World Affairs Board - View Single Post - Afghanistan’s economy tripled in five years

S-2 · 08-29-2007, 14:06 PM

My question would be to what extent has the "blooming" of the opium trade injected start-up capital into the economy to facilitate this growth? There's a ton of cash floating about somewhere in Afghanistan's economy and my guess is that re-investment into the local economy makes sense on three fronts-

1.) It moves/launders illegitimate earnings into the general economy.

2.) That money then spins off "legitimate" profits of it's own.

3.) The quid pro quo for access to that illegitimate capital is protection of the drug lords and a high degree of acquiescence/control within legitimate business enterprises.

I'm utterly speculating but would be curious about the impact of the drug trade upon other business endeavors.

08-29-2007, 14:06 PM	#14 (permalink)
S-2 *Military Professional* Join Date: 09-11-06 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 2,316 Country:	Opium? My question would be to what extent has the "blooming" of the opium trade injected start-up capital into the economy to facilitate this growth? There's a ton of cash floating about somewhere in Afghanistan's economy and my guess is that re-investment into the local economy makes sense on three fronts- 1.) It moves/launders illegitimate earnings into the general economy. 2.) That money then spins off "legitimate" profits of it's own. 3.) The quid pro quo for access to that illegitimate capital is protection of the drug lords and a high degree of acquiescence/control within legitimate business enterprises. I'm utterly speculating but would be curious about the impact of the drug trade upon other business endeavors. __________________ "This aggression will not stand, man!" Jeff Lebowski