Hey, How's the Drug War Going?

Afghanistan is trying to systematically destroy its biggest source of income. AP has a progress report:

Opium cultivation in Afghanistan has hit record levels—up by more than 40 percent from 2005—despite hundreds of millions in counternarcotics money, Western officials told The Associated Press…

"It is a significant increase from last year … unfortunately, it is a record year," said a senior U.S. government official based in Kabul, who like the other Western officials would speak only on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive topic…

In response, the Afghan government has developed a fool-proof plan: more prisons!

Next week, the Afghan government will present a wide-ranging anti-drugs strategy. Officials are moving to amend laws, train judges and prosecutors, build high security prisons and establish special courts for drug barons and senior drug smugglers.