Al Jazeera Exclusive: Taliban In Northern Afghanistan Being Swelled By Influx Of Foreign Fighters

[Turborama]

Run time: 03:04 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__WBRXeuzjI   Posted on YouTube: September 11, 2010 By YouTube Member: AlJazeeraEnglish Views on YouTube: 304   Posted on DU: September 11, 2010 By DU Member: Turborama Views on DU: 582

 
The US launched its war in Afghanistan just weeks after the 9-11 attacks to find Al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden, and defeat the Taliban fighters who supported him. But nine years on Bin Laden remains at large. And al-Qaeda and the Taliban have joined forces against the U.S. and its allies, their ranks swelled by an influx of foreign fighters. Al Jazeera has gained exclusive access inside a Taliban group in northern Afghanistan, Sue Turton has our report.

Peace dialogue

Hamid Karzai, the Afghan president, on Friday called for the Taliban to cease fighting his government and enter into dialogue to find an end to the country's conflict. Karzai also called on his US and Nato allies, which now have 150,000 troops in the country, to focus on Taliban bases over the border in Pakistan rather than fighting in Afghan villages.

A council to pursue peace talks with the Taliban was announced last week, and is supposed to be made up of around 50 representatives of a broad section of Afghan society.

Karzai is expected to announce the membership line-up of the council after the Eid al-Fitr holidays, which marks the end of Ramadan. The formation of the "High Peace Council" is considered one of the most significant steps Karzai has taken in his oft-stated efforts to open a dialogue with the Taliban leadership.

The Taliban have repeatedly rejected peace efforts, labelling Karzai's government a puppet of the United States and saying they will not talk peace until all foreign forces have left the country.

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia/2010/09/201091183514798599.html

Article on this in LBN: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4536469

[Kolesar]

1. Al Qaida and *other* foreign "fighters"

A lot of stupid Chechans and Uzbeks who are ill informed and offering themselves to be killed for some vague "religious" cause.

Why would Al Qaida members leave their underground organization to become ordinary guerilla fighters with the Taliban? That tells me that either Al Qaida is a mess, or the story is hype.

[Turborama]

2. Al-Qaeda has evolved from a single group to an amorphous movement n/t

[Kolesar]

3. ...With the common attributes of illiteracy, pugnaciousness, and religious bigotry

I don't see this lot of stupid men pulling together into a competent threat to the United States.

[rexcat]

5. That is what the former Soviet Union thought when they were in Afganistan.

Look where it got them.

[Kolesar]

6. A democracy! ... eom

[rexcat]

7. You might want to think that one over again...

The current situation in Russia is not a "democracy." The Russian government, with Putin leading the way is as corrupt as you can find. Oligarchy trending towards dictatorship is more like it.

Also Al Jazeera of late (IMO) has had some good reporting. Much more indepth than what we normally see with our news outlets.

[burnsei sensei]

4. I don't think nation-building is on the agenda.

They are there to kill Americans.
Period.