Afghanistan: Afghanistan Taliban War: Opium Fuels Conflict as Farmers Pray for a Prosperous Harvest

Mar 4, 2016 | Michael Kaplin, International Business Times
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Despite billions of dollars in U.S. investment to eradicate opium cultivation, Afghanistan produces the bulk of the world’s opiate supply, and much of that money is helping fund an intensifying Taliban insurgency. Although the opium harvest dipped 19 percent last year due to a fungus, farmers are optimistic they'll see a prosperous harvest next month, IRIN News reported Friday.