US wants tribesmen to fight Taliban in Afghanistan

[unhappycamper]

Marines of India company, 3rd Battalion 5th Marines, First Marine Division, talk to an Afghan, Wednesday, Nov. 10, 2010 in Sangin, Afghanistan.


US wants tribesmen to fight Taliban in Afghanistan
By SEBASTIAN ABBOT
The Associated Press
Wednesday, November 17, 2010; 11:55 AM

SANGIN, Afghanistan -- When members of the Alikozai tribe rose up against the Taliban in this critical insurgent stronghold, neither coalition forces nor the government in Kabul lifted a finger to help them.

The Taliban promptly crushed the rebellion. And just to make sure everyone got the message, they chained the uprising's leader to the back of a pickup truck and dragged him to another province.

That was three years ago, when Afghanistan was not a priority for the Bush administration, coalition forces lacked resources and the Afghan government was worried about stirring up tribal rivalries.

Now, U.S. Marines hope they can persuade the Alikozai that this time will be different. They want the tribesmen to take up arms again and help drive the Taliban out of this river valley in southern Helmand province's Sangin district - the deadliest piece of real estate for coalition forces this year.

Gen. David Petraeus, the top NATO commander in Afghanistan, cites the development of local village defense forces as key to countering the Taliban. Petraeus used a similar tactic to help turn around the war in Iraq, but the Afghan government has been somewhat reluctant because of the history of armed militias destabilizing the country.

[StandingInLeftField]

1. US wants Taliban to fight Soviet Union in Afghanistan

Hmm...

edited for clarity