generalspeaking

Rearguard Action

Canadian troops on the Western front in Afghanistan a mere 30 kilometres distance from the capital of Kandahar province, where from this forward operating base, the near geography was once secured, now face the reality of being hemmed in by the resurgent Taliban who have managed through new force of numbers and religious fervour to re-take areas that they were once thrown out of. The Canadians, based in an old Soviet-era military instalment find themselves in handshake-distance of the Taliban now.

Where short forays are possible, but little else. There simply are not enough feet on the ground, and though ISAF troops are in short supply, the Canadians stationed there find little assistance from the Afghan National Army troops. When Canadians arrived in Panjwaii in 2006 they handily threw back the insurgency and sent them running. That was then. During the winter months a holding pattern was established, when the Taliban spent winter months on the mountainous border between Afghanistan and Pakistan, welcomed by the Pakistan Defence Forces.

With the arrival of spring, a re-armed and re-recruited insurgency descended their winter haven to once again confront the foreign invaders and challenge them for the geography that was once theirs. And by sheer force of numbers, they succeeded in retaking much of the province. By 2008 Canadian forces were in a retreat position, anxious simply to hold a smaller area more in keeping with their numbers.

And because of the ongoing threats to the local villages, the people are polarized in their opinions and their loyalties.

Badly needed reconstruction is in a holding phase as well. How can reconstruction commence when security is doubtful? As soon as schools are built the Taliban destroy them, and health clinics as well. Any kind of civil infrastructure being built represents a challenge to the Taliban, who gloat that they will not permit Afghans to use the soiled gifts from despised Western foreigners whose presence on Afghan soil is an offence against Islam.

The Afghan villagers present as stone-age survivalists. Torn between their dedication to Islamic precepts not quite reflected in the rigid Taliban version, and ebbing gratitude to foreign forces equipped with 21st-Century arms, defending their interests on a temporary basis, soon to return from far-off lands from whence they came. This is history repeating itself ad-infinitum in Afghanistan.

They have survived all adversities that have plagued them. And any who are suspected of giving assistance to the foreigners by informing of the positions of IEDs, or refusing to assist in planting them, are considered to be apostates, enemies, traitors, for whom death is the only release. The Taliban have stepped up their attacks on the Canadian bases and
Afghan units stationed nearby, using small arms, rocket propelled grenades and mortars. Supplied by Iran, by Pakistan, by a few of the 'Stans.

The Taliban have the advantage of having been informed quite clearly through NATO and U.S. and other allies' promises to their reluctant, foreign-war-weary nations what the withdrawal agendas are. They are advised in advance, due to loose information gratuitously provided to Western news media when, where and what kinds of attacks are being planned against them, enabling them to take their own preventive action.

They are aware of the Western timetable of withdrawal. They need but bide their time. And then return in force, triumphant, to resume where they left off; tormenting and dictating to the hapless people of Afghanistan whose own government incapable of providing security, let alone improvements in their miserable lives, has announced its readiness to speak peace and reconciliation with the Taliban.

This is misery incarnate. The subjugation of women will re-commence, demands of fully conforming to the fundamentalist Sharia of religious fanatics intent on turning Afghanistan into a rigidly human-rights-defying theocracy is what the population fears and what appears to be directly in their line of vision for the future.

Labels: Afghanistan, Human Rights, Political Realities, Terrorism

posted by Pieface @ Wednesday, September 08, 2010