McCain criticizes Brit poppy program in Afghanistan

Telegraph:

John McCain has voiced criticism of British policy in Afghanistan, saying efforts to slow Taliban poppy production are "not working", allowing heroin to flood the streets of Europe.

... the Republican nominee signalled that as president he will overhaul Nato tactics designed to prevent Taliban warlords cashing in on the drugs trade. Britain has responsibility for developing Nato's counter-narcotics strategy in Afghanistan.

But poppy cultivation shot up 45 per cent in British controlled Helmand province last year. Senator McCain, who is visiting Britain this week for talks with Gordon Brown and David Cameron, said that he will use the first months of his presidency to overhaul Afghan policy with a sweeping reassessment of which policies are failing.

"We need to look at what's working and at what isn't working," he said. "There is the issue of the poppy crops. That's not working. And there's corruption. That's something we need to fix.

...

I do think those in charge of the current policy on poppy production have some explaining to do. I understand the theory that curtailing the poppy production will create more enemies. that may be but they would be much poorer and our addicts would not be subsidizing their war efforts.