Foreign Fighter Population Rising In Afghanistan
…”There are more foreign fighters in Afghanistan now than ever before,” Gen. Abdul Rahim Wardak told editors and reporters at The Washington Times…
Foreign fighters are entering Afghanistan from Pakistan in greater numbers than at any time since the Taliban was ousted in 2001, Afghanistan’s defense minister said yesterday.
The minister also complained that some coalition members — notably Italy, Germany and Japan — have made only half-hearted efforts in rebuilding Afghanistan’s security institutions.
“There are more foreign fighters in Afghanistan now than ever before,” Gen. Abdul Rahim Wardak told editors and reporters at The Washington Times.
He said the militants had been flooding in over the past two to three months, since Pakistan began an offensive in pro-Taliban tribal areas in the mountainous border region straddling the two countries.
Asked whether Pakistan — which has suffered numerous soldiers killed and wounded in the region in recent weeks — could do more to halt the infiltration, the minister said, “They can definitely do more.”
While the Afghan army is improving its ability to counter the threat, principally through U.S. assistance, Gen. Wardak said the effectiveness of the national police and court system was weak, as were efforts to disarm and reintegrate members of the former Afghan military.
“The United States took the lead on creating the Afghan national army, which has been a success. The Italians took the justice system, [but] they have not dedicated any resources to it, so still that is a problem. A lot of the time, people are sent to the courts and then they are released, perhaps through corruption,” he said.
“On the police reform, the Germans were supposed to be leading; they have not dedicated much effort and resources,” said Gen. Wardak. “And in the [disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of former Afghan forces] the Japanese did a 50-50 job.”
Full WT article By Sharon Behn HERE.
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Is that goat stew or and ied your holding?
October 18th, 2007 at 1:29 pm[…] Foreign Fighter Population Rising In Afghanistan — Pat Dollard […]
October 18th, 2007 at 1:42 pmGood article. I especially like the Afghan General
It does raise an interesting question about the poppies. If you destroy them then you push the population further into poverty and you are seen as a destructive force. If you let them remain then you are aiding the drug trade and allowing the Taliban to get money. Tough question.
October 18th, 2007 at 1:49 pmSo those losers couldn’t get a real job in their home country and thought that trying to kill people
October 18th, 2007 at 2:49 pmwas an entry level job with no real skills required.
Answer to the opium is for us to buy it all up.
October 18th, 2007 at 10:06 pm