By: RB Scott

RB Scott — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 16:22:56 +0000

Everyone, including the military continue to see the “Taliban” as some kind of outside force. We must keep in mind the “Taliban” came to power by re-organizing ex-mujahadin groups, who had fought the Soviets for 10 years, to try to bring some order back to the country in the period of anarchy following the Soviet withdrawal. These were locally organized groups that rarely fought outside their home areas.We may assume that the present insurgent groups are made up of the same people or their sons and grandsons, that fought the Soviets…with a growing number of foreigners coming in from neighboring Muslim countries to support them against another invading non-Muslim foreign military occupational force, us.It is an unwinable “war” against a bunch of “rag-tag” guys that mostly live at home and go out to snipe at the foreigners in the day. Military force will not end the killing, as most of the military leaders of both the US and NATO continue to state but who continue to act as if it can.Our reconstruction efforts have generally failed through ignorance and bureaucratic blunders, disillusioning many of the rural population who had great hopes after the fall of the Taliban in 02, resulting in the explosion of opium poppy cultivation and greater support for the “Taliban”.Yes, we need a new policy but not greater military force. Ask the Soviets, the Brits and all the others that have tried to conquer the Afghans.

Comments on: Senators tour Afghanistan, hear the need for more troops

By: RB Scott