1. Afghanistan is still a hotbed of global terrorism

-Afghanistan accounted for nearly 13% of all terrorism-related deaths from 2000-2015, according to a 2017 United Nations report.

2. Drugs provide major funding for the Taliban

-About half of the Taliban’s annual $400 million income is likely « derived from the illicit narcotics economy, » the UN report said.

3. The amount of Afghan opium is rising

-Afghanistan’s average opium yield per 2.5 acres increased 30% in 2016, compared with the previous year, according to the UN.

4. More opium = more terrorism

-Since 2010, rising opium production has « shown a closer correlation with rising terrorist attacks, » the 2017 UN report said.

5. Billions have been spent but production remains high

-Washington has spent $8.5 billion to fight Afghanistan’s drug economy. It’s still the « world’s largest opium producer and exporter, producing an estimated 80% » of all heroin worldwide, said a 2017 report from the US Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction.