TERRORISM: Report: Afghanistan Could Implode

The Foreign Affairs Select Committee of the British Parliament has produced a report which contradicts the rosy view of Afghanistan being painted by the Bush and Blair administrations. The committee suggests that significant additional resources of money and manpower need to be committed to Afghanistan to prevent a collapse into chaos.



I have been saying for some time that the Bush administration and U.S. media are not giving a truthful picture of the situation in Afghanistan. The truth is that President Karzai is the Mayor of Kabul. The truth is that the Taliban and Al Qaeda have not been defeated in Afghanistan.

Most of Afghanistan is controlled by the Taliban and by various warlords, some of them sympathetic to the Taliban. The Taliban and Al Qaeda are waging a guerrilla war against the occupying U.S. forces. This war has made Afghanistan one of the most dangerous countries in the world, rivalled only by Iraq. The United States cannot win this guerrilla war with its current level of troop committments. See my ATS post linked below for further details.


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[edit on 29-7-2004 by Zion Mainframe]

[edit on 30-7-2004 by Zion Mainframe]

Wow! 257 views and no responses. Is that an ATS record? Every rumor or report of a beheading generates thousands of views and hundreds of responses, but no one has a comment about this post on the Afghanistan War?

I've been surprised at some stuff that's slipped by uncommented upon.

I think this is basically the kind of thing that falls into one of two categories: you either already know it, or you don't want to hear it. I personally think it goes without saying that 13,000 troops in a country the size and nature of afghanistan aren't going to do much, given we have.. what? 150,000 in Iraq? also, the signs are relatively unreported so far, but they're there if you look. the opium "problem" has been consistently reported, the plight of aid groups (to the point where MSF has recently pulled out completely), the problems building highways just outside of kabul and the "wild west fort" type of military presence we have there, all this stuff hasn't been painting a rosy picture of afghanistan.

what shocks me though about this is how white-washed the powers that be in the US have made the issue. it's really taken a back burner compared to iraq. we heard several years ago that the taliban were defeated, yet every time we hear about paradoxical taliban assaults or captures in afghanistan you can bet it will be buried after 20 pages of iraq stuff.

and the saddest part is how poorly afghanistan was going was not a secret when we made the decision to invade iraq.

-koji K.

[edit on 30-7-2004 by koji_K]

Anyone against the US in Afghanistan knows by now that it'd be stupid to fight the US, because all they have to do is lay low and the US will eventually lose interest. So they're just hanging out growing poppies at the moment and as soon as we're involved someplace else they'll start their own mischeif again.

Afganistan doesn't have any oil like Iraq has so the United States isn't iterested in it. Our government/ Halibutin is probably buying those those poppy products and in exchange the Taliban lays low in Afganistan. Our government is soooo corrupt I don't believe we can ever get back to what our constitution says we are and what our founded fathers fought for.
Tt will take a compete collape of our government and a new government for the people and by the people to get this miserable mess of a country straightened out.

Originally posted by donguillermo
Wow! 257 views and no responses. Is that an ATS record? Every rumor or report of a beheading generates thousands of views and hundreds of responses, but no one has a comment about this post on the Afghanistan War?

Yeah sometimes it seems that serious topics or posts get looked over.

Don
I replied in the original thread you quoted. I fall into the "already know" category.

I heard Bush at his Rose Garden press conference this morning stating that everything is Afghanistan was rosy because 9 million Afghans had registered to vote. Can that be backed up? Or is it another lie?

He had to find a way of not answering the questions asked to him, and so he suddenly brought up Afghanistan, and the wonderful fact that now 9 million Afghans have registered to vote, etc....etc.....etc....
Now if this were true, yes, it is a very good improvement - but that was not the subject of this morning`s press conference.
Nor did it have anything to do with any of the questions he was asked.

[edit on 2-8-2004 by Sarahko]

[edit on 2-8-2004 by Sarahko]

Well the UN says 90% are ready to vote check out this article.

90% Afghans Ready for October Election

DonGuillermo perhaps the lack of posting is due of some members been a littler be intimidated by your wealth of reliable information

The so call election and claiming 90% of voters registration is just and atempt to make believe that things are running smooth in that country but the recent attacks are just the prove that is not the pretty picture is been presented to us.

