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2 SPEAKING
FREELY Little to cheer on Afghan
anniversary By James Emery
Speaking Freely is an Asia Times
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Afghanistan has been
at war for 29 years, beginning with the Saur
(April) Rebellion. On April 27, 1978, the
Communist People's Democratic Party of
Afghanistan, with Moscow's support, initiated
a
bloody coup. Opposition to the Marxist government
was swift and widespread, leading to an invasion
by Soviet forces in December 1979.
Twenty-nine years on, the situation in
Afghanistan is still bleak and bloody. The Taliban
have regrouped, and bolstered by the deteriorating
situation in Iraq are poised for a bloody spring
offensive against Western troops. The government
of President Hamid Karzai is in shambles, plagued
by massive corruption and military weakness.
Afghans refer to Karzai as the mayor of Kabul
because that's about the extent of his influence.
Afghanistan began deteriorating almost
immediately after the Taliban were routed by US
and Northern Alliance forces in the autumn of
2001. The soldiers, equipment, money and
motivation required for a successful campaign -
winning the war and winning the peace - were
withheld by the administration of US President
George W Bush for use in Iraq, which the US
attacked March 19, 2003.
Many Afghans no
longer view US troops as liberators, but as an
occupying army, just like the Russians, British,
Mongols and Greeks before them. Lacking sufficient
troop strength and clear-cut objectives, some
American soldiers may become increasingly
demoralized and stressed, leading to erratic
behavior and a "shoot anything that moves"
mentality. This "collateral damage" will be
exploited by the resistance and further turn the
Afghan population against their liberators.
Based on field reports from Afghanistan in
the past months, this self-perpetuating cycle is
already beginning to spiral out of control. In one
case, the entire US Marine Corps Special
Operations Company of about 120 troops was removed
from Afghanistan after some of them fired
indiscriminately at civilian vehicles following an
ambush on March 4 in Nangahar province.
Insurgents often hide among civilians,
creating a win-win situation. If US troops refuse
to fire, the insurgents win, but if they do fire,
the victory is even greater, especially if it
results in civilian casualties.
Most
Afghans did not want to return to Taliban rule,
but are now resigned to the fact that it appears
inevitable. A growing number of Afghans, fed up
with corrupt government officials, oppressive
warlords, increasing civilian casualties and the
continued presence of foreign troops, have
switched their support to the Taliban.
If
anyone had bothered to ask the Afghan population
for their priorities, they would have remained
fairly constant during the past 29 years. At the
top of the list would be peace and stability. Most
of the current population were born after 1978 and
have experienced nothing but warfare their entire
lives. The concept of peace is as foreign to them
as time travel is to the rest of the world.
Afghans also want to end corruption in the
government and courts; to have opportunities for
employment; and to rebuild the country's
infrastructure. Even Kabul does not have
sufficient electricity, and most of Afghanistan
lacks basic necessities.
This is a pivotal
year in which Afghanistan can be won or lost by
the Americans. The US needs to reaffirm the fact
that Afghanistan and Pakistan are the two most
important countries in the "war on terrorism". A
significant increase in troops and supplies will
be necessary to contain the Taliban offensive and
begin to secure the country.
Once
individual cities and provinces are safe, the US,
the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the
United Nations need to pay for massive
public-works projects that will rebuild
Afghanistan by hiring local citizens to work in
their own communities.
These programs
could employ thousands of Afghans to work on
roads, bridges, irrigation systems, housing and
other projects. The local population would see
improvements and thousands of young men would have
employment and hope, instead of severe idleness,
which leaves them vulnerable targets for Taliban
recruiters.
Massive opium cultivation is
funding the resistance and further tying the
population to the Taliban by providing them with a
market for their crops and employment
opportunities in the drug trade. The Taliban have
a fresh supply of armaments, communications
equipment and other provisions paid for with their
profits from selling heroin. They also have access
to a virtually limitless supply of weapons and
equipment through their long-established drug
links with Russian criminal organizations.
Some of the Afghan warlords will have to
be enlisted to combat the exploding drug trade.
The US and the UN can pay the
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