Afghan opium poppy eradication campaign begins
Just in time for an official visit by American president George W. Bush, the Afghan forces assigned to eradicate the opium poppy fields have arrived at the capital of Helmand province from Kabul. Despite being the livelihood for many small farmers, President Hamid Karzai is under intense pressure from the US and Britain to end his country's opium production. The farmers' resentment is expected to spark violence. Helmand, which produces 25 per cent of the poppy crop, has been chosen as a show of his government's toughness during Dubya's visit.
