Thread by @Afghan_Policy

The US has spent $1.5m (£1.15m) a day since 2001 fighting the opium war in Afghanistan, totalling $9bn.

This is on top of the $1 trillion fighting the war itself.

How the US military's opium war in Afghanistan was lost bbc.com/news/world-us-…

Despite these effort poppy production in #Afghanistan has been rising steadily with Afghanistan now producing 90% of world supplies.

#SIGAR head John Sopko has called the country a #NarcoState with production & cultivation in both gov't-controlled areas & contested areas.

Opium now accounts for around a third of Afghanistan's GDP, he says. It is by far the country's biggest cash crop and provides almost 600,000 full-time jobs.

Outgoing U.S. commander General Nicholson made targeting of heroin labs his strategic priority, vowing to hit #Taliban $.

He was inspired by action the US had taken in Syria, where aerial bombings targeting the Islamic State group's illegal oil industry had destroyed rigs, tanker trucks and other heavy machinery.

Yet this report gives a damning verdict saying strikes cost more than damage to labs.

It is surprising that a general & his strategy are celebrated as success story until they leave command, and only then do we expose the futility of the strategy.

Incoming commander General Millar has abandoned that approach, instead targeting the #Taliban more directly.

But isn't that something we tried during the Surge where U.S. decimated the entire military command of the #Taliban but instead of peace, we promoted younger & more radical commanders to take their place?

Do we want to again target a leadership that has come to peace talks & replace them with younger, traumatised and radical commanders?

While the TB's central leadership clearly has clout within its ranks, you roll enough heads & surely the momentum will shift from peace to war!