Originally posted by marg6043
The so call election and claiming 90% of voters registration is just and atempt to make believe that things are running smooth in that country but the recent attacks are just the prove that is not the pretty picture is been presented to us.

First, The United Nations is reporting that 90% of Afghans are registered to vote in October. Are you now going to accuse the UN of being in bed with the current administration?

Second, Are bad things still happening in Afghanistan? Yes, but does that mean that there isn't something good happening there as well. The attacks you speak of only shows desperation on the part of the Taliban.

Now, some people look at the current situation in one light: elections are coming and 90% are registered and everything is going good.

You, on the other hand, look at it as a failure, elections are "so called", and "claiming" that 90% are ready to vote, the only thing you believe is the Taliban attacks.

I, being able to understand that, good things as well as bad things can happen at the same time, think that while the Taliban are still causing many problems in Afghanistan, the fact that 90% of their voting eligible are willing to risk their lives to make sure that they can participate in the elections, shows me that the Afghan people cherish the opportunity to be a part of a free country.

Now, how would you feel if you were an Afghan risking everything to get a chance to vote? Would you feel the same way you feel now?

JacKatMtn says

Second, Are bad things still happening in Afghanistan? Yes, but does that mean that there isn't something good happening there as well. The attacks you speak of only shows desperation on the part of the Taliban.

Can I infer from this that the more the Taliban attack, the more desperate they are? What if they attack so much that they drive the U.S. military from Afghanistan? That would mean they are really desperate, right?

I have no reason to doubt reports that 90% of Afghanis are registered to vote. Please do not associate me with posters in this thread who have expressed skepticism on this matter. I sincerely hope the elections go off without a hitch, and a real government is established, with real control of the country.

You will forgive me if, for the time being, I retain my cynical view that the U.S. is engaged in an unwinnable guerrilla war in Afghanistan, and the situation will only improve after the U.S. military withdraws.

Sorry to say but I still don't believe that 90 percent of the population in Aghanistan register to vote.

And that is a personal oppinion

[edit on 3-8-2004 by marg6043]

Originally posted by donguillermo
You will forgive me if, for the time being, I retain my cynical view that the U.S. is engaged in an unwinnable guerrilla war in Afghanistan, and the situation will only improve after the U.S. military withdraws.

I also retain this view.

Thanks for the information JacKatMtn I missed that story.

And Don I see no inference from JacKatMtn placing you in that group. He was replying to my post and Marge6043.

I highly respect the quality of your posts and we have agreed on many points and issues on these boards. You just need to not take things so personally IMHO.

Lets not forget that most of the tactics being used by the Taliban in Afganistan right now are what your CIA taught them in the 80's after the (ex)SAS boys were pulled out.

I find the idea of "Free Elections" in Afganistan contemptable. I was always under the impression that "Democracy", in the traditional sence of the word, involved an educated populus making educated choices. Most Afgans dont even have electricity, let alone TV's to see who or what they are voting for.

(CNN)
A British parliamentary committee has warned that Afghanistan is likely to "implode, with terrible consequences" unless more troops and resources are sent to calm the country.

In this statement is true how elections are to be held without trouble?

(CNN)
The all-party Foreign Affairs Select Committee, in a report released Thursday, said warlord violence and the struggle between U.S.-led troops and insurgents continues to be a threat to security in Afghanistan.

If the new government in Afghanistan is doing so well how come is having problems with security?

(CNN)
There is a real danger if these resources are not provided soon that Afghanistan -- a fragile state in one of the most sensitive and volatile regions of the world -- could implode, with terrible consequences," the committee says in its report.

Obviously the true power of the government in Afghanistan is located in the city of Kabul but the rest of the nations are still just like Iraq in shambles.

And now I will bring the 90% percent of voter registration back to clarify where I stand in my comments.

This is just and opinion in view of the problems face in Iraq, perhaps we should be skeptical of this 90% percent of voting registration been only in the main city of the country where US security and the government have some control, obviously the rest of the nation is having some problems.

And why do I care? Well I think every tax payer in US should care very much because is our tax payer money the one taking care of the security and rebuilding of that nation and lets not forget our troops are still in that country engaging in combat with insurgents