Topic: Opium Production

A State Department press briefing addressed the failure of a $4 billion counter-narcotics program in Afghanistan, where opium production has reached record highs. Spokesperson Marie Harf struggled to answer why production increased despite the massive spending, eventually stating she would have to "check with her folks" regarding the SIGAR report.

The Afghan Minister of Counter-Narcotics alleged that foreign NATO troops are profiting from drug production within the regions they control. The report claims that military forces are effectively taxing opium production rather than eradicating it. This behavior is compared to historical imperial strategies of resource extraction and local exploitation.