“The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack. “We accept the attacks on the American consulate. This is revenge for drone attacks,” spokesman Azam Tariq told Agence France-Presse.”
Also, some April links here.
It’s nothing new, but important to point out that the rifts are still there in Afghanistan: deep poverty, a war-torn and geographically divided country, tribal and local entities united by Islam with little support or trust in national entities, extremely low literacy rates. Corruption is rampant, and security is still key: provide what the Taliban does in the way of law and order and basic services without the drug money, the warlord’s vengeance, even the potential exploitation of the local people by Al-Qaada pan-nationals for their ideology’s sake…
We have many national security interests at stake. I suspect that any success we may have still hinges largely on Pakistan, India, EU partnership (showing strong and vague bureaucratic support here), and of course the Karzai government as it stands as well…
Any thoughts and comments are welcome.
And: Philip Bobbitt Discusses His Book ‘Terror And Consent’ On Bloggingheads
From CSIS: ‘How the US Must Expand and Redefine International Cooperation in Fighting Terrorism’
Repost-From Foreign Policy: Fabrice Pothier’s ‘Time For An Afghan Surge’
