“Poppy revenues can be used for legitimate purposes”

13 Aug, 2009 17:41 / Updated 15 years ago

It’s no use fighting the cultivation of poppies in Afghanistan and it’s better for the US to turn it to its own advantage, says Tony Blankley from the Washington Times.

“The poppy revenues are at the heart of the structure of the tribal culture. Since we have to rely on this tribal culture, I think we cannot obliterate the poppy fields,” Blankley told RT.

“I think it’s cheaper for us to buy it [the poppies], keep the tribal culture functioning, and let them keep the money which they desperately need – it’s a very poor country. And then we can either dispose of it or move it into the legitimate process.”