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Post being replied to

I guess there is opposition by BeijingIrish

on the part of certain legislators, namely, that intellectual powerhouse Chuck Grassley from Iowa. With the exception of IAND75, most Iowans couldn't find Afghanistan on a map.

Actually, there might be a few Iowans who know where it is. Or even Iowans who have visited the country. The USG has long been troubled by Afghanistan's role in the production chain of heroin and other opioids. It's a supply problem, you see. For years USAID's ag section has attempted to convince Afghan farmers to grow corn instead of poppy. There is no market for corn because it does not feature in the Afghan diet. But so what? Even though we're talking about a choice between starvation and feeding one's family, you should grow corn. You can imagine what success this visionary project has enjoyed. Nation building.