Whatzis?
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24 September 2008
Jalalabad, Afghanistan
The shawal kameez is standard wear for Afghan men. Since I plan to spend a great deal of time exploring Afghanistan unembedded, I headed into downtown Jalalabad to pick out the material and get fitted by a local tailor. My Afghan guide and I walked through the markets for nearly two hours. The only western presence we encountered was when two American OH 58 Kiowa helicopters flew high overhead, and I wondered for a moment if I might know the pilots.
Jalalabad is mostly safe, and I felt no threats walking the backstreets and the crowded bazaar, save for one time my danger bell chimed. There was a young man wearing a black shawal kameez with a bandage on his head and one eye puffed closed. He gave a long hard look with his one good eye, and I stared back. But the other thousands of people I saw either seemed to ignore me or were overtly friendly. I felt safe. When I travel in northern India, if someone says “hello” in an urban environment, I am immediately suspicious about what’s coming next. Yet here in Jalalabad, dozens after dozens of people said hello, or gave a thumbs up, and that was it. Sometimes we shook hands and they just said goodbye and walked away smiling.
When we shopped for a few items, such as the material for the shawal kameez, there was none of the hard selling or pushy shopkeepers that can be found in many Asian countries. The atmosphere was altogether peaceful. One shopowner was a Sikh, and I asked if he was from India, but he was Afghan. In India and the U.S., I’ve always had good luck with Sikhs. They tend to be honest and straightforward.
There are even some Hindus here. Interestingly, down south in Kandahar, Helmand, Oruzgan, up in Kabul, and out here in Nangarhar province, most everyone seems to hate or at least greatly distrust the Pakistanis. Yet when I ask Afghans what they think of Indians, every Afghan I have asked, and that would be many, express affection for Indians. I ask the Afghans, “You don’t care that most Indians are Hindus?” “No, no, we don’t care. We are Muslims and they are Hindus, but we like India. The Indian people are welcome here.” Yet the Muslims in Afghanistan do not like the Muslims in Pakistan, while the Hindus in India, in my experience, equally despise Pakistan. Yet Americans who travel to Pakistan (I have yet to go myself), have always given me positive reports about the people. From a distance, it looks like all Pakistanis hate all Americans. Yet, again, the Pakistanis I meet around Asia have always been hospitable and even gracious to me. I am convinced that we often go to war based on mostly false perceptions of each other.
We kept strolling around the market. Dozens more people smiled, while many wanted their photos taken, or wanted to shake hands quickly and walk away.
Some of the foodstuffs I could identify, but others left me clueless. There were many stands selling peanuts. I was getting hungry, but was told that Afghans do not boil peanuts, so we kept going. It’s Ramadan so the Muslims are not eating or drinking during the day time.
Gun store. What kind of guns are these?
Anybody know? Please leave comments.
Whatzis?
I came across a coin (at least that’s what I think it is) in the bazaar. It looked very old, and so I took a few photos, hoping that a reader might be able to identify it. Maybe it’s a real coin, or perhaps a counterfeit.
And so it was just another day in Afghanistan, shopping in the bazaar, talking with the people, seeing all sorts of things, some I could identify, others I couldn’t. Luckily, I can ask readers around the world – Whatzis?
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Comments
Regards,
Ian
They date to the American Civil War era and predate the Martini. At least that's my SWAG.
http://www.hackman-adams.com/guns/TrapSniderConv.htm
http://www.militaryheritage.com/snider.htm
The rifle on the right end is never lighted well enough to see for sure, but looks like it might be a Trapdoor Springfield. If not, it's some sort of percussion muzzle loader.
http://www.armchairgunshow.com/ot53-pix/rd-2801.jpg
As to guns, look like Martini-Henry rifles. See the movie "Zulu." Check into rec.guns news group for more detail. One on right looks like a Schneider (sp??) conversion of a percussion to early rolled metal cart. design. Block replaces end plug on a muzzle loader. Transition gun. I can't tell for sure. Otherwise some sort of percussion muzzle loader.
/paul
BTW, GREATLY enjoy your columns/writing. Keep up the good work!
Here's a Wikipedia entry on the "Khyber Pass Copy" rifles: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khyber_Pass_Copy
More here: http://www.martinihenry.com/khyberpage.html
I couldn't resist.
Otherwise...no clue.
Thanks for everything you do Michael.
Martini-Enfield...
