Obama's dilemma to bring back troops alive from Afghanistan
The foreboding of bloody civil war is looming large between America backed warlords and Taliban- as soon as the US withdraws troops from Afghanistan! Barack Obama is finding it difficult to sell this proposition to the already incredulous population back home as Hamid Karzai- whose balance of power clearly rests with United States’ decision on it's military presence in Afghanistan. Cynical electorates of the superpower are already making their voice felt on Obama’s dilemma- as is envisaged in a survey conducted by CNN Opinion Research Corporation showing 50 per cent supports US sending about 34,000 or more troops to Afghanistan. Another poll by The Washington Post and ABC News Survey indicates that 46 per cent polled want a bigger troop strength to be deployed to fight Al Qaeda and Taliban.
More importantly to what Obama wants and Karzai fancies- are the wishes of Afghan people, who are traditionally opposed to foreign military presence in their homeland. In the aftermath of the coerced and rigged elections- and in spite of jingoism for democracy and progress, Afghans are seeing the entire saga as an insidious game plan by the west with the help of local puppet regime! In southern Afghanistan - where most of the additional troops will be deployed– Taliban controls not only by outright intimidation but also enjoys local support, as an outcome of their distrust towards central government and hatred towards Americans and their allies. The euphoria with which Afghans welcomed US troops in 2001 (which completely turned the political landscape) has been replaced by distrust of decade long misrule and non-performance of the Afghan government. Their pessimism for the future can only increase on an exit strategy by US! Taliban was poised to take over Helmand (in southern Afghanistan) only a few months away. It was prevented by 4000 strong US marines, normalising life in two districts- Gamsir and Nawa. There are 14 districts in Helmand alone, and at this rate Obama’s entire military surge will literally be swallowed up in Helmand itself. Then who will protect the neighbouring Kandahar and rickety North!
It is not really true that young men join Taliban to spread terror- but to overcome impending poverty- where Taliban pays three times than what is paid by local police. It is also not surprising that Taliban are regarded in high esteem as opposed to local police who are loathed for their venality and ineptness. The support for Taliban is further strengthened because of corruption and repression by the Kabul government. Afghanistan is 179th out of 180 countries on its 2009 Corruption Perception Index. According to New York Times, Karzai’s own brother is implicated to drug dealings.
In spite of this melangine, Karzai cannot rule for a day without the US might and money, and the US cannot let them fall- because in that case, it will be death spell for this war torn country. With no clear way out either for Obama or for Karzai, formers’ military surge will cement their bond for better or for worse
The foreboding of bloody civil war is looming large between America backed warlords and Taliban- as soon as the US withdraws troops from Afghanistan! Barack Obama is finding it difficult to sell this proposition to the already incredulous population back home as Hamid Karzai- whose balance of power clearly rests with United States’ decision on it's military presence in Afghanistan. Cynical electorates of the superpower are already making their voice felt on Obama’s dilemma- as is envisaged in a survey conducted by CNN Opinion Research Corporation showing 50 per cent supports US sending about 34,000 or more troops to Afghanistan. Another poll by The Washington Post and ABC News Survey indicates that 46 per cent polled want a bigger troop strength to be deployed to fight Al Qaeda and Taliban.
More importantly to what Obama wants and Karzai fancies- are the wishes of Afghan people, who are traditionally opposed to foreign military presence in their homeland. In the aftermath of the coerced and rigged elections- and in spite of jingoism for democracy and progress, Afghans are seeing the entire saga as an insidious game plan by the west with the help of local puppet regime! In southern Afghanistan - where most of the additional troops will be deployed– Taliban controls not only by outright intimidation but also enjoys local support, as an outcome of their distrust towards central government and hatred towards Americans and their allies. The euphoria with which Afghans welcomed US troops in 2001 (which completely turned the political landscape) has been replaced by distrust of decade long misrule and non-performance of the Afghan government. Their pessimism for the future can only increase on an exit strategy by US! Taliban was poised to take over Helmand (in southern Afghanistan) only a few months away. It was prevented by 4000 strong US marines, normalising life in two districts- Gamsir and Nawa. There are 14 districts in Helmand alone, and at this rate Obama’s entire military surge will literally be swallowed up in Helmand itself. Then who will protect the neighbouring Kandahar and rickety North!
It is not really true that young men join Taliban to spread terror- but to overcome impending poverty- where Taliban pays three times than what is paid by local police. It is also not surprising that Taliban are regarded in high esteem as opposed to local police who are loathed for their venality and ineptness. The support for Taliban is further strengthened because of corruption and repression by the Kabul government. Afghanistan is 179th out of 180 countries on its 2009 Corruption Perception Index. According to New York Times, Karzai’s own brother is implicated to drug dealings.
In spite of this melangine, Karzai cannot rule for a day without the US might and money, and the US cannot let them fall- because in that case, it will be death spell for this war torn country. With no clear way out either for Obama or for Karzai, formers’ military surge will cement their bond for better or for worse
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