Jobs, not Taliban, are the worry in Afghan town

[unhappycamper]

Jobs, not Taliban, are the worry in Afghan town
By SEBASTIAN ABBOT
Associated Press Writer
Dec 7, 4:12 PM EST

KHAN NESHIN, Afghanistan (AP) -- The dusty bazaar in this remote town in Afghanistan's southern Helmand province was once teeming with Taliban fighters and drug smugglers who used it as a central transit point in their journeys to and from nearby Pakistan.

Now the market is quiet, and shopkeepers and residents tell U.S. Marines who patrol the streets that they appreciate their efforts to open a new school and dredge the town's irrigation canals. But they complain that business was better before troops descended on the area five months ago and drove the militants away.

"Security is good now, but security was also good during the time of the Taliban," said Marijah, a Khan Neshin resident hanging around the market looking for work.

Many residents say they are more concerned about job prospects than security and are impatient to see improvements after eight years of war. But coalition efforts have been hampered by Afghanistan's weak government and the behavior of local security forces.

Some residents also expressed concern that working with the coalition could endanger them if the Taliban return after the Marines leave.


Rest of article at: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_AFGHANISTAN_BUILDING_TIES?SITE=DCSAS&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2009-12-07-16-12-42