Current events22 October, 2009 - Carter Dorsett
Taliban Finances
The Taliban’s financial network consists of:
Drug trade
Kidnappings
Extortion
Foreign donations
The Taliban raises hundreds of millions of dollars
http://www.textually.org/textually/archives/images/set3/taliban%20fighters.jpg
Taliban Finances
Elaborate taxation system which taxes:
Opium cultivation
Opium processing
Opium shipment
Other crops grown
The Taliban makes from 70 million to 400 million a year just on illegal drug trade
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/46304000/gif/_46304402_afghan_opium_2009_466.gif
Taliban FinancesU.S. is not able to destroy the opium trade because many Afghani farmers depend on it’s profit for survival
Taliban operations are inexpensive so the Taliban does not need very much income
Attempting to dry up Taliban funds is worthless
http://www.rawa.org/temp/runews/data/upimages/opium_graph_afghanistan.gif
Taliban FinancesForeign donations are a large part of Taliban funding
Some expected to come from Pakistani Intelligence
Pakistan supports the Taliban because if they gain control of Afghanistan then Afghanistan and Pakistan would be friendly
Saudis and other Arabs are a large part of the funding
http://southeastasianews.org/images/taliban3433.jpg
Pakistan Attacks
The Pakistani Military is bombing the heart of Taliban territory - South Waziristan
The area is highly mined with many homemade bombs
Pakistan is fighting in the Taliban’s home turf - mountains
http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2009/10/19/world/19pstan_CA0.map.ready.html
Pakistan AttacksThey use F-16 bombers and gunships
The U.S. has provided thermal imaging for the F-16s
This was supposed to be a secret because most of the population of Pakistan is very anti-American
http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ac/f-16c-19990601-f-0073c-005.jpg
Ancient Queen
The Neus Museum has been reopened
It was destroyed in WWII
It’s most important piece was the 3,500 year old bust of Queen Nefertiti
http://z.about.com/d/ancienthistory/1/0/i/_/2/Nefertiti.jpg
Ancient Queen
Egypt is demanding Germany to return it
It has been in Germany since 1913
Zahi Hawass has accused Germany of stealing it
http://clippednews.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/queen_nefertiti.jpg
Ancient QueenZahi Hawass is the general secretary of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities
Farouk Hosny lost the job as the new director of the United Nations culture agency, Unesco, based in Paris
Hawass accused France of stealing art after Hosny lost
http://sacred-shopping.com/dr_zahi_hawass.jpg
Political Cartoons
Issue: American troops have had a difficult time in Iraq and Obama is now sending them to Afghanistan
Point of view: Critical of Obama for not only asking too much of the troops but making them serve extra tours.
Political Cartoons
Issue: The U.S. is turning a blind eye to the drugs in Afghanistan
Point of View: Critical of the U.S. for ignoring the drugs