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| Afghanistan |
| Taliban Operatives Reluctant to Resume Fight |
| 2011-02-23 |
| [Tolo News] Suffering huge casualties in the fight has made the Taliban field commanders unwilling to resume war in Afghanistan, the New York Times reported. Taliban midlevel commanders are at loggers head with top leadership of the Taliban based in Pakistain to carry out operations in some areas in Afghanistan, Taliban members told the New York Times in interviews. Last year the Taliban withdrew to border areas in Pakistain after an increase in their fatalities after the arrival of US additional troops in southern parts of the country. Now they are under pressure from their leaders to return back to Afghanistan to resume the fight, but they are hesitant to do so. I have talked to some commanders, and they are reluctant to fight," the Times quoted a 45-year-old commander as saying in southern Afghanistan. "Definitely there is disagreement between the field commanders and the leaders over their demands to go and fight," the commander further told on condition of anonymity. Because of a tight protection of Pakistain's military and intelligence agencies, the Taliban leadership remains inflexible, it said. Taliban members have argued that they increase Pakistain's influence over the southern parts in return for receiving protection from Pakistain. In a meeting this month Taliban leaders instructed each commander to send four to five men back to their home areas to plant bombs and start war again, the commander said. The hard boyz had lost 500 fighters there last year, including some known commanders, a close supporter of the Taliban has told the Times. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #6 "I'd like to be out there in the field with you, men, fighting the evil infidel crusaders, but unfortunately someone has to stay here and plan the next big fatwa we're issuing..." |
| Posted by: mojo 2011-02-23 14:59 |
| #5 Remember this is the winter season. Come spring there will be a whole bunch more madrassa recruits, and it won't be so frigging cold. It was the same way with renegade Indians. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2011-02-23 10:53 |
| #4 I read a commentary by a Japanese writer who expressed his feelings about the effects of the Bomb. He and his citizens were more than willing at the time to die for the Emperor. However, this new weapon removed the ability to execute that willingness because they could go about their life only to instantaneously die. One could never face one's enemy. There was no sacrifice to be made, no witness, no honor. Just death. That destroyed the psychological commitment to carry on. That same overwhelming and anonymous killing machine is now grinding on the Tablian and AQ. Nameless, impersonal, mechanical death. The whole 'warrior' aspect of the culture is not there. There is no proving one's final commitment be it to Emperor or Allah. Just death. That's got to be taking a toll on the psychology of those steeped in seeking a 'glorious' death. One does not face one's enemy with weapon in hand. There is no face to see. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2011-02-23 09:18 |
| #3 The surviving Taliban are carefully considering the faith-based promise of going to Allah's paradise vs. US-military based likelihood of death vs. just laying low until this blows over, in 5 or 10 years. What to do, what to do... |
| Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418 2011-02-23 05:25 |
| #2 These people while not educated, are hardly ignorant. They've taken some heavy leadership losses of late as well as the disruption of thier key supply routes. I am suspect the "Spring Offensive" will not amount to much as they wait ISAF out. As "secret" |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2011-02-23 04:20 |
| #1 In a meeting this month Taliban leaders instructed each commander to send four to five men back to their home areas to plant bombs and start war again, the commander said. Perhaps contributing to a lower IED death toll in Afghanistan as of late? |
| Posted by: gorb 2011-02-23 01:26 |