America’s Other War
By SusanUnPC on May 13, 2007 at 12:40 PM in Current Affairs
By Leslie, a regular contributor to this blog . . . From the NYT: “Civilian Deaths Undermine Allies’ War on Taliban”
What angers Afghans are not just the bombings, but also the raids of homes, the shootings of civilians in the streets and at checkpoints, and the failure to address those issues over the five years of war. Afghan patience is wearing dangerously thin, officials warn.
US/NATO’s heavy reliance on airstrikes, due to the lack of troops on the ground, has led to greater civilian casualties. In turn, the growing anger against NATO and US forces has led Afghan lawmakers to call for a ceasefire and talks with the Taliban, as well as a US/NATO withdrawal from Kabul.
The Pentagon says it will keep about 25,000 troops in Afghanistan through 2008. In January 2007, the Bush administration requested $10 billion in aid. Unfortunately, Afghanistan’s aid package was included in the recent Iraq Supplemental Bill, which Bush vetoed. Senator Harry Reid said, “President Bush requested $91.5 billion for continued military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. We provide every penny of that request and more.” Since the US-led invasion in 2001, US aid has totalled just over $14 billion or about $2 billion per year. Bush’s request for $10 billion would be a huge increase in aid. However, most of the money will go to training and equipping Afghan security forces, only $2 billion will go to reconstruction.
Radio Free Europe interviews former Afghan foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah:
RFE/RL: Let’s return to the situation in Afghanistan. What are the factors that have contributed to the Taliban’s increased activities?
Abdullah: The fact that the Taliban have had the opportunity to be strengthened, trained, and armed outside Afghanistan and then sent to the country has been a major factor. At the same time, I believe that more attention should be paid to places that are being attacked by the Taliban, and areas where residents are facing the Taliban threat. There should be more [action] regarding the economic situation, as well as development.
RFE/RL: If you compare Afghanistan’s current situation with two or three years ago, do you see progress or failure?
Abdullah: When you look at the security situation, two or three years ago there were no districts under the control of the Taliban. But today, unfortunately, in some parts of Afghanistan, there is such a thing.
– Leslie
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