It just keeps getting more embarrassing every day…

Afghan opium cultivation hits a record

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. […]
Gen. Khodaidad, a top official at the ministry, said virtually all cultivated land in Helmand — including government-owned land — has been planted with opium poppies.

Wait, isn’t the drug-war-fighting-leader-of-the-world United States supposed to be in charge over there? I’m sure of it. I remember — At least, I think I remember… I’m pretty sure we dropped bombs and stuff and we sent troops and we nailed Osama and al Qaeda and eliminated the Taliban, or something, and we were greeted as liberators and the grateful people planted coffee and bananas. Or did I dream that?
In actuality, the United States met an enemy it can’t defeat. No amount of might wielded by the Pentagon can destroy it. No bombs, no planes, no troops can win against this enemy.
No, I’m not talking about Al Qaeda. I’m talking about the economic law of supply and demand.
The drug warriors keep acting like they can defy economic laws — that their pathetic little attempts to eradicate, prohibit, seize and imprison the world will somehow create an alternate universe, where people don’t do drugs and farmers don’t care about growing crops that will actually feed their family, and criminals turn down the opportunity to become fabulously rich.
And they can’t understand why it doesn’t work.
Rumsfeld is trying to deny responsibility for Afghanistan, and Walters is just plain stupid:

But Mr Walters today said that eradicating the opium crop was the only way for Afghanistan to achieve lasting peace.

Prohibition is a delusion implemented by morons.