ah, ah, there is a thing in the koran attributed to the prophet mohammed, the dreams, a threefold. sometimes they represent divine guidance, sometimes sorrow from the devil, and sometimes there about the conflict of daily living and past events. this applies also to women's rights in afghanistan, today, encouraged in the past to live out their dreams of being fully fledged human beings, african women. and now being told that this amounts to satanic possession when they turn to and i'm, what can they count in this time of existential struggle? ah, the join me every thursday on the alec simon show. and i'll be speaking to guess in the

world, the politics sport, business and show business. i'll see you then. me. oh oh. i came in the year before the september 11th attacks when the taliban were in power, afghanistan produced literally 0 heroin, no heroine. and after the 911 attacks, they got to a point by 2010 where they were producing 93 percent of the world's heroine. i know

this because i was the chief investigator on the senate foreign relations committee staff at the time. and i went to afghanistan in 2009 to study the problem. the positive cable is called polar soft, which means does money favorite horn to the drug addicts? it's easy to buy. how sheesh opium or heroine here me neither during the soviet presence, enough gun was done nor after it under the taliban. could this possibly have been imaginable, ah, in 2000, in an attempt to boost the taliban image, its leader more than a $100.00 band opium puppy cultivation, anywhere on afghanistan, soil the over live it's,

you get on the little some of them minimum ways on the sale, what are the limits of the question? got the, what is this, this is this of somebody for one which is or still get a in here will be natural support on the fish for me to green us and they can. i mean, you got both, but then i will go for just variables. not i . this video was filmed in 2015. the numbers have only grown since then. i've got this down. is nelda undisputed world leader in opium production. i hope you feel that acreage has now expanded to rival the size of some european countries. afghanistan confidently hold 1st place and heroine production. that lead is growing every year by 2009. the corruption index in africa,

edison is still the lowest or the next 2 lowest. how does the african economies survive through opium, through drug trade? they were attempts to change that. they never succeeded. and the people in charge were very, very corrupt pharaoh and kills and feeds at the same time. to day one, f gunny intend is directly linked to opium production. in a country ravaged by war, trading in the opium puppy ended derivatives has pretty much become the only source of income for afghanistan. rural poll, well giving international drug rings. another way to generate huge profits. well, i went to lush guard guy, which is the capital of hellman problems, and that's where most of the hair when poppy is grown. and i very naive, lee went to meet with a poppy farmer. and i said to him, instead of poppy,

why don't you grow things with 2 growing seasons, onions, tomatoes, pomegranate. and he said with frustration, you know, the americans told me in 2001 that if i told them where are the arabs where i could grow all the poppy i wanted. and now you come and tell me i can't grow poppy. so i came back and i told john kerry, who was my boss at the time. this is a real problem. we have to do something about heroin poppy cultivation. and he said why? i said, because it's 93 percent of the world's poppy heroine poppy. and he said right, and it all goes to iran and russia, and we don't care if they're heroin addicts. and so we never did anything. i hope it's produced enough canister and shipped all over the world through well established smuggling channels around the globe of gunners, towns, opium industry,

kills hundreds of thousands of people. every ah, the explosive growth in opium production is one of the main byproducts of the us presence in afghanistan. and arguably, america's only real legacy after leaving the country. no substantial infrastructure has been built in 20 years. scorched is all that the of god. these have left when you sign, you see if you go to me to go to black usually go the pro these 2 menu choose all been done in you get to do is we will go to the god just as she took me ask you to come to go to conduct that career to put your on the though should be good. so what do you need done? voice cur. americans of black. you will probably beginning at the i told her i would give them no, but it is all adjusted as with your promotional. oh,

you have your um category and monthly. but the only real way to judge that 20 years of american presence in afghanistan is by looking at the abandoned military bases. no industrial or social facilities were ever built in those years. in fact, throughout this time, if again it's done continues to benefit from the soviet legacy side up on the status of a shot, or to say that you can put your money that you or somebody can meet with you as a as a very highly duty showing it as much as a better, but somebody will catch up with the know those channels to choose what those are pretty much

