Canada troops battle 10-foot Afghan marijuana plants

Boogahz · Post by **Boogahz** » October 13, 2006, 1:30 am

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/americas/ ... index.html

OTTAWA, Canada (Reuters) -- Canadian troops fighting Taliban militants in Afghanistan have stumbled across an unexpected and potent enemy -- almost impenetrable forests of marijuana plants 10 feet tall.

General Rick Hillier, chief of the Canadian defense staff, said Thursday that Taliban fighters were using the forests as cover. In response, the crew of at least one armored car had camouflaged their vehicle with marijuana.

"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," he 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'."

...this just has to suck. I was waiting for the "side effects" from being downwind throughout the story.

Arborealus · Post by **Arborealus** » October 13, 2006, 1:42 am

Quick, air drop the combine harvesters!

Canelek · Post by **Canelek** » October 13, 2006, 2:45 am

This would be a great marketing opportunity for Zig Zag, Randy's or EZ-Widers.

Nick · Post by **Nick** » October 13, 2006, 4:26 am

We tried burning them with white phosphorous

Isn't using white phosphorous illegal in any combat situation?

kyoukan · Post by **kyoukan** » October 13, 2006, 4:36 am

of course it isn't. phosphorous grenades and flashbangs and bullet tracers are used all the time.

entire forests of marijuana plants sounds pretty fucking awesome. too bad its all shitty arab skunk and not any quality shit. your probably couldn't get a canadian to smoke any of it if you gave them a garbage bag full.

Nick · Post by **Nick** » October 13, 2006, 4:41 am

I see

Asheran Mojomaster · Post by **Asheran Mojomaster** » October 13, 2006, 4:48 am

I've had Afghan weed before (or at least, the seeds were Afghan) and it was damn good. It said they were so full of water they couldnt be burned...now that isnt a good thing, but better than being too dry and they get tons of sunlight. I bet it would be decent at least.

vn_Tanc · Post by **vn_Tanc** » October 13, 2006, 6:26 am

Afghan hash > most weed.
That stuff was the shit. Curse the Taliban for stopping its production and shipment to europe!

Sabek · Post by **Sabek** » October 13, 2006, 10:56 am

Nick wrote:
We tried burning them with white phosphorous
Isn't using white phosphorous illegal in any combat situation?

White phosphorous cant be used against personel, but is perfectly ok to use on equipment like vehicles etc.

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » October 13, 2006, 11:24 am

Afghan has to have something decent or it wouldn't have been mentioned in Rush's song. Canadian rock groups know their drugs. They "only stop for the best".

A Passage To Bangkok Lyrics

Our first stop is in Bogota
To check Colombian fields
The natives smile and pass along
A sample of their yield
Sweet Jamaican pipe dreams
Golden Acapulco nights
Then Morocco, and the East,
Fly by morning light

We're on the train to Bangkok
Aboard the Thailand Express
We'll hit the stops along the way
We only stop for the best

Wreathed in smoke in Lebanon
We burn the midnight oil
The fragrance of Afghanistan
Rewards a long day's toil
Pulling into Katmandu
Smoke rings fill the air
Perfumed by a Nepal night
The Express gets you there

We're on the train to Bangkok
Aboard the Thailand Express
We'll hit the stops along the way
We only stop for the best

kyoukan · Post by **kyoukan** » October 13, 2006, 12:29 pm

afghani hashish is indeed awesome.

Post by **Sylvus** » October 13, 2006, 12:42 pm

you guys are making me hungry

masteen · Post by **masteen** » October 13, 2006, 1:42 pm

We used to get hash in college that was like golden brown in color from these Iranian kids. You'd smoke like one tiny little flake of it and be stoned snough to eat an entire bag of Krystals. I think I liked the world a lot better when we could all just get high together.

Leonaerd · Post by **Leonaerd** » October 13, 2006, 5:17 pm

It's still possible at MSU!

Voronwë · Post by **Voronwë** » October 13, 2006, 9:46 pm

so it is true that the muhajadeen will find paradise!

masteen · Post by **masteen** » October 13, 2006, 10:01 pm

Apparently so.