Article

2008-10-04 Afghanistan

NATO forces to target drug lords who finance Taliban

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Posted by Steve White 2008-10-04 00:00|| || Front Page|| [2 views ] Top

#1 The tribal system is more complex, but it appears to my uneducated eye that the other factors that complicated the situation in Iraq -- Army, Republican Guard, a one-party system enforced by random terror for going on two generations, a substantial urban middle class -- are non-existent in Afghanistan, simplifying the mindsets that must be melded into a nation. Six of one, half a dozen the other?

Posted by trailing wife">trailing wife 2008-10-04 14:29|| 2008-10-04 14:29|| Front Page Top

#2 And I'm not sure the McClellan jab was unintentional.

Posted by Nimble Spemble 2008-10-04 14:46|| 2008-10-04 14:46|| Front Page Top

#3 LOL

Posted by lotp 2008-10-04 15:59|| 2008-10-04 15:59|| Front Page Top

#4 It may be an accurate assessment of the situation in Afghanistan, or it may not, but it's definitely got an Army-political dimension to it.

From some stuff I picked up this past week, Petraeus isn't a general that will tolerate a bunch of politics in the midst of a war.

Posted by Old Patriot">Old Patriot 2008-10-04 16:07|| http://oldpatriot.blogspot.com/]">[http://oldpatriot.blogspot.com/] 2008-10-04 16:07|| Front Page Top

#5 Read some of Michael Yon's latest postings from Afghanistan. It will be a lot tougher to tame that country (tame or bring into the modern world). The cities are one thing, but the country, organized as it is around family compounds/mini-forts, is far more insular/diffuse and will have to be dealt with one at a time. Laborious to say the least (which means expensive and I've lost my taste for large government expenses right now).

Posted by remoteman 2008-10-04 16:37|| 2008-10-04 16:37|| Front Page Top

#6 If you want it done fast, and dirty, Dostum's still around.

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2008-10-04 16:46|| 2008-10-04 16:46|| Front Page Top

#7 No poppies ==> No drug lords ==> No financing.

or should it be:

No poppies ==> No financing ==> No drug lords.

Either way, the weak link is getting rid of the poppies. Who cares if a couple of farmers turn into Taliban. They're Taliban already.

Posted by gorb 2008-10-04 19:35|| 2008-10-04 19:35|| Front Page Top

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