a genius for your tv or your tv. there you go. pretty know what i can do that. ah indeed. i've got to stand still benefits from infrastructure that the soviet union built with moscow support. 150 major facilities were constructed thousands of kilometers of mountain road, the salon tunnel, connecting the northern and central regions, as well as dams, oil. dep owes factories, hospitals and schools, not to mention a navigation system installed by soviet specialists that helped defeat hunger. ah, let me still wish that as an option. and this is jason from colonial is spoke about the most policies you have for this. i mean, it was roger with the doors that i thought, actually you guys came, would you pay on your, for the last only can you go ideally,

go ahead and get out of the family. that's what he was completely over and let us get the label and process the leash vision. ah, as soon as i got them i had to get their existence to guess and i could put it when it was 3. so starting serious goes to 0. it's measure, it goes by some emotion which interests you or mr. machines, i said mister studies, a map of his homeland woven into an oriental carpet. he knows every province, city, and village bookish luck like the back of his hand. as much as a general shape gauge. after the nudge below government was overthrown. in the spring of 992 jello was one of many high ranking up gun officials who were forced to flee the country. was peter for them the whole us to

wear the function and i mean, is this, we have running covered with nibble and electrician, but initially show the source out about initially from the 1st of a new p s, or mental myess of my of my see me national talk about with i eliminate us yesterday. i didn't you still ship here. we don't. then you just wait a little boy. i mean i don't for the was it? don't look to see my address. go about another minute. i'm going to it. i'm going to do that pretty much with the mother prior goes up. some good protests enough, knows them doing that. but you know, but yes,

let's go in the video for several decades. their homeland has no, no peace, and no more people than ever are trying to flee the country. this is a business i'm with origin which i don't know the thumbs isn't it against you. when you turn that in the order in which and through the but the case through the private, based on new winners with, with me. and when the soviets invaded and 1979, we get into some of that history because it's very important. the u. s. began working with the moves and the reason why the dean hate is the pro soviet government was because that the pro soviet government was allowing women to get

educated was supporting land reform and supporting industrialization and modernization. there was reactionary, backward islamic extremist elements of the weather was the united states put in and overthrew the more progressive pro sylvia government. that was giving women rights for the united states. now to be the moaning, the fate of women, there's a little bit of hypocrisy. they're giving us history of us, involving my own daughters are going to school and get some good school right now. they go to shop, they go to pay the school because she we are talked by doors, extremist elements, terrorists who don't want to educate. we must add toward resolve to send our school children to school or go to school. never give up on that.

i would. i'm sure millions of off campus would give me the the drug still did as a way to come back, a great problem. what's the wonder? it's part of the attitude of the nation, not just of north dakota, and it got to be something that you could get elected. this time, the fight against drugs took a check and told us that there was

a competence short form. this is way too dangerous for him to be doing. clearly they put him in harm's way. a rural college student does interest get shot in the head and found in a river like something else had to be happening with the oh, oh oh i oh, this yoga center in couple was

a stablished in 2017 dozens of afghan women attended here every day hong kong county, well educated with strong leadership skills and business pro s, there are very few people like her enough ganeth done every day. she makes her way to the studio where she is greeted by waiting, yoga enthusiasts, pedo sca tandoori and my son. the mom like cancel sunday to that holiday header city. the city behind these walls does a very different kind of stuff. well then i got sounds like it's all about me picking me

check pushes, she doesn't want to stand level or you can buy news despite all the precautions. she started receiving phone threats that each glass stack. how about the the mother and the media, meet chap fate which has some sort of like a positive a math but now with the taliban back into, oh, we can't reveal her face with me . white flags with a black shot. now fly over every state building. not just income bowl,

