US And Afghanistan Planning To Recruit Local Militias To Fight Taliban

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New York Times   |  Dexter Filkins   |   December 24, 2008 09:09 AM

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Taking a page from the successful experiment in Iraq, American commanders and Afghan leaders are preparing to arm local militias to help in the fight against a resurgent Taliban. But along with hope, the move is raising fears here that the new armed groups could push the country into a deeper bloodletting

The militias will be deployed to help American and Afghan security forces, which are stretched far and wide across this mountainous country. The first of the local defense forces are scheduled to begin operating early next year in Wardak Province, an area just outside the capital where the Taliban have overrun most government authority.

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Taking a page from the successful experiment in Iraq, American commanders and Afghan leaders are preparing to arm local militias to help in the fight against a resurgent Taliban. But along with hope, ...
Taking a page from the successful experiment in Iraq, American commanders and Afghan leaders are preparing to arm local militias to help in the fight against a resurgent Taliban. But along with hope, ...
 
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One man's thuggish drug dealing warlord is another man's surge.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 01:22 PM on 12/24/2008

This is a no brainer.

The only way to defeat the Taliban is with Afghani troops and people.

They did a pretty fair job fighting the Russians after all. Despite all the hype, the Taliban were NOT the forces who defeated the Soviets. most of the Taliban were far too young. Or were Pakistani recruits.

The resistance to the Soviets was widespread amoung nearly all the different groups who make up Afghanistan. It is my understanding the Taliban consists primarily of Pashtuns. And opium growers.

There must be a way of rallying the Afghan people. Otherwise there will simply be defeat.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:16 AM on 12/24/2008

This is a brilliant, completely brilliant idea! I can see no possible way this could come back to bite us. Medal of Freedom nomination for the architect of this policy.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:12 AM on 12/24/2008
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Afghanistan looks like an opportunity to waste billions more of the taxpayers money far into the future. You can believe they wouldn't want to give guns to any American militias.

Meanwhile, 20,000 American troops are stationed in the US to kill us if we start to revolt against the bankster's heist. Remember the quaint law of posse comitatus? That law said that our military would never be used as local enforcement against the American people.

This is what a military coup looks like.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 10:56 AM on 12/24/2008

Our nation is broke and getting broker (possibly bankrupt), we have huge unemployment, and we're going to put Afghan militias on our payroll? The only hope being that we happen to be paying more than the Taliban would pay someone to betray us?

The Afghan forces are already corrupt and out of control. Do we really think the militias would actually choose to support our cause instead of theirs?

Pull out now. We've already lost the hearts and minds. It's not worth one oil pipeline across Afghanistan to stay. The oil companies are already fleecing us.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 10:13 AM on 12/24/2008
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There is nothing other than local militias in Afghanistan, most are Taleban.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 10:10 AM on 12/24/2008

Here we go again, our own guns will shoot our soldiers!

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 10:09 AM on 12/24/2008
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