The war in Afghanistan

[Ali]

For 9 years the Taliban have succeeded against the US and the UK (Canada and Aus) and grown stronger at times.

OEF was launched after the 9/11 bombings.

The official line to commence war was, seemingly, to stop world terrorism by the Taliban, Osama bin Laden and Al-Qaeda.

The Taliban appear to be feeding themselves on the fruits of drug production and the country seems no step forward.

I really don't understand the whole scenario. I would like to ask if anyone has any good reading on the subject and please if you do have insights or feelings - for comment here.

[stavros]

Read Rudyard Kipling - he knew an Afghan war was unwinnable!
Much more recently, the Russians discovered the very same thing.
Yet, influenced by Bush, in we all went...
Madness. Give them democracy? They're barely out of the stone age.

[lif]

The Oil Factor - Why are we in Afghanistan? O-I-L

[ianh]

Actually, it's not so much oil as Lithium - Afghanistan has the world's largest reserves. The Russians wanted a link to the Indian Ocean for their oil and gas and the Americans supported the mujahiddin against them.
I love Afghanistan - spent a lot of time there in the '70s - very beautiful people and well out of the stone age stav. Women/girls weren't wearing burkas in the 70s - my good "friend" Nadra was a teacher in Herat and one of the most stunning women I've ever met in my life - and her dad made excellent pomegranite spirit!

The country is run by clan leaders who are feudal - these are the men that the UK and US politicians are propping up. They will support the Taliban when it suits them, or be on the side of the allied forces if not.

One of the most memorable days of my life was in Bamyan, where the Taliban later blew up the 3 carved sandstone 120' Buddhas (originally vandalised by Ghengis Khan) - woke up one morning to see all the kids carrying balloons with the names of 2 American astronauts who'd been to the moon on them. None of the Afghanis believed they'd been there (no telly, no newspapers) and thought I was nuts when I said they had. The 2 astonauts turned up in the day and were treated to several games of buzkashi - a game played on horseback with a headless sheep as the ball.

Another memorable day was being taken over the River Oxus by nomads into Samarkand - bear in mind this was the Soviet Union then. The old boys amongst the nomads had, in their youth, travelled from Turkey to China - regularly, once or twice a year, no passports required for traders.

And if you can beat a Kabul breakfast of apple tarts and fresh yoghurt, washed down by green tea, well....

And, as for the hashish - best in the world.

Please everyone, when you think of Afghanistan, just remember the people who are trying to live their lives there.

[stavros]

Did you see the photos of the girl who had her ears & nose cut off?
Just a few more fathers, brothers, etc, with medieval ideas of family honour, ordinary everyday people, just trying to live their lives!

[ianh]

I didn't see the photos stav, but it probably happened - but that's like saying "Did you see what happened to Baby P? That's what the English are like". The majority of Afghanis are friendly, generous, hospitable and stuck in a fucking awful situation, over which they have no control. I dread to think what's happened to Nadra, who was a Kabul University educated "liberated" teacher in a girls' school. I dread to think what's happened to the nomads I travelled with, they ain't wandering over Helman now - a whole way of life wiped out by Western ideals, first the Russians, now us. And, of course, the rich feudal clan leaders - propped up for decades by the CIA. In every historical story there are the ordinary people, as intelligent as you and me, with children, parents, aspirations for a better life - not stereotypical Muslims - just people trying to get by. In 1976, I arrived in Afghanistan with about $5, 2 months later I was still there, unable to put my hand in my pocket because of peoples' hospitality and generosity. These were people with very little for themselves who were willing to share what they did have, who were interested in learning about the world outside their experience, but most of all knew how to treat a "guest" in their country. These people are still there - not Taliban, not fundamentalist - just like you and me with a war being fought in their country in which they have no interest or benefit in the outcome. My heart bleeds for these people.