Miliband calls for majority of Taliban to be reintegrated into Afghan society

[clear eye]

Source: The Guardian

'Dividing the insurgency' is key part of Britain's strategy, says foreign secretary
Andrew Sparrow, senior political correspondent guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 17 November 2009 12.36 GMT

Addressing the Nato parliamentary assembly in Edinburgh, Miliband {Britain's Foreign Secretary} said that the military surge in Afghanistan had to be matched by a "political surge" that would allow the country to become free of al-Qaida and have good relations with its neighbours.

(snip)

He added: "Some Afghan Taliban may be committed to global jihad. But the vast majority are not. Their primary commitment is to tribe and to locality. Our goal is not a fight to the death. It is to demonstrate clearly that they cannot win, and to provide a way back into their communities for those who are prepared to live peacefully."

(snip)

...Miliband used his Edinburgh address to provide more details of the way "a political surge can be turned from a cliche into a reality".

(snip)

"Once reintegration gains momentum, and the insurgency is starting to fray or crumble, we will need to support President Karzai in reaching out to those high-level commanders that can be persuaded to renounce al-Qaida and pursue their goals peacefully within the constitutional framework."

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/nov/17/miliband-taliban-afghan-society

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This is a short but fascinating article. Britain's equivalent of Sec'y of State has clearly been talking w/ people who know the country very well. He points out that in today's Afghan gov't people who had sworn blood oaths against each other during the Russian involvement now work together. He also cites info that less than 5% of Afghanis want the Taliban back in power. He outlines ways to make civilians more secure. I recommend taking the few minutes it takes to read the article.

[clear eye]

1. I truly hope we're on the same page as the British.

They seemed to have learned their lessons about trying to make over other people's countries once a threat to their interests has been eliminated.

[Fool Count]

2. Taliban are quite integrated into Afghan society already.

That's the Afghan Government that needs to be "re-integrated". And the only way to do it is a unity coalition
involving Taliban. Unfortunately, the only way to force Taliban to enter a coalition government is by degrading
its military infrastructure via an escalated war. De-escalation and withdrawal will inevitably result in decisive
Taliban victory and an all-Taliban government. Comparing the costs of the two options, the latter may not be
such a bad idea after all. The fact that "less than 5% of Afghanis want the Taliban back in power" is completely
irrelevant in Afghan context - if those 5% are armed and willing to fight the remaining 95% can be convinced
otherwise in very short order.

[clear eye]

4. Milibrand is talking about re-integrating the foot soldiers into CIVILIAN society.

He thinks that their army can be weakened by undermining it from below. He must be relying on suggestions of savvy Afghanis or old hands there.

The excerpt I posted already quotes Milibrand as saying, "...we will need to support President Karzai in reaching out to those high-level commanders that can be persuaded to renounce al-Qaida and pursue their goals peacefully within the constitutional framework."

[Vehl]

3. Milliband is a smart guy, but i have doubts that we are winning any hearts and minds with the

Likes of kharzai and his drug peddling? bro in power.

About time we ditched the "warlords" in the parliament and make the parliament what it really ought to be. Abdulla Abdulla would have made a far better president.

[ShortnFiery]

5. We've already LONG LOST the war for the hearts and minds.

We just haven't spent enough MONEY on pretty weapons and armaments to SATE the MIC yet.

We'll either go broke or truly open The Gates of Hell within the Middle East with WWIII.

Either way, we have already LOST this war but OUR RULING ELITE is too chicken-shit to face up to the big moneyed MIC and/or tell The American People the HONEST TRUTH. :(