Taliban Gets Organized Politically
As we get deeper and deeper into the Afghan quagmire, ostensibly to defeat al-Qaida, along with its ever-mysterious Osama bin Laden and to defeat the Taliban, in order to prop up the Karzai government, it appears that the Taliban is always a step, or two ahead.
At this point, nearly every Afghan province has two governors – one belonging to the Karzai regime and the other to the Taliban one.
At the same time, it appears that many Afghans prefer a decisive rule to the disarray of the Karzai government.
The Taliban has established an elaborate shadow government of governors, police chiefs, district administrators and judges that in many cases already has more bearing on the lives of Afghans than the real government.
U.S. military officials say that getting rid of the Taliban’s shadow government and establishing the authority of the Karzai administration over the next 18 months will be critical to the success of President Obama’s surge strategy. But this has been complicated by the fact that in many areas, Afghans prefer the severe but decisive authority of the Taliban to the corruption and inefficiency of Karzai’s appointees.
For many Afghans, there is little, or no choice. Across broad areas of the country, especially Afghanistan’s vast rural areas, the government has little to no presence, leaving the Taliban as the only authority.
After been forced underground or into exile in 2001, the Taliban has returned not just to wage war but also to demonstrate that it is capable of delivering a different model of governance from the one offered by Karzai and his allies. Afghans who live under Taliban control say the group’s weaknesses remain the same as during the movement’s previous five-year rule. The Taliban provides virtually no social services, leaving Afghans on their own when it comes to health care, education and development.
Most Afghans celebrated Taliban’s ouster on 2001, but after eight years of Karzai’s government, many say they would happily welcome the Taliban’s return.
It appears then that whatever is defined as a “victory” in Afghanistan will not be a military one, but rather a very strong push to improve the efficiency of the central government, while cleaning out the ever-present corruption. In addition, the Afghan government forces will have to actually establish a strong, viable presence even in areas presently considered to be Taliban strongholds.
Whether the U.S. and NATO will be able to achieve that within the next 18 to 24 months remains to be seen, but the prospects do not look promising at all at this point.
Maybe if we finally gave up the search for the mythical Osama bin Laden, more resources could be channeled into actually fighting for the hearts and minds of the Afghan people and to offer them a viable future, which for so many decades has seemed to slip almost out of reach?
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Most of our approaches to almost everything in Iraq turned out to be far too urban to be effective the first time we tried them. It seems as though we intend to repeat this pattern in our efforts in Afghanistan. Of course, illiteracy is a problem if one intends to recreate the “literate” military we think is best! The Afghan version of an operational security force may turn out to actually be quite removed from our approach.
The Taliban, especially as they migrate toward a more acculturated image, are counting on neutralizing every advantage we have brought with us — they haven’t done all that poorly to date. They have exploited a gigantic disconnect between our efforts and the Afghan people we would convert to soldiers to fight them.
However, solutions remain for us if we can simplify ourselves sufficiently to find them. Two short quotes, then a plug for MeanMesa.
“Human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe.”
- H. G. Wells
“The Western mind cannot understand the peasant.” – Will Durant
And for POLITICUS readers wishing to visit MeanMesa: “Afghan Literacy: A Test for USAID?”
http://meanmesa.blogspot.com/2009/12/afghan-literacy-test-for-usaid-or-nato.html
Perhaps our decisions and strategy will work out better once we begin to focus on choices we actually have. We probably need to shed a bit of unexamined, cultural hubris first.
Chad, correct, except that Will Durant doesn’t seem to realize that the so-called Western mind, or Western world is also chock-full of peasants…Just look at the present-day Republicans…
It’s important not to confuse “peasants” with the culturally opposed concept of “hill billies and bigots.”
When considered with an “unfettered” mind, peasants represent an honorable example of homo sapiens making the best of whatever conditions prevail in their lives. On the other hand, “hill billies and bigots” constantly inebriate themselves with a convenient but unexamined reinforcement based on ridiculous “unfair persecutions” (war on Christmas, war on Marriage, war on Guns, war on War … ), uncontrollabe bitching and flimsy, over indulgent, imaginary, long suffering superiority.
Jot me down with the peasants.
Everyone is invited to pick up their Christmas gift from MeanMesa.
http://meanmesa.blogspot.com/2009/12/christmas-gift-from-meanmesa.html
Season’s Greetings!
That’s an important distinction, I guess. Love your “American Jihad” sticker!
The entire ordeal over Afghanistan looks dire. I really don’t know how we can accomplish anything of substance there when their allegiance goes to the highest bidder. Perhaps we are only there because the government wants to keep an eye on Pakistan. That is where the danger really lurks, but I don’t want us there either. Whatever happened to the CIA?
“Whatever happened to the CIA?” That’s a very good question, Cher.
Of course I could share exactly “what happened to the CIA,” except it’s a secret. In the meantime, in case you’re wondering, they will be the ones NOT sporting a Jihad bumper sticker.
…unless of course they support the Palin-Beck ticket…