NL-Outsidethebox [confederation]

One of the more informative press articles on the goings on in Afghanistan. Sadly it has to do with the death of human beings. Contrary to our ultimate purpose over there.

I was very pleased to read this particular part.

At one point during the weekend, with the help of their invaluable interpreters, the soldiers made a forceful appeal for the Taliban to surrender; they were invited to walk into the open and meet at the building the Canucks call "the white school" and be greeted peacefully. The allotted half-hour passed with no takers.

At another point, the soldiers spotted five Taliban walking along the edge of the tree line, had them clearly in their sights, and could have easily killed them. But Major Fletcher ordered his men to check their fire until he was assured that there were no ANA in the area; the men by the trees were wearing pants, not typical Afghan dress, and appeared relaxed. By the time all the attached ANA soldiers were accounted for, the men had disappeared into the forest.

And, a telling Canadian touch, the soldiers always do a "battle damage assessment," which at first I thought meant a tally of ground gained and lost, but in fact is the process by which the Canadians determine if they have taken action that saw, say, a farmer's wall damaged by a vehicle, and then arrange to fix the wall. This Canadian niceness does not extend to battles in which they are engaged by the Taliban, but still, as Major Fletcher said, it's an easy enough gesture to make.

My guess is that if anyone walked out their own side would have shot them down. Now if negotiations could have been started and carried on so that a conscensus was reached amongst the Taliban fighters they may have actually been a chance of surrender but a half hour to gain a consensus never happen. Remember these are the same people who strap 50 pounds of explosive around their waist and pull the trigger. Yea right ok keep kidding yourselves. Were talking about some serous negotiation and reassurances here before these people will start trusting the infidels that they are here to actually help them as a country and not just further their own agenda. There is hope if we could just do one action like this we could propagandize it so that other groups when cornered might take less time to lay down their arms.

I also have to wonder if the interpreters have been schooled on the art and skill of negotiation especially under such trying circumstances. We have night vision and artillery illumination rounds so once they are cornered there really is no need to continue with military action as long as we have cover. I would like to think that it is like a crack in a dam once the flow can be created it would only increase.

One should also take note of the reaction of the interpreter who saw a dead Afghan (Taliban).

This is one tough nut to crack and Canada will need more than just military might they will need to utilize every diplomatic resource at their disposal IMHO. You can't expect to kill Afghan people even if they are Taliban and not expect the locals Relatives, Friends Neighbors, school buddies, etc you get the idea to want to pin the blame on the foreigners because that is what we are foreigners even if we aren't classified as conquerers like the Taliban portray us with their propaganda tapes and pirate radio stations.

Maybe if the Taliban could be convinced to create a political party and take part in an election they would be more receptive to a ceasation of hostilities. Even if they don't by offering them the opportunity you are putting the onnus on them and showing the locals that the ball is in their court to stop the killing of the Afghan sons and daughters and move towards a new and renewed future. There has to be moderates amongst their leadership that want whats best for their country. If not get the fuck out then because you can't win not in a military sence but a winning convincing the people hearts and minds that we want whats best for them and aren't just there protecting our own interests by steming the flow of Opium.

I cringe everytime I hear a politician or military spokesman say We need to stem the flow of opium for our own good it is sending the wrong message even if it partially true it isn't what the Afghan people want to hear. It shows what they see as our true intentions. Protecting our own while killing theirs.

Maybe that guy who was healed and renouced the Taliban could be instrimental in creating a Taliban political party. Now any Taliban party and policies would have to be acceptable to the world but not necessarily condescending just acceptable to a point where they will become an accepted country on the world stage. One legged guy posted on here somewhere.

The piece about the need to id the 5 people walking along the tree line was a bit disturbing. You mean to tell me that we haven't come up with a ways and means to id the Afghan army yet? I don't know this seems very lax and not conducive to good relations and cooperation between the Afghan troops and our own in accomplishing our task.

Not to belittle Cpl Boneca or any of our Militia but I was never all that impressed with their training, or experience. I always consider the militia to be glorified boy scouts from my dealings with them. More often than not their wednesday nights were spent exchanging uniforms and drinking beer. Not surprising when you consider they don't have any protection from our government when it comes to their civilian job security, and the funding that they are alloted.

Now Switzerland they have a good Militia setup. You would see them all heading of to the rifle ranges on Saturday or sunday for firing practice. Every person if I'm not mistaken is required to do a manditory 3 years service in their militia not military but militia whereby they can stay home and still do their service. I guess you don't get to be neutral without being prepared.
Their country is also set up like a fortress with instalations for barricading tunnels blowing bridges and jet fighters stored in mountain launch runways. Yep you would be driving along and the next thing you know a jet fighter would fly out of a mountain cave/tunnel.

Some other articles please take with a grain of salt and try and remember what their agenda is sensationalism, more readers, partisan politics etc.
Actually this blog does a pretty good round up.

http://toyoufromfailinghands.blogspot.com/2006/07/death-in-afghanistan-media-scent-blood.html