Will U.S. Troops Get Hooked on Heroin?

Dylan Rattigan's morning show on MSNBC last Tuesday covered the topic of U.S. soldiers getting hooked on heroin. Could the Taliban and/or Al-Qaeda use Afghan Poppies to weaken coalition forces?

The idea does not seem all that far-fetched, unfortunately. Apparently, drugs were readily available and being abused in Viet Nam by U.S. (and others?) soldiers.

Commanders should take the threat - potential or otherwise, serious. Drugs are not something to be taken lightly. Not only is there the fear of addiction (think of the unthinkable consequences of a drug-induced soldier trying to fend off the enemy), but the lotto-like pay day an unscrupulous foreigner (with a get-out-of-jail free card) could reap is bound to occur to some there on the ground.

Which makes one wonder why these poppy fields could not be flame-throwered out of existence like they are in other parts of the world by joint DEA/coalition/local forces/special unit efforts?

Could the rumors be true, that warlords are being allowed to grow their addictive crops as long as they promise not to attack us/Karzai's Government? Let us hope not.

White-powder pushers need to be eradicated like the vermin they are.