[cjbgkagh]

Foreign wars are used to launder money not stop drugs, Opium production in Afghanistan increased during US occupation, if the actual goal was to stop drug production it would be more effective to put the Taliban in charge of Venezuela.

I see this conflict as the impotent rage of a dying empire.

The invasion of Panama to overthrow a CIA backed dictatorship was needlessly over the top because of concerns that the US had lost its mojo after Vietnam and was seen as a chance to test out a bunch of Reagan's new weapons.

[woleium]

Opium production in Afghanistan more closely tracked the cost of solar to pump water up the hill to grow poppies than any us influence

[cjbgkagh]

Seems that the Taliban rule reduced Opium production by 95% but the cost of solar didn't go up 20x? At best the US did nothing to stop it. I would include displacing the Taliban as a direct result of US influence.

[woleium]

You are right, i wonder where i got my earlier info from…

[dingaling]

> was seen as a chance to test out a bunch of Reagan's new weapons.

The F-117, the wonder-weapon of Panama, was funded by the Carter Administration.

As was the B-2.

[cjbgkagh]

I was thinking more new to combat not new to Reagan, although if Carter buys it and Reagan uses it wouldn't that still be new to Reagan.

[mmooss]

I don't think either was used until George HW Bush.

[mmooss]

They were funded by multiple administrations and Congresses for decades.