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Afghanistan 2015: the dawn of a regional opium war?

12 Mar 2013 - 16:16

The security transition plan in Afghanistan is a high-risk political game. Decreasing the presence of foreign troops is not just a military strategy; it signifies a concomitant reduction in international commitment to Afghanistan after 2014. This development could spell disaster for Afghanistan´s counter-narcotics policy, which relies heavily on international donors for military infrastructure and financial resources. Much of the civilian presence in Afghanistan is expected to disappear with the military drawdown, and this could drastically reduce the resources needed to support counter-narcotics efforts. The security transition plan not only jeopardizes international support strategies but could also engender a regional opium war.

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