but in every major city. and every check point. the taliban brought the convictions and symbols. new rules are now in place. women's faces on advertising posters in couple have been painted over beauty cell on boarded up. women are obliged to wear the bercher. as a result, both demand and price have increased $10.00 times since the taliban arrived. and this is just the beginning. i believe in the strictest interpretation of serial law . they will be amputating people's arms. they were hanging people, they were certainly almost imprisoning women when they were in control. it was a very, very backward society. will it be that bad? now? we don't know for sure, but a certainly the plight of women in afghanistan is not something that i'm very

optimistic about. in the 1990 s that totally been imposed. the harshest restrictions on women female f gun astonish could be stoned to death. but failing to work up a job in public, they were forbidden to leave their homes without a male relative. women were denied both in education and careers and even medical care. all these rules were enforced by the religious belief. now that totally been claimed that they have changed and will let women be educated, have a job, serve, and even hold government positions. these claims lack credibility and often contradicted by the fact, oh yes, we are in this moment to the very, very difficult spot. there is immense spiders who is this immense unger in our country. there's vacuum failed to get the sun. and there was the presence of

the introduction community in america for, for 20 years. natal boys and girls must now attend separate classes. women a band from all sports without full face and body covering while female soldiers fear for their life. metalli band say that despite shari'a law, african women's rights will be protected. i don't rely or put my faith in the taliban. i know her riffing history and the fears that many people in afghanistan have, but we have to we have to hope it's not clear yet that the taliban will be worse than egypt or saudi arabia or israel, or 50 countries that the united states openly arms and supports and funds and trains. so if we're going to get the u. s. government to talk about human rights, that's the 1st step. there's a whole world out there. the 1st step is to stop arming the worst human rights abusers on earth, because it's so clear and easy. more than 2000000 africans have fled to other

countries as refugees. people started leaving in large numbers a few years ago when the americans were still there. they left because they'd abandoned all hope of seeing peace restored to their homeland adoptive italy. but the number of people wanting to flee has increased dramatically. they include not only women, but journalists, public figures, interpreters, and anyone else who worked with foreigners and helped to build a brighter future for afghanistan over the last 20 years. mm. but well educated people weren't the only ones trying to leave filtering life under the taliban. ordinary folk from the provinces and to abandoned their homes to they tried to save their families from the atrocities of law. in the sunsets over a refugee campbell, the outskirts of missouri, saudis, and other day has passed just like every previous day. it's been

a struggle with us, a bible mm. describes herself as a spokesperson for the refugee camp. is 30 families, mostly ethnic. it was backs me thought a model. madame. listen, a party of us that none of us and just thought it in. i'm at that a good that all that on a shout a jamie the she's not on them. jack, this is a child me and my number again is mid golem is done up on my way. don't above the caught him out of the pay out of that. yeah. call them a calling you to say that about that whole number of attention i rags blown in the wind fabric bleached by the scorching sun, a half hazard array of impromptu huts that sprouted in the middle of the desert.

people who abandoned their homes and applause have been gardens of now lived in these squalid conditions for a year. i knew still going to guide me. yeah. i mean, you have a good. i like, i'm going to do my that if you'd be good, i will need to move the colors at that beta from the can you get a minute to get a job number moment, i'll get everybody out with it at all and then they get them in a la mom, you're heading. oh, you got to do that kind of some of the heavy stuff. i'm one of them that let me get them. i don't know. maybe i'll wait them to get on the megan. yeah. oh, my god, i'm all done and i got him push it down and mike does not join me on my cell and via us in a minute. again, i'm, it was to go home, comes in the show like what i can if i'm not sure that comes in,

they get me get that you make out. let them know on a show of bish are much. is damaging. the engine was a yeah, no, no push cutting me what a bunch of them. i don't show any english i can only if i'm you know women are shut down. they don't know what the punjab muscle them. i give me a good monday, monday and i'm in and even here the refugee is worry about their children. even among those who regard themselves as a literate, as a strong awareness that a good education is critical for that country's future. lot of the way i'm on a 2nd up almost as this is not the set. it's for the job. one does not it anymore. i'm gonna cut one is done at the end of the good. she's in this get a one, a son,

