Vast Forests in the Afghani Countryside

Áine on October 18th, 2006 filed in Random Images

Vast Forests in the Afghani Countryside
Overlooking a field of eight foot tall marijuana plants, two Canadian soldiers from Alpha Company occupy a temporary observation post in Afghanistan’s Panjwaii District, September 14, 2006. Canadian troops fighting Taliban militants have stumbled across an unexpected and potent enemy — almost impenetrable forests of marijuana plants. REUTERS / Canadian Forces / Sgt Lou Penney / Handout

“We tried burning them with white phosphorous — it didn’t work. We tried burning them with diesel — it didn’t work. The plants are so full of water right now … that we simply couldn’t burn them,” he said.

Even successful incineration had its drawbacks.

“A couple of brown plants on the edges of some of those (forests) did catch on fire. But a section of soldiers that was downwind from that had some ill effects and decided that was probably not the right course of action,” Hillier said dryly.

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2 Responses to “Vast Forests in the Afghani Countryside”

Martin Says:
October 21st, 2006 at 7:08 pm
My friend Jon, who travelled the hippie trail in the 70s, travelled in Afghanistan. He said he and his friends would camp in the countryside and have a party, and they always threw whole marijuana plants on the campfire…
Aine Says:
October 21st, 2006 at 9:44 pm
Stripped of the buds, I’m sure. *grin*