There are rumors that Tony Blair is considering pushing for the legalization of opium in Afghanistan. With a vicious and effective Taliban resurgence spreading throughout many parts of the country, such talk indicates that the British government is becoming increasingly worried about their ability to establish stability in the country.

The legalization of opium production in Afghanistan, analysts say, would have two important effects. It would win numerous hearts and minds throughout the country, since many Afghanis continue to rely on poppy production for their livelihood. Furthermore, since the sale of opium has become an importance source of revenue for the Taliban militants, legalizing it would lead to a drop in its price and, therefore, a major loss of revenue for the Islamist group.

Seth Weinberger, a professor of international relations at the University of Puget Sound, has written an interesting post that discusses this question of opium legalization in Afghanistan. He makes, I think, a very good point: "...if the War on Drugs conflicts with putting an end to the Taliban and consolidating democracy and civil society in Afghanistan, it seems pretty clear what the choice should be."

I agree with Weinberger on this one. Legalizing opium production in Afghanistan would be a smart policy decision. Why? Most importantly, because it would lead to a rise of popular confidence in the government of Hamid Karzai and give many Afghanis a sense of hope that their country is moving in the right direction. Since the Taliban gains recruits and supporters by feeding off of feelings of discontent towards the national government, this could be a critical step in undermining the organization's rising influence.

How Blair expects to convince Bush of this new policy, however, is beyond me.