The U.S. military has know about drug use among the ranks since the Vietnam war, were up to 15% of the enlisted men either tried or became addicted to opiates. Today the soldiers are in a "producer country" ; Afghanistan which produces 97% of the worlds heroin. To soldiers bored or traumatized cheap strong heroin is a powerful lure. Reports going back to 2006 show that heroin can be easily and cheaply obtained not far off of military bases. In Afghanistan a soldier can get hundreds of dollars worth of heroin for around 30$. In 2007 the military denied there was a heroin problem among soldiers and would only release information that showed which soldiers failed random drug screens not telling which drugs. (seems to me like they are trying to hide something).

works cited

SOTT news. U.S: Is the military ignoring the heroin problem in its ranks. 10/22/09. http://www.sott.net/articles/show/195434-US-Is-the-Military-Ignoring-Its-Heroin-Problem-in-the-Ranks-

On Oct 23 international security forces in Afghanistan detained several suspected militants in Kandahar Province. They stopped several vehicles in pursuit of the Taliban commander of the Maywand district. The vehicles were stopped after intelligence revealed militant activity. There was a gun fight. After the skirmish the vehicles were searched and 2,600 pounds of black tar heroin was seized in addition to a number of small arms weapons.

Works cited

War on terror news, Success in Afghanistan-2,600 pound of black tar heroin seized, militants killed. 10/25/09. http://waronterrornews.typepad.com/home/2009/10/success-in-afg-2600-pounds-black-tar-heroin-seized-militants-killed.html

Than Afghanistan opium harvest has declined for the second consecutive year. The smaller harvest largely attributed to market forces and heightened interdiction efforts. A United nations report recently stated that there is growing evidence that some insurgent forces are becoming "narco cartels". Those similar to anti-government guerrilla groups in Columbia. They are more concerned with drug profits than ideology. The multi billion dollar illicit drug industry fund much of the country's insurgency and this is why the Afghan government is one of the most corrupt governments in the world. It is reported that there is two years worth of opium stock piled, enough for a two year supply. This is about a billion dollars worth of opium and that money can be used to fund many corrupt government transactions.

Works Cited

Oppel, Richard A. The New York Times. U.N. Sees Afghan Drug Cartels Emerging. September 1, 2009. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/02/world/asia/02afghan.html

Russia's top drug official Viktor Ivanov is pressuring the the United States into destroying to opium fields in Afghanistan. It is estimated that 30,000 Russians die every year from drug use, 90 of the heroin used is Afghan heroin. Heroin flows easily through the Russian borders. This request comes just at a time of policy change in the United States. The Obama Administration is moving away the methods of Bush and his administration. Many favor this tactic, but other oppose it because it would have devastating social and economic effects. Some fear it would turn the people toward the Taliban this argument has made the Obama Administration to seek other methods of trying to put a stop to the Taliban.

Works Cited

Barry, Ellen. The New York Times. Russia, plagued by heroin use, to press U.S. to destroy Afghan poppy crops. September 22, 2009

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/23/world/europe/23russia.html

The Taliban raises 70-400 million dollars a year through illicit drug trade. This helps finances their terrorism. The United States has tired to stop their financing but has made little impact. The Talibans ability to raise money complicates the Obama Administration's decision to deploy 10,000 more troops to Helmand Province. This is the hear of opium production. Even if the United States did stop the flow of money there would be more fighters trained for the Taliban because it can be done very inexpensively.

Works Cited

Schmitt, Eric. The New York Times. "Many Sources Feed Taliban War Chest". October 18, 2009.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/19/world/asia/19taliban.html

Works Cited

Zabriskie, Phil "THE WORLD'S TOUGHEST JOB?." Fortune 160.7 (2009): 120-126. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 13 Oct. 2009.

This article is about Afghanistan's anti-drug czar beginning a campaign against heroin traffickers. Especially those who fund the Taliban through drug money. He wants to abolish poppy fields in a country that produces 93% of the worlds heroin. He however is almost powerless amid th e government corruption and the drug traffickers,

Habib, Nasir"Pakistani military jets strike Taliban targets".

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/10/13/pakistan.taliban.airstrike/index.html

Pakistani military jets bombed Taliban militant hideouts in the countries lawless tribal region on Tuesday. They struck in north along the Afghan border. the in the south Waziristan were bombed in early August by U.S Military killing the Taliban leader Batiullah Mehsud. They are now led by Hakimullah Mehsud.

Deane, Daniela. "Egyptian women protest ban on austere veil"

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/10/13/niqab/index.html

The leading Egyptian cleric made a recent declaration that that women would not be able to wear niqabs' in university areas frequented by only women. A niqab is an all covering face veil. this is a common practice in Arab countries such as Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and Pakistan. Devoted Muslim women still continue to wear their niqab's. There is opposition to this ban by the Muslim-brotherhood.

Here is the farmers almanac predictions for winter 2009 to fall 2010.

Annual Weather Summary: November 2009 to October 2010

Winter will be about a degree colder than normal, on average, despite a number of mild periods. The coldest periods will occur in the second week of December, early to mid-January, mid- to late January, and mid-February. Precipitation and snowfall will be below normal in the east and above normal in the west. Watch for a snowstorm around Thanksgiving, with other snowy periods in early and late December, late January, mid-February, and mid-March.

April and May will be warmer and drier than normal, with an early-season hot spell in mid-May.

Summer will be cooler than normal, with slightly below normal rainfall. The hottest periods will be in mid- to late June and mid- and late July.

September and October will be warmer than normal, with below-normal rainfall in the east and above-normal rainfall in the west.

This almanacs may not be 100% accurate all of the time but they are usually right. One source says they are accurate as high as 80% of the time. I personally believe them because the old timers and the farmers know the land and weather pattern better than most of the meteorologists.

I think the most important question to asked on the peer review is, is the writing balanced. A balanced writing is not dry in some places and exciting in others. It needs to have good consistent flow. Another important question is, are the elements of music examined. The music needs to be examined from every angle and understood in text and context to write and effective analysis.