Our President is considering sending more troops to Afghanistan. There's much to consider. Are we there to fight terrorists or nation building? And who's supplying the Taliban and suicide bombers in Pakistan their weapons?

Retired Gen. James Jones says, "I don't foresee the return of the Taliban. Afghanistan is not in imminent danger of falling."

"Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal has called for an infusion of thousands more U.S. troops, saying that insurgents are gaining strength in Afghanistan and that the U.S. is in danger of failing if more forces are not sent to the fight."

Are the Taliban gaining strength from the weapons they buy from  the Russian Mafia?

Who is right? McChrystal or Gen. James Jones?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/04/jones-v-mcchrystal-obama-_n_309066.html

Drugs for guns from the Russian mafia: how the Afghan heroin trade is fueling the Taliban insurgency.

"The heroin flooding Britain's streets is threatening the lives of UK troops in Afghanistan, an Independent investigation can reveal.

Russian gangsters who smuggle drugs into Britain are buying cheap heroin from Afghanistan and paying for it with guns.

Smugglers told The Independent how Russian arms dealers meet Taliban drug lords at a bazaar near the old Afghan-Soviet border, deep in Tajikistan's desert.

The bazaar exists solely to trade Afghan drugs for Russian guns – and sometimes a bit of sex on the side.

The drugs are destined for Britain's streets. The guns go straight to the Taliban front line. The weapons on sale include machine guns, sniper rifles and anti-aircraft weapons like the ones used in the attempt to assassinate the Afghan President Hamid Karzai last weekend."

The Russians must be aware of this, as I'm sure the U.S. is. In fact, opium production has quadrupled since the U.S. has taken control of Afghanistan away from the Taliban who were opposed to opium production.

Money from this trade finds it's way into our "black ops and other operations.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/drugs-for-guns-how-the-afghan-heroin-trade-is-fuelling-the-taliban-insurgency-817230.html

If we are to have a war then maybe we should have the war with those that supply the weapons. Call Russia out and give them a chance to stop the weapon deals.