I think the one in your top picture is flipped 90 degrees left -- it appears to be an equestrian figure. The word across the top (oriented as you have it) appears to be "MEGALOU" or something in the "MEGA" family.
The lower picture is pretty standard, a brahma bull. In all the examples I found, this side was in a different script (Hindi?) and the obverse side was always in Greek.
Possibly this one?: http://www.parscoins.com/itemdetail.asp?type=S&item=6234
Big Indo-Greek coin site here: http://www.anythinganywhere.com/commerce/coins/coinpics/indi-baktria.html
Other examples here (very clear pictures): http://www.forumancientcoins.com/catalog/roman-and-greek-coins.asp?vpar=771&pos=0&sold=1
Another example seems something like yours (scroll to bottom): http://www.coinart.net/Indoscythian.htm
Lots of sites to be found under "Indo-Greek" [or Scythian, Bactrian, etc.] coins. Hope this is helpful. Nice find.
-- Winefred
Some greek there, plus another language.
It sure looks related to this:
http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/greece/indo_scythians/azes_I/i.html
http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/greece/indo_scythians/azes_I/AIC_255.txt
http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/greece/indo_scythians/azes_I/AIC_255.jpg
Baktria, Indo-Scythian Kings, Azes I. ca 57-30's BC. ?? 26mm x 24mm. King on camel right, holding ankus / Zebu bull standing right; monogram below. Alram 1001.
New Search : Back to Search Results
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Sale: CNG 61, Lot: 984. Closing Date: Sep 25,
2002. BAKTRIA, Indo-Scythian Kings. Azes I. BID
Estimate $400
BAKTRIA, Indo-Scythian Kings. Azes I. Circa
57-30's BC. ?? 26mm x 24mm (12.90 gm). King on
camel right, holding ankus / Zebu bull standing
right; monogram below. Alram 1001; AIC 255. Good
VF, dark brown, almost black, patina. Rare. ($400)
This is a good example of the destruction of history that is being wrought throughout the world but especially in Iraq and Afghanistan. While objects are important in and of themselves they actually matter very little compared to the context in which they occur. For archaeologists context is everything. Removing artifacts from sites destroys nearly everything we can hope to learn from them. The trafficking in stolen objects is a serious problem for everyone, not just historians and archaeologists, because it robs the inhabitants of their heritage and deprives humanity of history. For those who dig up these objects they represent valuable merchandise that can be sold to tourists or the black market, often for much needed money. The poor are often contracted out to dig up "treasure" by people who will pay them a pittance in exchange and then sell them on the black market. As with the poppy crops in Afghanistan the people do it because they need money and there is little alternative, as archaeologists have small funds with which to counter this robbery. What needs to happen, especially in Iraq and Afghanistan, is that the government (local eventually but U.S. at the moment) needs to provide funds for cultural preservation to build museua and archaeological surveys and hire guards to protect known sites. It seems small and insignificant compared to the work of defeating al Qaeda and the Taliban and reestablishing working infrastructure and government, but it is meaningful and important to build up a source of knowledge and pride in one's own country and districts. There are many reasons why so many civilizations and leaders have used art and history for the glorification of their own peoples and for propaganda. Look at the Taliban's destruction of the Buddhas in Bamayan, for instance, or the erection of monuments in Washington D.C. to take opposite examples. Consider Mussolini's excavations in Rome, Pompeii, and Herculaneum or Hitler's confiscations, destructions, and plans for construction of monuments and art work. The initial invasion of Iraq resulted in destruction and looting of the Iraqi national museum because it was not placed on the list of sites to be protected, even though numerous curators and archaeologists from around the world admonished the U.S. government about what would happen if no protection was provided. Subsequent years have seen the wholesale destruction of hundreds of archaeological sites throughout Iraq, some to the point of no return; they have been lost forever because of a lack of concern for their safekeeping. The guns as well as the coin are just a few examples of this kind of loss of history, though on very different timescales.
Anyway, enough rambling pessimism from me for the moment.
Be safe out there bro, looks like alot of fun what your doing though.
Dave
Best Regards,
John in Oregon
I'm reading your page every day now, and passing it around to others, too. Thank you for what you do.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snider-Enfield
Here's a close up of the action:
http://www.pdhsc.com/snider5771.jpg
The coin is a modern tourist piece, a fantasy item made up from imagination. It looks like the creator had seen some Mesopotamian seals and they stuck in his head, but of course seals are intaglio rather than relief.
