(AP) Bassem Mroue - Lebanon's drug-producing heartland is back in business with a resurgence of marijuana and poppy fields, adding another dimension to Israel's war with Hizbullah. Production in the Bekaa Valley, a Hizbullah stronghold, peaked during the civil war, then died down to the point where the U.S. removed Lebanon from its list of big producers in 1997. Aram Nerguizian, an expert at the U.S.-based Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, says Hizbullah has enough financial support without depending on drug money, but uses the drug trade to gather intelligence on the Israeli military.
2009-12-24 08:24:53Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive