Afghanistan's Civil War

This is a report given by James Dobbins of the Rand Corporation to the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations on March 8. In the report, he explains why Afghanistan is experiencing civil war. To me, Afghanistan's internal conflict does not approach the threshold of civil war. Certainly there are elements that are fighting against the national government forces, but, again, I do not believe that is on the level of a civil war. He cites Iranian, Russian, and American aid to the Northern Alliance as the key factor that allowed the Alliance to eject the Taliban regime in 2001. However, immediately after the Taliban ouster, economic aid was slow and meager in arriving in Afghanistan. American aid is approximately $50 per year per capita for the average Afghan. Since the national government is unable to provide security or economic prosperity, Taliban recruitment efforts have been successful, especially in the eastern provinces where the population is heavily Pashtun. The Taliban were primarily of Pashtun ethnicity. The Rand Corporation

Suicide Bombings more Common

A suicide bomber in a truck filled with explosives detonated himself near an Afghan police convoy in Khost province, an area near the border of Pakistan, killing 5 and wounding 38. Historically, Afghans have been hesitant to use suicide bombings as a weapon. That's not to say they are not fierce fighters, they are. Perhaps the surge in suicide bombings indicates an increased number of foreign fighters in the country. As a result of the increased bombings, there have been an increased number of civilians shot and killed when they get too near military and police convoys. USA Today

Happy Birthday Osama!

Osama bin Laden turned 50 years old on March 10th. He is believed to be located in the north-western Waziristan region of Pakistan and is thought to be creating more terrorist training camps there. Critics of the Bush administration blame him for losing focus on capturing bin Laden by becoming involved in Iraq. Pakistani president Musharraf continues a balancing act of appeasing American demands for increased security and tribesmen of the region who have strong tribal ties to the Pashtun Taliban, and, by association, with bin Laden and Al-Qaeda. Council on Foreign Relations

The Brits May be Jumping Ship, but not the Aussies

Australia is considering sending more troops to Afghanistan where they already have about 550. The Australian Prime Minister John Howard said in the same news conference that there were no plans to decrease the number of Australian troops in Iraq. Agence France Presse (AFP)

U.S. Urges NATO to Increase Funding

U.S. security adviser Stephen Hadley had a meeting in Brussels with the NATO Secretary General, urging him to call for increased funding for NATO troops in Afghanistan. They want to execute a preemptive spring offensive against Taliban militants there. Afghan militias are commonly dormant during the winter, and become active launching offensives in the spring that last through late summer. The NATO Secretary General agreed with Mr. Hadley that easing the pressure on anti-government forces there would lead to Afghanistan again becoming a safe haven for terrorists. I agree with their assessment. Additionally, the U.S. too often leaves countries that we become involved in, in worse shape than when we arrived. Afghanistan is a good example. As soon as the Soviets were defeated there, we left, leaving the door open for radical Islamists to fill the power vacuum. Certainly we have a moral obligation to finish the job we started there this time, not only for our own security, but for the welfare of the Afghan people as well. Agence France-Presse (AFP)

Town in Farah Retaken

I was just working on my blog...sprucing it up...figuring out how to put the hyperlinks in it...and I came across this article....the town in Farah was retaken hours after it fell to the Taliban....Voice of America

Foreign Leaders face Domestic Pressures

The Australian Prime Minister is wanting to send more troops to both Iraq and Afghanistan, but, he's facing the same sort of opposition President Bush is receiving at home. Yahoo news
In this article, it says that the Taliban has captured a district within the Farah Province. I believe that that is a terrible omen. Farah is located in the western part of Afghanistan, which, like the North, has been relatively peaceful. It is primarily the south and east regions of the country that the Taliban is most active. Voice of America
The third article deals with the frustration the U.S. is feeling with Pakistan and it's lack of effort in apprehending Taliban fighters and in securing the Afghan-Pakistan border. Musharref is definitely walking a tightrope at home. There are still plenty of Taliban supporters within Pakistan, especially in the Waziristan region where tribal ties and loyalty are stronger than the central government, and Osama bin Laden is considered a legendary hero. Fox news