a birth. nothing mister mana, after 20 years enough, get us done. america has clearly failed to eliminate any of the problems. those who wanted to make money from a war on afghanistan made buckets and buckets of money, the big weapons dealers, the war contractors, the reconstruction business, the mercenary contracting firms that do all the cooking and cleaning and, and work that the troops don't do anymore. they made buckets in buckets of money and the politicians whose campaigns are funded with what we call in the, the world bribery. but in the united states, we call it contributions. they got money into their campaigns and got elected. so if that was a goal, it was a big success. i think that president biden's position that he has no regrets is disingenuous. it's meant for public

consumption. certainly the americans didn't know what to do long term. we just threw money at the problem and that never works. you know, there's an old saying at the ca that you can buy an african warlord, but you can certainly rent, and that is not a long term strategy. so here we are 20 years and $3.00 trillion dollars later we have literally nothing to show for it. over 20 years, roughly 750000 troops from several countries served enough canister on more than 3500 western coalition. soldiers were killed, americans suffered the most casualties among all foreign contingents. at the same time, by some estimates, the african national army actually lost more than 65000 troops. the total number of civilian dances impossible to estimate, but at numbers in the hundreds of thousands. this bloodbath has brought neither peace to afghanistan,

nor succeeded in defeating terrorism. now we're going to have not only the vietnam syndrome, but the afghanistan syndrome and a little bit of the iraq syndrome. but the visuals are so reminiscent of the visual people trying to escape from the helicopters from the roofs of the embassy. you know, the united states hopefully is going to learn some lesson. ah, some i was junior that's a few weeks ago. so i was up with the but the much the mismatch of when, when you size my to still, i mean i can finish the, not just the reason that you would get which is a little hard to show which is because i see you showing this curve goes, i'm not them was, you know, some, i mean, you know, we put out initially the bite and administration plans to end the 20 year war by 91120th anniversary of the worst terrorist attack in us history.

the to which they responded with the longest ever military campaign. but they failed to make a graceful exit. their withdraw was more like a hasty retreat and bite and certainly expected to crumble so quickly. so he was unprepared. things happened just almost overnight. so saying 3 months, it ends up taking 3 minutes before this collapse. the main goal is to strong terrorism and again it was, it achieved? yes. and no. essentially no longer exists. good for us, but dash exists, isis, which came out of arcadia. there are certainly other terrorist groups that are worse than okay, to look at syria here, the united states is arming and financing the nist of france. that's and i'll kind of see how do you explain that to the american people, that this is the same group, or at least an offshoot of the group that murdered 3000 americans on one day. and

now we're sending them weapons and money i the what we've got to do is identify the threats that we have. it's crazy foundation, let it be an arms race is often very dramatic. development only personally, i'm going to resist. i don't see how that strategy will be successful, very critical of time. time to sit down and talk

i have often said transparency for the powerful receipt for the bell. this bit cares about privacy. what people care about is power. julian, a son just become a symbol of the battles of brevity, information is power. that's what's going on and a huge struggle with governments and corporations who want to keep information secret and others who democratic rights should be pushed forward. and people have a right to know what to do. watch how to help shift the conversation around transparency. see what that battle has done to him. i feel like julian's life might be coming to an end. we are in a conflict situation with the largest and most powerful employer in such a situation. it's remarkable. it's about

the weekend on the 20th anniversary of the 911 terror attacks, the f. b i is released declassified document into who carried out the atrocity with the fall. so essentially repeating known facts. i didn't know if action on possible saudi involvement. the report suggests us mistakenly targeted an african aid work or in a drug strike. getting haven't 9 members of his family. we had from a former american drone operator who told us of his own experiences, killing innocent people. every shot that we took, like they're cheering their congratulating each other, they're high fiving each other. people getting promoted because of this stuff. plus and all due to review of the week a series of leaks unconfirmed.