I love those bazaars.
The rifle I'm talking about is one on the right, the others are Martinis. Clean and solid English ones go for $4-600 in the U. S.
In this connection: my layman's eye identifies both the Hebrew letters Ayin and Reish on the coin pictured. The film shows other examples of Hebrew script on ancient artifacts in Afghanistan.
"Fuzzy-Wuzzy"
Soudan Expeditionary Force, Early Campaigns
WE ƒ??VE fought with many men acrost the seas,
Anƒ?? some of ƒ??em was brave anƒ?? some was not,
The Paythan anƒ?? the Zulu anƒ?? Burmese;
But the Fuzzy was the finest oƒ?? the lot.
We never got a haƒ??porthƒ??s change of ƒ??im:
ƒ??E squatted in the scrub anƒ?? ƒ??ocked our ƒ??orses,
ƒ??E cut our sentries up at Suakim,
Anƒ?? ƒ??e played the cat anƒ?? banjo with our forces.
So ƒ??ere ƒ??s to you, Fuzzy-Wuzzy, at your ƒ??ome in the Soudan;
You ƒ??re a pore benighted ƒ??eathen but a first-class fightinƒ?? man;
We gives you your certificate, anƒ?? if you want it signed
We ƒ??ll come anƒ?? ƒ??ave a romp with you whenever you ƒ??re inclined.
We took our chanst among the Kyber ƒ??ills,
The Boers knocked us silly at a mile,
The Burman give us Irriwaddy chills,
Anƒ?? a Zulu impi dished us up in style:
But all we ever got from such as they
Was pop to what the Fuzzy made us swaller;
We ƒ??eld our bloominƒ?? own, the papers say,
But man for man the Fuzzy knocked us ƒ??oller.
Then ƒ??ere ƒ??s to you, Fuzzy-Wuzzy, anƒ?? the missis and the kid;
Our orders was to break you, anƒ?? of course we went anƒ?? did.
We sloshed you with Martinis, anƒ?? it was nƒ??t ƒ??ardly fair;
But for all the odds aginƒ?? you, Fuzzy-Wuz, you broke the square.
ƒ??E ƒ??as nƒ??t got no papers of ƒ??is own,
ƒ??E ƒ??as nƒ??t got no medals nor rewards,
So we must certify the skill ƒ??e ƒ??s shown
In usinƒ?? of ƒ??is long two-ƒ??anded swords:
When ƒ??e ƒ??s ƒ??oppinƒ?? in anƒ?? out among the bush
With ƒ??is coffin-ƒ??eaded shield anƒ?? shovel-spear,
An ƒ??appy day with Fuzzy on the rush
Will last an ƒ??ealthy Tommy for a year.
So ƒ??ere ƒ??s to you, Fuzzy-Wuzzy, anƒ?? your friends which are no more,
If we ƒ??ad nƒ??t lost some messmates we would ƒ??elp you to deplore;
But give anƒ?? take ƒ??s the gospel, anƒ?? we ƒ??ll call the bargain fair,
For if you ƒ??ave lost more than us, you crumpled up the square!
ƒ??E rushes at the smoke when we let drive,
Anƒ??, before we know, ƒ??e ƒ??s ƒ??ackinƒ?? at our ƒ??ead;
ƒ??E ƒ??s all ƒ??ot sand anƒ?? ginger when alive,
Anƒ?? ƒ??e ƒ??s generally shamminƒ?? when ƒ??e ƒ??s dead.
ƒ??E ƒ??s a daisy, ƒ??e ƒ??s a ducky, ƒ??e ƒ??s a lamb!
ƒ??E ƒ??s a injia-rubber idiot on the spree,
ƒ??E ƒ??s the onƒ??y thing that does nƒ??t give a damn
For a Regiment oƒ?? British Infantree!
So ƒ??ere ƒ??s to you, Fuzzy-Wuzzy, at your ƒ??ome in the Soudan;
You ƒ??re a pore benighted ƒ??eathen but a first-class fightinƒ?? man;
Anƒ?? ƒ??ere ƒ??s to you, Fuzzy-Wuzzy, with your ƒ??ayrick ƒ??ead of ƒ??airƒ??
You big black boundinƒ?? beggarƒ??for you broke a British square!
I second the motion made by one of the other posters: At some point, a coffee-table style book of your photography would be highly appropriate, and well received. I too am a photographer, and at one point in my life made my living designing coffee-table books. Your work is very worthy of such a publication, and would market well.
