http://www.juancole.com/2010/03/panetta-al-qaeda-effectively-disrupted.html Thoughts on the Middle East, History and Religion Tue, 14 Feb 2012 00:17:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://www.juancole.com/2010/03/panetta-al-qaeda-effectively-disrupted.html#comment-2595 MonsieurGonzo Fri, 19 Mar 2010 04:12:54 +0000 http://www.juancole.com/?p=5038#comment-2595 interesting, prominent article in today's <i>NYTimes:</i> <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/18/world/asia/18afghan.html" rel="nofollow">Taliban Hit Back In Marja With A Campaign Of Intimidation</a> <b>: “</b>The Taliban have begun waging a campaign of intimidation in Marja that some local Afghan leaders worry has jeopardized the success of an American-led offensive there meant as an early test of a revised military approach in Afghanistan... “<i>After dark the city is like the kingdom of the Taliban</i>,” said a tribal elder living in Marja, who spoke on the condition of anonymity out of fear of the Taliban. “<i>The government and international forces cannot defend anyone — even one kilometer from their bases</i>.” Journalists have still not been allowed to visit Marja independently, they must be embedded with the American military; NATO and Marine Corps spokesmen did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the situation in Marja - meant to be a template for a similar campaign aimed for spring in neighboring Kandahar Province. <b>The tribal elder declared that in his area,</b> called Block 5, <b><i>the Taliban had complete freedom of movement after dark</i>.</b> He said he believed that was true in many other parts of the city of ~80,000 as well. He and the governor were among five community leaders in Marja who expressed similar concerns about the Taliban intimidation campaign... Walid Jan Sabir, the Afghan member of Parliament for Marja and the surrounding Nad Ali District, said he had heard reports from Marja elders visiting his office in Kabul this week of two beheadings of pro-government elders, both members of the government’s Community Development Council. Mr. Sabir was critical of American and Afghan forces for ‘surrendering the night’. “<i>At night the local people are the hostages of the Taliban</i>,” he said. Since many tribal leaders have fled out of fear, and many of the Afghan officials coming in now are not from Marja, it is difficult for them [<i>ie</i>., Generals Petraeus and McChrystal's "government in-a-box"] to know who the Taliban activists are. “<i>The Taliban and the Marja residents all have beards and turbans, so it’s impossible to distinguish them</i>,” he said. “<i>If it goes on like this I’m sure the situation will deteriorate and we’ll find it’s chaos there again</i>.<b>”</b> interesting, prominent article in today's NYTimes: Taliban Hit Back In Marja With A Campaign Of Intimidation : “The Taliban have begun waging a campaign of intimidation in Marja that some local Afghan leaders worry has jeopardized the success of an American-led offensive there meant as an early test of a revised military approach in Afghanistan… “After dark the city is like the kingdom of the Taliban,” said a tribal elder living in Marja, who spoke on the condition of anonymity out of fear of the Taliban. “The government and international forces cannot defend anyone — even one kilometer from their bases.” Journalists have still not been allowed to visit Marja independently, they must be embedded with the American military; NATO and Marine Corps spokesmen did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the situation in Marja – meant to be a template for a similar campaign aimed for spring in neighboring Kandahar Province. The tribal elder declared that in his area, called Block 5, the Taliban had complete freedom of movement after dark. He said he believed that was true in many other parts of the city of ~80,000 as well. He and the governor were among five community leaders in Marja who expressed similar concerns about the Taliban intimidation campaign… Walid Jan Sabir, the Afghan member of Parliament for Marja and the surrounding Nad Ali District, said he had heard reports from Marja elders visiting his office in Kabul this week of two beheadings of pro-government elders, both members of the government’s Community Development Council. Mr. Sabir was critical of American and Afghan forces for ‘surrendering the night’. “At night the local people are the hostages of the Taliban,” he said. Since many tribal leaders have fled out of fear, and many of the Afghan officials coming in now are not from Marja, it is difficult for them [ie., Generals Petraeus and McChrystal's "government in-a-box"] to know who the Taliban activists are. “The Taliban and the Marja residents all have beards and turbans, so it’s impossible to distinguish them,” he said. “If it goes on like this I’m sure the situation will deteriorate and we’ll find it’s chaos there again.”

]]> http://www.juancole.com/2010/03/panetta-al-qaeda-effectively-disrupted.html#comment-2583 Anonymous Thu, 18 Mar 2010 09:43:15 +0000 http://www.juancole.com/?p=5038#comment-2583 America's war ON terror has become America's war OF terror in Pakistan. But, the Zardari governement has knelt to American wishes and the Pakistani civilians are suffering unmercifully. Pakistani politician, humanitarian, and former cricketer Imran Khan is America's worst nightmare. America's war ON terror has become America's war OF terror in Pakistan. But, the Zardari governement has knelt to American wishes and the Pakistani civilians are suffering unmercifully. Pakistani politician, humanitarian, and former cricketer Imran Khan is America's worst nightmare.

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