Article

2008-05-03 Afghanistan

Soldiers getting ahead of civilians in promoting Afghan-Taliban talks: MacKay

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Posted by Fred 2008-05-03 00:00|| || Front Page|| [1 views ] Top
File under: Taliban

#1 Stupid field officers buying into "Hudna", it seems. Good to see MacKay isn't buying that shiite. The idea of Afghans laying down arms is more ridiculous than the US stripping the 2nd amendment, wholesale.

Posted by Vanc 2008-05-03 04:39|| 2008-05-03 04:39|| Front Page Top

#2 Remember that in Afghanistan, money doesn't talk, it screams. The Taliban has been reduced to what is left of its leadership and hired Pushtun mercenaries. But if you offer these mercenaries even a modestly better deal than the Taliban can, they will turn their guns around.

This is very obvious to military personnel, but goes right over the head of diplomats, who assume that people only fight for something because they care about it.

To be in charge in Afghanistan is first to prove that you are the biggest and meanest dog around second, that you get what you want; and third, that you share some of the loot, because you are the employer.

It is very hard to get people out of a pattern like this, as it is very free market oriented.

Posted by Anonymoose 2008-05-03 09:41|| 2008-05-03 09:41|| Front Page Top

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