Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - November 3, 2006, Winnipeg, Manitoba A18 world Winnipeg free press Friday november 3, 2006 opium poppy Farmers protected by Taliban militia Iran test fires missile Able to reach Israel Tehran Iran ? Iran test fired dozens of missiles including the Shahab-3 that can reach Israel in military manoeuvres thursday that it said were aimed at putting a Stop to the role of world Powers in the persian Gulf Region. The show of strength came As Iran remains locked in dispute with the West Over its nuclear program which Washington says is geared to producing atomic weapons but Tehran says is Only for generating electricity. The manoeuvres came three Days after warships finished naval exercises in the Gulf that Iran branded As state television reported that several kinds of missiles were tested and Broad cast footage of them being fired from Mobile launchers. We want to show our deterrent and defensive Power to trans regional ene Mies and we Hope they will understand the message the head of the revolutionary guards Gen. Yahya Rahim Safavi said in a Clear reference to the United states Britain and France who were among the six countries that took part in the Gulf manoeuvres earlier this week. In Israel infrastructure minister Binyamin Ben Eliezer said he was not surprised by the missile tests and warned that to leave Iran unchecked would pose a risk to the world. Iran is following a direct line after North Korea. Therefore this problem is not Israel a but that of the entire world Ben Eliezer said referring to North Korea a recent nuclear test and its fre quent launches of Long Range missiles. ? associated press Cluster bomb victims mostly civilians including kids Geneva ? civilians account for 98 per cent of Cluster bomb victims with a third of the casualties being children the Campaign group Handicap International said thursday. Cluster munitions Are imprecise weapons designed to strike a Large sur face area Angelo Simonazzi the groups director general said in a 56?page report released at the euro Pean Headquarters in Geneva. They scatter Small highly lethal sub uni tons creating a footprint within which they indiscriminately kill and injure Mil itary targets and the study said Cluster bombs have killed some 3,800 people and injured 5,500 in 24 countries. Unofficial Esti mates put the real number of victims at 100,000, the group said. Handicap International based in Brus Sels Belgium urged a moratorium on the use of All Cluster bombs and for the weapon to be banned under the 1980 convention on conventional weapons. But there is Little Hope of convincing countries such As the . And Russia to support a ban Simonazzi told the associated press. In september a move by democrats in the United states to Stop the Penta gon from using Cluster bombs near civil Ian targets was Defeated in the Senate. Cluster bomb lets ? or sub munitions ? Are packed into artillery shells or bombs dropped from aircraft. Some 200 to 600 of the bomb lets Are typically scattered Over an area the size of a football Field from a single Cluster bomb canister fired to destroy airfields or tanks and soldiers. ? associated press by Jason Straziuso k Abul ? afghan Farmers now planting opium poppies will prob ably reap a Harvest comparable with this years record breaking crop in part because Taliban militants control wide swaths of Southern Afghanistan preventing effective counter narcotics work officials said thursday. The planting season is underway in Southern regions where the bulk of the estimated 6,000 tonnes of afghan opium was grown during 2005-06. Anti drug officials say that despite anti cultivation campaigns launched Pri Marily in 11 provinces they foresee Little improvement by Harvest time in Spring 2007. A senior . Official said next years poppy Harvest would probably be roughly at the level of the past Yea maybe a Little under. We were so High last he spoke on condition of anonymity because he a not allowed to speak on the record. Drug production has soared since the ouster of the Hartline Taliban regime by forces in 2001 for hosting Osama bin Laden. This years crop accounted for 92 per cent of global Supply and was enough to make some 600 tonnes of heroin ? More than All the worlds addicts consume in a year. Police and government officials Are deeply implicated in the Trade that has fuelled corruption and lawlessness threatening Afghanistan a fledgling democracy. And Taliban militia that had All but eradicated opium cultivation by 2000 now profit from it protecting poppy Farmers. Deteriorating Security Means anti narcotics officials face difficulties in monitoring How much poppy has been planted the . Official said. Taliban led militants have increased attacks this year particularly in Afghanistan a South Ern opium heartland. We be actually lost a lot of Gover Nance in a number of districts in Kan Dahar Helmand and uru Zgan where the sol creator lauds afghan Mission Ottawa ? saturday night live creator Lorne Michaels applauded Canadas participation in the afghan Mission thursday saying he a glad his native country is Back in the but the Toronto born Michaels one of six canadians being honoured this week with a governor general a performing arts award for lifetime achievement had some Sharp criticism for the pre Vious Liberal governments reaction to the september 11 attacks. ? Canadian press government in to flying the Flag the official said. You be got Taliban there that Are More in control than the Gen. Khodadad a Deputy minister in Afghanistan a ministry of count Ernar comics said some provincial governors and police chiefs have been doing effective anti drug work. But unfortunately in some provinces especially in the South and Southwest we Haven to been doing As Well said Kho Deidad who goes by one name. The Rea son is very Clear ? fighting. Some of the districts Are under the influence of the Taliban or the anti drug chief said recently proceeds from Afghanistan a opium production were being used to fund terrorist groups and the . Official noted that the country a drug Trade was a us$3.1-billion business this year and that it does to take much of that to fund anti drug work is hobbled by rampant corruption in Afghanistan where farm ers or Taliban militants pay police to turn a Blind Eye to cultivation. ? Canadian press All discounts shown Are off Golf towns regular prices. While quantities last. Selection and styles May vary by store. Head covers Are limited ;