MOTHER RUSSIA

Following up on the Afghani heroin problem we were talking about yesterday, we're saying thanks to Ben Masel once again. Ben has been sending us links on Afghanistan for a long time now. He always seems to unearth the more obscure sources that I never have time to find and today is no exception.

He sends this on Russia's alarm at the drug trade in Afghanistan.

Speaking at a conference in Munich, Russian defense minister Sergei Ivanov said Afghanistan produces nine times the amount of drugs, compared to the time of Taliban rule.

...Mr Ivanov said NATO forces are ignoring the drug trade for fear of losing the loyalty of Afghan warlords.

He said the drug flow from Afghanistan is posing a serious threat to the security of Russia and all Central Asian states.

Guess the Russians aren't any more impressed with the recent bust of that one lab than I was.