Congressman Alan Boyd Calls from Afghanistan

May 29, 2008
By: Sid Riley

On Tuesday afternoon we were privileged to receive a call from our Congressman Alan Boyd while he was on his way home from a fact finding tour which included visits to Afghanistan, India, and Pakistan. He met with the President of Afghanistan, Hamad Karzai, the President of Pakistan, Pervez Musharraf, and the Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh. He was accompanied by Senator Ben Nelson (Dem, Nebraska), Representative Tim Mahoney (Dem, Florida), and Representative Nick Lampson (Dem, Texas).
During our conversation we discussed the problem of the Afghanistan economy being so dependent on growing poppies for the international drug cartels. Congressman Boyd stated that it is a problem that must be solved through our work with the new central Afghan government. "Alternate crops are the best solution, but the problem is that the growing of poppies is so lucrative for the farmers. Being a farmer myself I can understand their plight. They can realize approximately $3000 per acre from growing poppies while the best alternate crop is wheat, which will yield them about $300 per acre. Which would you grow?", he asked. "Some want to engage in aerial eradication spraying of the poppies, but there are too many potential public health and ecological problems with that approach", Boyd continued. "However, it is a problem that must be addressed. I understand that most of the product ends up in Europe rather than in the US, but it still creates a huge social problem", he concluded. This country has a population of thirty one million and an average annual household income of around $200. Poverty is worse than in many areas of Africa.
Boyd stated that this trip has given him a deeper understanding of the complexities of the religious and tribal interaction with government in both Afghanistan and Pakistan. He explained that the Taliban is really comprised of many separate factions, and they are mainly focused on local and religious issues. It is the Al Qaeda that is the international terror minded group that seeks to disrupt and destroy the United States.
The central Pakistan government actually controls a relatively small portion of the country. The rugged inner areas of the impoverished nation are still controlled by tribal factions, and this is where Al Qaeda is the most influential. There is one remote area where 3.3 million of the most impoverished and most inaccessible live that is still governed by a tribal agreement from the 1800’s, Boyd explained.
"I feel that our War On Terror has become sidetracked by our involvement in Iraq. The core of our threat lies in Pakistan and Afghanistan as well as Iran." Boyd emphasizes. "We must continue our presence with NATO in this part of the world."
Boyd stated that he feels India is making social and economic progress, but still has far to go. Human slavery and unfortunate social conditions are still prevalent in the population of almost 1.3 billion people. "India has the largest Moslem population in the Middle East, but it is only 15% among the 85% Hindu majority. However they have learned to live together with a minimal amount of conflict.
Congressman Boyd wanted us to say hello to all of his friends and supporters in Jackson County and the surrounding areas. We at the Jackson County Times thank him for taking time to talk to us during his busy travel schedule….and wish him a safe trip home.