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| Afghanistan |
| Taliban on the rise in southern Afghanistan |
| 2006-05-04 |
| Taliban militants and their allies have launched an intensified campaign against thousands of NATO troops deploying to southern Afghanistan, where the multinational force is taking over from U.S. soldiers. Whether ambushing Afghan police from mountain passes or detonating bombs on lonely highways, remnants of the ousted Islamic regime have stepped up attacks, causing havoc and insecurity across a cluster of provinces. Military officials and analysts said yesterday the Taliban threat is the No. 1 challenge facing more than 7,000 U.S., Canadian, British and Dutch troops who by September will be fighting under the NATO flag in four southern provinces. "This is counterinsurgency warfare (and) there will be casualties on both sides," said British Col. Chris Vernon, chief of staff for NATO forces operating in southern Afghanistan. "This is not the north or west of the country. This is a counterinsurgency war zone." Taliban chiefs like Mullah Omar hail from southern Afghanistan. Its deserts and mountain ranges provide good cover for militants hiding or planning for attacks. Protecting opium poppy fields -- and the illicit funds they earn -- is another reason to fight. Mountains running through the northern districts of neighboring Helmand and Kandahar provinces, and Zabul and Uruzgan to the north offer sanctuaries for militants, Vernon said. The porous Pakistani border runs along the southern and eastern edge of the provinces, providing another base where militants replenish funds and weapons before sneaking back in to launch attacks. Ordinary Afghans and foreign analysts are critical that militants can still pose such a threat, more than four years after the late-2001 U.S.-led invasion that ousted the Taliban government for harboring Osama bin Laden and his al Qaeda terrorists, blamed for the Sept. 11 attacks. "The situation would have been a lot easier if we got troops down there four years ago," said Joanna Nathan, the Kabul-based senior analyst for the International Crisis Group. "Security has gotten much worse. Four years ago they would have been welcomed, but things have been allowed to fester." |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |
| #5 A Day Without Muslims protest? Where do I sign up? |
| Posted by: ed 2006-05-04 14:02 |
| #4 This could have a major economic impact on U.S. economy!!! This morning, from a cave in north central Pakistan.... near Pastungettih, the Taliban Minister of Migration, Mohammed Sharref Omar, warned the United States that if military action against Iraq continues, Taliban authorities will cut off America's supply of convenience store managers. If this action does not yield sufficient results, cab drivers will be next......to be followed by motel operators. IT'S GONNA GET UGLY FOLKS!!! |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2006-05-04 13:55 |
| #3 They haven't quite figured out how to blame Bush for what happened in the centuries before he was born. But stay tuned... it will probably involve Space Aliens, wormholes, time travel and Halliburton... |
| Posted by: Jeremp Ebbens7182 2006-05-04 08:40 |
| #2 How could you tell the difference between the level of attacks from the 'good old days' of common banditry? Its not like Afghanistan's history is one of peace and prosperity. |
| Posted by: Cromoter Fletch6561 2006-05-04 08:17 |
| #1 Same old, same old. Every spring, the press likes to trumpet the next Retreat From Kabul, and by fall the minority of Taliban still alive high tail back to Pakistan. |
| Posted by: ed 2006-05-04 07:33 |