I only have Apples, or that I never take Public Transit, I only take the Subway...

[DogOnPorch]

I backed up my claim, let's see you do the same.

The Taliban indeed used to tax opium.

1997: The Taliban's Dirty Poppies

[GostHacked]

The Taliban indeed used to tax opium.

1997: The Taliban's Dirty Poppies

I appreciate your efforts, but Shady needs to back his own stuff up. Typical hit and run post from Shady.

[DogOnPorch]

I appreciate your efforts, but Shady needs to back his own stuff up. Typical hit and run post from Shady.

None-the-less, the Taliban will go either way when it comes to poppies. As the doc mentions, many Afghanis feel that herion hurts the West...and to them that's a good thing...at least circa 1997. Poppies are also often the ONLY crop that will grow in vast areas of Afghanistan. Marijauna in the wetter areas for hashish...both of their top exports. The irony is that the planet needs SOME poppy production for morphine, etc.

[Guest Peeves]

After all the blood and treasure that the West in General and the US in particular has spend in the country and the region I think that trying to do a little more to avoid having all those deaths and all that money already invested in the region go to waste.

AS a gambler I found early never to send good money after bad. Ya gotsta no when to holdem and know when to foldem.

Unless the donor states had a direct and singular role in expending the funding unto the last cent, I suggest it is just pissin in the wind.

[Signals.Cpl]

Unless the donor states had a direct and singular role in expending the funding unto the last cent, I suggest it is just pissin in the wind.

I agree that the donors need direct supervision and a way to account for all the money, if the money is misused the source of income dries up.

[Guest Peeves]

I agree that the donors need direct supervision and a way to account for all the money, if the money is misused the source of income dries up.

Unfortunately these donations are managed all too often by military or political hacks. What is required is a retired ($1/year) business person that can stand their ground against those treating funds as just more baksheesh.

Edited July 11, 2012 by Peeves