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Edited by Noah Shachtman | Contact

White Phosphorous vs. White Widow

"Canadian troops fighting Taliban militants in Afghanistan have stumbled across an unexpected and potent enemy -- almost impenetrable forests of marijuana plants 10 feet tall."

white-widow_p1.jpg"The challenge is that marijuana plants absorb energy, heat very readily. It's very difficult to penetrate with thermal devices. ... And as a result you really have to be careful that the Taliban don't dodge in and out of those marijuana forests," General Rick Hillier said in a speech in Ottawa, Canada.

"We tried burning them with white phosphorous -- it didn't work. We tried burning them with diesel -- it didn't work. The plants are so full of water right now ... that we simply couldn't burn them," he said.

Even successful incineration had its drawbacks.

"A couple of brown plants on the edges of some of those [forests] did catch on fire. But a section of soldiers that was downwind from that had some ill effects and decided that was probably not the right course of action," Hiller said dryly.

One soldier told him later: "Sir, three years ago before I joined the army, I never thought I'd say 'That damn marijuana'."

Latest Comments

i think that marijuana should be legal. Its not hurting anyone so why is it a big deal to put people in jail for blazing up. I think that pigs(cops) should go find something better to do than bust somoene for smoking.
****Blaze every Day NIGGA******

Posted by: David the Lavid at March 26, 2009 12:14 PM


i think that marijuana should be legal. Its not hurting anyone so why is it a big deal to put people in jail for blazing up. I think that pigs(cops) should go find something better to do than bust somoene for smoking.
****Blaze every Day NIGGA******

Posted by: David the Lavid at March 26, 2009 12:13 PM


i think that marijuana should be legal. Its not hurting anyone so why is it a big deal to put people in jail for blazing up. I think that pigs(cops) should go find something better to do than bust somoene for smoking.

Posted by: David the Lavid at March 26, 2009 12:13 PM


Better to legalize Mj. in the liquor stores!! Then it could be taxed and have restricted consumption just like liquor(not beer in the grocery store). This would reduce the legaltrade of coke, Mj., herion and other illegal drugs. Most people that use drugs would much prefer to go to the liquor store in daylight and wave at the local police man than take a chance in a dark alley and risk being robbed or killed in a drug related crime. The people in Afgan. could bale it up and sell it legally to a local bonded warehouse to be processed(remove seeds) to be sold and distributed in bonded warehouses worldwide after taxes had been paid.
Better the gov't of Afgan. get the tax money than the Taliban!!!

Posted by: Ric at March 6, 2009 10:04 AM


Better to legalize Mj. in the liquor stores!! Then it could be taxed and have restricted consumption just like liquor(not beer in the grocery store). This would reduce the legaltrade of coke, Mj., herion and other illegal drugs. Most people that use drugs would much prefer to go to the liquor store in daylight and wave at the local police man than take a chance in a dark alley and risk being robbed or killed in a drug related crime. The people in Afgan. could bale it up and sell it legally to a local bonded warehouse to be processed(remove seeds) to be sold and distributed in bonded warehouses worldwide after taxes had been paid.
Better the gov't of Afgan. get the tax money than the Taliban!!!

Posted by: Ric at March 6, 2009 10:04 AM


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