The underground economy is a very complex structure, functioning outside the restrictions of legal and tax systems (Tradelinks, 2013). It is also vastly known as the world’s fastest growing economy. Afghanistan is a country located in Southern Asia, East of Iran and North and West of Pakistan. According to the official CIA website, the total population of this war-torn country is 31,108,077 (2013). The country of Afghanistan is often in the eyes of the media, and has had some very tough times because of its corrupt reputation. It is a country with many terrorist groups, such as Al Qaeda and Taliban. This essay will explore the underground economy in Afghanistan, specifically, what is happening in the country concerning guns, drugs and terrorism, what some potential outcomes could be, and the reasons behind them.
Firstly, we will uncover the reality of what is happening in Afghanistan. Some of the main groups in this ethnically-diverse country are the Afghanistan Project, Al Qaeda, Taliban, and the Haqqani Network just to name a few (understandingwar, 2013). These terrorist groups are all linked to the underground economy in Afghanistan through producing and distributing illegal drugs throughout the World. According to Washington Times, these illicit groups are raking in hundreds of millions of dollars through banned drugs, and produce up to 90% of the World’s supply of opium (2013). The country of Afghanistan has an 80% poverty rate and a per capita income of just $800. This ultimately leaves the unfortunate farmers no choice but to do anything they can to provide for their families. This includes growing opium, which is valued at $4500 per hectare, as opposed to growing wheat which is only valued at $266 (IAR 2013). Havocscope...
... middle of paper ...
...age
Guns in Afghanistan: Firearms, armed violence and gun law . (n.d.). Guns in Afghanistan: Firearms, armed violence and gun law. Retrieved from http://www.gunpolicy.org/firearms/region/afghanistan
Major Enemy Groups in Afghanistan. (n.d.). Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved November 8, 2013, from http://www.understandingwar.org/map/major-enemy-groups-afghanistan
The irony of Muslim terrorism. (n.d.). - Opinion. Retrieved November 10, 2013, from http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2
Global Policy Forum. (n.d.). UN Involvement in Afghanistan. Retrieved November 10, 2013, from http://www.globalpolicy.org/security-council/index-of-countries-on-the-security-council-agenda/afghanistan.html
Afghanistan: The Current Situation. (n.d.). United States Institute of Peace. Retrieved November 10, 2013, from http://www.usip.org/afghanistan-the-current-situation
Books, L. (2010). Battles of the War in Afghanistan by Country. Washington: LLC Books. Retrieved November 05, 2010, from books.google.co.ke/books?isbn=1158057407
Drug trafficking and terrorism are illegal clandestine activities with strong national security and law enforcement threat components and operational similarities. Terrorists like drug traffickers, need weapons and engage in violence to achieve goals. Terrorists, like drug traffickers, are often involved in hiding and laundering sources of funds. Both terrorists and drug traffickers operate transnationally, and often get logistical and operational support from local ethnic satellite communities. Both groups often rely on the criminal community for support: they may need smuggled weapons, forged documents and safe houses to operate effectively. Finally, both groups need a steady cash flow to operate. In the case of terrorists, where state sources of funding are rapidly diminishing, drug trafficking is an attractive funding option. Increasingly, terrorist organizations are looking to criminal activity and specifically the drug trade as a source of funding. The FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces, a guerilla force) in Colombia are but one of many cases in point.
Lerch, Bethany. "Women and the Future of Afghanistan." WSJ. The Walls Street Journal, 08 July 2015. Web. 07 Oct. 2016.
Drug trafficking has been a massive concern between the borders of Mexico and the U.S. “since mid 1970s” (Wyler, 1). Drug trafficking is “knowingly being in possession, manufacturing, selling, purchasing, or delivering an illegal, controlled substance” (LaMance, 1). A dynamic relationship exists amongst Columbia, Mexico, and the U.S. the informal drug trafficking economy. This growing informal drug economy leads to many individuals creating a substantial living through this undercover market. These individual drug cartels monopolizing the trafficking market are a growing problem for the U.S economy and need to be located and controlled. If this trafficking continues, the U.S. informal economy will crush the growth of legal industries. The trafficking and abuse of drugs in the U.S. affects nearly all aspects of consumer life. Drug trafficking remains a growing issue and concern to the U.S. government. The U.S. border control must find a way to work with Mexico to overpower the individuals who contribute to the drug trafficking business. This market must be seized and these individuals must be stopped.