Let me hear from you when you've got a moment!
Victoria
Just wanted to say how much I appreciate your work. As someone who has not traveled through these parts of the world, I do appreciate being able to see the every day people and hear of their struggles, their likes and dislikes, and their way of life. Your work is invaluable and I salute you!! Keep them coming!!
The other rifle is a Snider, again probably a locally produced copy.
I've linked to your site often in the last several years, but the pictures might attract some of the people that don't follow the "Politics" or "Current Evens" threads.
I perssonaly ask other soldiers to come outside of their bases, leave the armed humvees and weapons, wear civilian dress and meet the people. It will show that Internationals have come here to heal Afghan wounds.
Please be safe. I worry about your safety over there when unembedded, as others do. I do love and appreciate your dispatches and share them with others who are interested in an objective view. Thanks for keeping us connected to the action over there.
Godspeed!
I just wanted to tell you I get a vicarious thrill from your travels because of both your photos and your writing. Both are excellent and make me feel like I've actually traveled along with you. As I've told you before you make the reader and the person looking at your photos feel they're in on the action and there with you viewing everything that's going on. Also, you tell the truth with your words and show the truth with your photos. You let us know whatƒ??s going on. The good, the bad and the ugly. And thatƒ??s why so many of us like your work so much. Kudos on keeping it real.
No clue about the coin. Some letters look Greek to me (pun intended
The earliest gun I have in my collection is the Colt M1873 single-action .45 revolver used during the Philippine-American War. If I remember correctly these revolvers were only used for a short while during that war, however, had been used for several decades later on in the late 1800s.
If the guns you photographed are real I'd sure love to get my hands on one cause ya know how I love guns and knives. (drool)
I second everyone who suggested you do a coffee table style book of all your photos. They are wonderful. I'd certainly be the first in line to purchase one (with your signature of course).
You watch your six and be careful over there. You've got more writing, photo taking and truth telling to do. Don't get careless just because everyone seems so friendly. And I second the other poster who told you to be extra careful with planned appointments. Be especially careful.
Just to make ya laugh since ya liked my southern idioms so much when we were corresponding.......if'n ya get yerself in truble Ah'll haf ta pitch mahsalf a gud ol fashioned, Redneck, hot flashin, tee totally ticked off menopausal hissy fit. An ya know how bad they's can be!!!!! An afer that ya can call on the ƒ??Hormonal, Hot Flashin, Redneck, Menopausal, Bama Bitch Brigadeƒ? ta help ya out. Weƒ??re always at your service. LOL BTW, this comment reminded me of my very southern hick sounding voice when I talked to you on that Boston radio show. I recorded it and both my husband and I think I sounded like Ellie Mae Clampet and you and the host sounded like y'all got a kick out of it too and prolly everyone who listened to it even the critters by the cement pond. LOL (Ah did sound terrible). My accent even sounds southern to native southerners. Now that's bad! ACK!
Godspeed to you my friend and keep up the above excellent work you are doing. As usual you are in my prayers.
Linda in Bama aka "Pocahontas"
Love your work, stay safe.
pictures the faces of the people we view as our enemy. You are doing a great job!!
Godspeed
I live and work with Muslims in the Israel/West Bank.
The red beard is a sign that the person has made hajj to Mecca. However, more recently some people do it just because it makes them look cool.
I see alot of grain, with all that is going on, how do they havest it, or where do they get it?
Beautiful fabric, how do they keep like that with everything that is going on?
I was really surprised to see a Sikh in Afghanistan. Surprised the Taliban had not already killed him for being a Kaffir. Thanks for the info on the attitudes of the different people. Long ago a friend and I sponsored two Pakistani officers at the infantry officer advanced course at FT Benning. They were smart, tough, and had a real appreciation and respect for the US.
The date is a dead give away. However, that is not a ramrod. M-H's originally had a cleaning rod. The other rifles just have them missing.
I'm guessing some of the beans are foul medames which a previous poster called "fool" beans. I think some of the pastel stuff may be cardamom.
They try to even reproduce the English markings. May not be very old but will still have the crown insignia over VR. (Victoria Regina) Vicky died in 1901.
The Brits left many for them to copy as they had a rough time there years ago.
Available for sale here as non-shooters, display only.
Great pics. Is it a pinhole camera?
