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In a rather interesting turn of events, it seems that the United States is helping to fund the Taliban. Naturally, the money is not being paid directly to these folks. Instead, it is being paid out via contractors.
The basic idea is this: certain contractors/sub-contractors operating in Taliban controlled areas of Afghanistan have been paying significant protection money to the Taliban. The Taliban is operating this in classic Mafia style, although they are apparently taking a larger cut.
This revelation comes along with the recent exposure of problems regarding security contractors in the region, the latest being a security contractor whose personnel have behaved in ways that have led the media to use the phrase “Afghanistan Animal House.”
The Obama administration seems to be taking the approach that these problems are a legacy of the lack of oversight of the Bush administration. While the payouts to the Taliban seem to pre-date the Obama administration, he is on watch now. As such, his administration has to take some of the blame and he needs to address this problem quickly and effectively.
Naturally, it is fair to note that Obama has inherited a rather large plate full of assorted problems (health care reform, economic disaster, two wars, American Idol, and so on). However, he will need to put some of his focus on the situation in Afghanistan and see to it that these problems get sorted out.
Of course, I expect that there will always be corruption and misuse of funds. After all, one of the prime purposes of the state is to take money from the citizens and see to it that a chunk of it gets funneled to the “right people.” Of course, we should at least expect that our money is not being funneled to our enemies. Surely even the politicians can get that part right.
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The scary part is how they have us trapped in that corrupt cycle of protection payment. If the money doesn’t show, they abduct engineers, or simply blow shit up.
Are they allies or enemies? It shouldn’t be such a difficult fucking question.
The swear words want to make me ignore your statements. they give no more or less power to your statements. Mostly they make you look like someone giving their opinion over a Doobie.
I’m not smoking a joint, it’s a bong! Grow up kid, “swear” words are just ways for us adults to add emphasis. I’m not trying to have political conversations with children.
The easy answer is to remove the huge amount of troops we have roving around the countryside getting hit by IEDs.
This president has already lost focus. I thik he has twisted the arms of Robert Gates and General McChrystal about the war there, because he thought it would be easier than Iraq and it was supported by the public.
Oh–and gee, what a surprise theat the administartion wants to blame Bush for another problem.
Yawn.
Stop making exuses and do your job, Mr. President.
So, yet again, strategy was trumped by political pandering. I think I know what’s happeningbehin closed doors. Gates is saying get out, but Obama can’t just leave after promising so much durig his campaign.
Afghanistan will always be Afghanistan. I’ve written extensively about this war, how the government thre wastes our money and cooperates with the enemy. Get the contractors out–and more importantly–get our troops out. There’s nothing of strategic value there and the Taliban poses no threat to US security. Anyway–we can kill Talibs without trying to change the country. But Obama believes in war without blood.
We are about the same place in the Obama administration that we were in the Bush administration when 9/11 happened. Some attempts were made by the Bushies to blame the previous administration, but it didn’t work.
Same point where and to what specifically? Blaming Bush for 9/11 or the economy? I think terrorists were to blame for 9/11.