Afghanistan, home to a population of roughly 30 million, has undergone some very harsh conditions. In a place that has witnessed horrific incidents due to Taliban invasions, constant warfare, and violence, Afghanistan may seem hopeless. People, particularly women and children, have been deprived of an education, and basic rights. As a result, there was a great plunge in the economy. Now, Afghanistan continues to struggle with the ruins of its land. Countries have teamed together and started to deliver aid in hopes to restore Afghanistan. The U.S. alone has sent over an estimated $100 billion in aid since 2002 (Seigel 1). However the essential question is: Is it worth it? Is it worth sending billions of dollars to a government that does not know how one-third of humanitarian aid has been spent since 2001 (Waldman 5)? Is it worth sending money when it has been confirmed that $1 billion of the $8 billion donated in the past year has been lost to corruption (Labelle 1)? Because of corruption, the United States should lower the amount of aid donated to Afghanistan and prevent waste and abuse. However, there is a possible downside to lowering aid distribution. On the contrary, if the U.S. reduces aid drastically decreases, Afghanistan may become dependent on the Taliban once again. Initially, the Taliban rose to power because they used the vulnerability of Afghanistan to their advantage after Afghanistan was invaded by the Soviet Union. Afghanistan could go through a relapse and another Taliban Era if aid is no longer given. If the Taliban take control of Afghanistan again, which is very likely since the government already has Taliban officials, Afghanistan will suffer greatly and surrounding ...
The Middle Eastern country of Afghanistan has been the center of a long history of heartless violence and political strife for quite sometime now. Russia’s interest in taking over the country and converting it into another member of it’s Communist entity was one very trying obstacle that Afghanistan has had...
Carter, Gregg. Guns in American Society: An Encyclopedia of History, Politics, Culture, and the Law. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO, 2012. Print.
Afghanistan has had a history, full of violence and wars since the last 176 years, from being invaded by the British in 1838 to the soviet Russians in 1979, but those long wars have left the once prosperous and wealthy country, into a country torn apart into shreds (BBC News). The future of Afghanistan will be highly unstable due to its high levels of poverty, which is a major factor on the outcome of the country’s future. Wars are great contributors to high poverty levels and it is reported that “20 million out of the 26 million people in the country, are living under the line of poverty” (Rural poverty Portal), that is about 75% of the country’s population. When 75% of the country population is living under the harsh living conditions and poverty, it leaves the country’s economy running on fumes. The high level of poverty also leaves most of the country in a survival mi...
Endersby, A. (2011, February 20). Afghanistan, invasion of. Retrieved May 23, 2011, from International Debate Education Association: http://www.idebate.org/debatabase/topic_details.php?topicID=145
Afghanistan since its beginning has been a place of conflict, despair, and at times lost hope. It has been taken advantage of and lost its sense of identity, which has had a direct effect on its people, and there own sense of what justice truly is.
“Twenty-two thousand girls are kidnapped every single day and are forced into prostitution. They are being beaten, raped, and sometimes even killed.” This brutal reality is all over the world, but not in public eye. Although there are some places, such as Afghanistan, that represent this hostile way towards women and children that have been bought and sold into this tyrannical lifestyle. Overall, Afghanistan has generally dominated in the booming business of sexual trades because of money, education, and rights towards women. As a result, Afghanistan has produced more business and has left many women broken because of the tragic lifestyle they have faced.
McMahon, Robert. "The Purpose of the Afghan War." 21 September 2009. The Council on Foreign Relations. 26 October 2011 .
Afghanistan; Taliban controlled, discrimination and love everywhere yet nowhere at the same time. It’s a nation where culture and tradition are of immense importance, especially to the older generation. Over 53% of Afghan population is below the poverty line, making the country one of the Earth’s poorest. Life would be lived on a day to day basis, not knowing if it’s safe to be outside, when...
At every level of the illicit narcotics market – from cultivation to production to trafficking and consumption – the narcotics trade saps the capacity of the Afghan people and undermines good governance. Equally as scary is what happens to the narcotics trade on Afghanistan’s democratic human development and institutions, which America has supported through heavy investment. Counter narcotics efforts within Afghanistan are fundamentally the responsibility of the Afghan government and people. This is why, across the board, we will focus even more intensively on building the Afghan government’s capacity to successfully and sustainably take responsibility for future
In the past ten years the Afghan Government has been dealing with a number of issues that have caused problems for the country, problems such as illegal drug trade, terrorism and violence. But nowadays they are fighting a problem that has long existed between people, and quite recently has taken a whole new aspect to it. Ethnic conflict is the destructive factor that has caused problems between people for generations, often leading to fights, outbreak of violence and grudge between different ethnicities.