Victoria
Some comfort can be found in acknowledging with equal convction that an upright person goes to war driven by scrupulous cognizance of the maniacal disorder levied on the citizenry by ruthless leaders empowered by propogating and perpetuating false perceptions.
I applaud these upright people that go to war endowed with an innate sense of compassion for the suffering innocents and love of liberty. I applaud them for rejecting the temporary comfort of passivity or the longer lasting yet equally devestating recklessness of revenge to embrace the more difficult role of duty to neighbor so that truth and ultimately liberty for innocents prevail.
I count you among the upright Michael. Please accept my deepest gratitude for your unselfish duty to others by providing the world with the truth about Iraq which as events have revealed played some role in gifting liberty to the citizens of Iraq.
I anticipate no less an outcome from your truthful reporting in Afghansitan.
Fotos terrirfic....envy you.
Azure
U are so right about preservation...what happened in Iraq was horrific...museums looted etc. A millenia from now the small wars will be forgotten but the knowledge we get from artifacts pricelss. What the Spanish did to the Mayan , Aztec and Toltec scripts etc because they were not Christian was horrible..or for that matter the Taliban destroying the Buddha because it was not of Islam. We are mortal...knowlege is eternal.
Here is what he wrote back about the guns you pictured:
"From the left, what would appear to be various Martini's:- a Cavalry carbine, a Mk.11 or Mk.111 infantry rifle, an early Mk.1 conversion to Mk.1*, and a Snider infantry rifle, with a local hammer.
Whilst these certainly have the look of genuine pieces, a close examination will probably reveal, as is more likely, a collection of bits, some genuine, some locally made.
The hand held pieces are easy, an out and out fake, "VR 1906".????? She died in 1901.!!!! The other is probably a genuine Birmingham made Martini body. With the lettering being the clue, and the state of the various body pins etc.
Very many of the 'old' guns now showing up in the region, are purpose built bazaar specials, intended for the American market. The Afghans are never ones to miss a trick.!! Many of the pieces in the 'heap' picture are examples of the same - although there is something interesting at the far left back, sticking up - definitely European."
That's it. Aloha, Ka'imiloa
Here is what he wrote back about the guns you pictured:
"From the left, what would appear to be various Martini's:- a Cavalry carbine, a Mk.11 or Mk.111 infantry rifle, an early Mk.1 conversion to Mk.1*, and a Snider infantry rifle, with a local hammer.
Whilst these certainly have the look of genuine pieces, a close examination will probably reveal, as is more likely, a collection of bits, some genuine, some locally made.
The hand held pieces are easy, an out and out fake, "VR 1906".????? She died in 1901.!!!! The other is probably a genuine Birmingham made Martini body. With the lettering being the clue, and the state of the various body pins etc.
Very many of the 'old' guns now showing up in the region, are purpose built bazaar specials, intended for the American market. The Afghans are never ones to miss a trick.!! Many of the pieces in the 'heap' picture are examples of the same - although there is something interesting at the far left back, sticking up - definitely European."
That's it. Aloha, Ka'imiloa
thanks for being there. beware of ALL that stuff because there is a huge industry in counterfeiting EVERYTHING that Westerners want to buy. Particularly the weapons.
http://www.armscollectors.com/darra/darra.htm
Of course, when I was there I picked up an Enfield for a case of Coke...
http://www.gunco.net/forums/f108/help-identifying-rifles-41089/
Perhaps you can show us the passages of the Qur'an where it advocates the beating of women and their enjoyment of it. I haven't seen these and am interested to read about them.
As far as that article goes, does where someone lives determine how Muslim they are? You put "Islamic" in quotes, as though living in the West makes her less of a Muslim. Does that mean Christians who live in the East aren't really Christians?
It's funny that you mention the world chivalry, because it's originally a concept taken by Crusaders from their Islamic opponents. And you may "abhor feminism" but you can thank it for allowing you to type on your computer and espouse your views.
They are authentic weapons from a bygone era of western colonialization . It shows you the reality of the region and how it has been influenced by the west over the centuries. I found a number of old Enfields, the British follow on to the Martini, and even an old American WWI rifle made by Eddystone Arsenal for the British in 1914. The western European powers just dumped their old rifles on the colonial governments to keep peace and the weapons remain to this day. I doubt any are functional, and even if they were they have no ammunition. They are just oddities of an odd place.
Recently in Nepal they found an old palace that was held by the government as a storehouse that was full to the ceiling with weapons from the Napoleonic wars. It was cool... suddenly the world had access to hundreds of 200 year old rifles some predating America!
The rifle on the far right is an 1853 model Lee-Enfield rifle musket (caliber .577 British) that has had the stock cut down and the Snyder cartridge conversion done to the breech. The British made note of the Allen trapdoor conversion for the U.S. Springfield and copied it for their Crimean War era Enfields. The Snyder conversion differs from the Allen in that the Allen trapdoor flips forward to eject the cartridge and open the breech, whereas the Snyder conversion hinges out sideways to the right to expose the breech. Both systems were intended to save their governments the expense of buying all new rifles with the advent of brass cartridge breech loading weapons in the 1860s.
Should you wish to buy one of these weapons for a souvenir, examine all the cartouches and armory markings on the weapon carefully (even under the barrel inside the stock), and check them against one of the weapons websites. I'm not sure how the process works for a civilian (you may have to go to the American embassy in Kabul and fill out a BATFE form 6 to import them), but any firearm predating 1898 is considered an antique by the BATFE, and does not require a Class III FFL to ship to the United States. Hope this helps.
The coin appears to be Bactrian, and may be a fake (the Afghans are pretty good at counterfeiting coins). If if is genuine, then it's not terribly uncommon for the region, but is a good piece to aquire.
I have no idea whether or not it still exists, but you could always find an old guy and ask him about it.trn0
I don't know if Michael is aware of that, just wanted you to know.
And while I'm at it.
Michael, I really appreciate the work you do and I'd like to express my gratitude and respect for your effort, dedication and the risk you take, to do the job you do.
And to say in my own language: Danke!
Most of the rifles you in your pictures appear to be the Martini-Henry (also known as the Peabody-Martini-Henry) a breech-loading lever-actuated rifle adopted by the British, combining an action worked on by Friedrich von Martini (based on the Peabody rifle developed by Henry Peabody), with the rifled barrel designed by Scotsman Alexander Henry. It first entered service in 1871 replacing the Snider-Enfield, and variants were used throughout the British Empire for 30 years. It was the first British service rifle that was a true breech-loading rifle using metallic cartridges. The other appears to be a percussion cap carbine and is very similar to the US Springfield that Cavalry Troopers used early in the Indian Wars except the barrel is much longer than that particular model, next time look for manufacture makings..." Always Ready...Second to None"
If you look carefully at image _y4q2542ac730.jpg , you can see that the hinge pin runs along the side of the carbine, and the shoe swings to the side to reveal the chamber.
On a Springfield conversion, the hinge pin would be in front of the shoe, and it would open by swinging forwards instead of sideways.
"Yet here in Jalalabad, dozens after dozens of people said hello, or gave a thumbs up, and that was it. "
That says a lot about how they receive Americans, doesn't it?
They date from the 1890s and were most likely made in Birmingham England.
See the link below for more information:
http://cas.awm.gov.au/technology/REL/19127
http://www.martinihenry.com/
Keep up the good work!
http://www.martinihenry.com/metalmarkings.htm
The Afghans seem to be packrats - clearly a male-dominated society.
It's Greek.
While the rifles are not in my league, I am reminded that many post-war German pistols bore Nazi markings and yet were finally constructed and sold in 1946-48. Just because the Queen is dead doesn't mean the contracts died with her. Contract out for some piece-work or put in that markings must be to certain specifications, and you can get oddities showing up. Only an expert, on the spot, can know for sure, but Afghanistan looks to be a antique dealer dream and nightmare, due to the ability to copy antiques so well. Even so, a 100 year old copy is still an antique and of value in its own right.
I do wish that the Administration had the Dept. of Ag. team up with the DEA and DoD to start a new 'low tech, new technique' technology influx to change farming over to dryland techniques and to offer a bit of price support for crops while pointing out that poppy fields make great ordnance testing ranges. Use DEA to do multi-spectral analysis, Dept. of Ag. to ground-truth and push for better crops and techniques, and DoD to make a point with impromptu test ranges. GIH has had much of the opium market secured via contacts for decades, and his contacts with the Red Mafia are more than slight speculation. Add gem smuggling and semi-precious stone smuggling and you get to understand how he can run an organization going through the 'stans all the way to London. The ISI should never have supported him in the '70s.
Keep safe, Mr. Yon... and a picture book of your works is something I would purchase!
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