Part One: Afghanistan Issues on FRONTLINE

1) Effect of Opium Production on US forces- Many farmers in Afghanistan have stopped growing crops such as wheat and corn that generate little money so that they can produce opium, a lucrative crop. Because of the fact that the Taliban sells these crops through the black market, the Taliban will become wealthy, which means they have funds to use to purchase weaponry to fight against the US soldiers. This directly relates to the cost and death of US forces, which are described below. Essentially, by farming opium, the Taliban is able to use their acquired funds to fight against the US, creating more violence, chaos, and death in Afghanistan.

2) Taliban- The Taliban are extremely difficult to fight for a multitude of reasons. One reason is because the Taliban are not an established group, and are often difficult to differentiate from other people. The war on "Terrorism" is difficult to fight because of the fact that terrorism is based on a personal opinion and definition, and terrorists are often not an established group. Also, the Taliban are difficult to defeat, because they will often hide in Pakistan when US forces in Afghanistan are trying to fight the Taliban.

3) Death- One of the more obvious problems/effects on US forces is the amount of soldiers killed each day in Afghanistan. Because of the Taliban violence such as suicide bombings, innumerable US soldiers are killed, which then creates the need for more US soldiers, which costs the US more money, which may eventually lead to this new soldier's death. Similar to the thought provoking questions that the cost of the war has brought to light, the death and injury of these soldiers forever affects their lives and the lives of others such as their family, which raises the same ultimate question as price of the war: Is staying in Afghanistan best for our country and theirs?

4) Pakistan becoming a failed state- the US is worried about the Pakistan becoming completely unstable and a "failed state." Because Pakistan possesses multiple nuclear weapons, Afghanistan could take advantage of Pakistan's weakened state and use these weapons for their own. Because the Taliban hate the US, these weapons could potentially be used against the US. However, the US does not have a right to go into Pakistan without consent from Pakistan itself, and therefore, there is little the US can do directly to prevent Afghanistan from taking possession of these nuclear weapons.