Mid-May of 2003 on a three day trip to the Pakistan-Afgh border, we passed through valley after valley of poppy fields. Beautiful as the manicured fields were fed by the melting ice of snow packs as high as 11,500 feet. And we were at nearly 10,000 feet. The valleys are such that low flying aircraft would have just one pass. On the hilltops are 12.7mm (50 cal size) weapons.

These fields that reap so much damage to society are worked by share croppers, but owned by those who live in Hong Kong, London, Lahore....and perhaps a few in Kabul.

How to resolve this problem...this serious problem is yet to be determined. But, see the faces of the people, they are as addicted to growing poppy as the addicts who use the end product.

Try to make that trip today...no way. (Gardez, Paki border-northern Khwost Province...down through Jaji to Khwost in the southern portion, then the Kwost-Gardez "hiway" back to FOB Gardez...then the following day to Ghazni..(my back still hurts from that trip...)