The far-reaching plains of Afghanistan hold a deadly secret through the spring. As nature awakes from the harsh winter and blossoms begin to change the barren land, the opium poppy sleeps on. A few months later, the fields will be full with beautiful red flowers.

Then the harvest begins; the poppies are mowed and in the weeks that follow, the product that these plants hold within will hit the streets of Western cities in the form of powder sold in small plastic bags. In an attempt to stop the tide of Afghan heroin flooding European cities, politicians and representatives of international organizations have been meeting in Kabul to discuss strategies to counter the country's drug cultivation industry.

But while the experts are united in their cause to stamp out the scourge of Afghan heroin crossing their borders, there are conflicting views on what the best action is. Britain, which was given the role of stamping out Afghanistan's drug output at the Bonn Conference shortly after the fall of the Taliban regime, is in favor of burning the poppy fields and destroying the drug labs. Considered harsh by many, the United States supports such a "slash and burn" tactic.

This year, a good harvest is expected once again, adding to Afghanistan's reputation as the world market leader in the production of the drug. The drug cultivation and drug trafficking makes up half of the Afghan domestic product; three quarters of the world production of opium comes from the Hindu Kush, and drug experts estimate that 90 percent of the raw Afghan opium makes it to Europe in the form of refined heroin.

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