Thursday, March 13, 2008

Burying Our Heads in Afghan Sand

Whooee! Well friends an' foes, I just left a bigass comment over to the Globe an' Mail on a story about the Afghan detainees. I've ranted more than once about the detainee issue but it's in the news again and I'm rantin' again. I'm recyclin' most of my G&M comment here on my own little boog.

60%-70% of prisoners handed over to Afghan authorities are only held only briefly before they are able to bribe their way out of jail. See: http://www.newsweek.com/id/107576/page/1

Q: Why do we fail to follow up on detainees to make sure they do not pay $20 and go back to the Taliban front lines?

A: We are so afraid of confirming that we are in violation of international law that we look the other way while two crimes are committed: bribery and torture.

Q: Why have we given in to Afghan demands that we resume detainee transfers?

A: Afghan soldiers and police only make $4 a day. They need the bribes to survive. Bribery has been an integral part of the Afghan economy for centuries. If we keep the detainees or follow up on their treatment, Afghan soldiers and police lose the opportunity for much needed extra cash.

Many so-called Taliban who are delivered for bounty to NATO forces are not Taliban at all. Tribal and family rivalries routinely see Afghans kidnapped for ransom or turned over to NATO, then by NATO to Afghans. From there, the age old system of bribery, pay-offs and torture goes into effect.

Before 9/11, the Taliban and the Northern Alliance were in a civil war. Neither Taliban nor Northern Alliance are concerned with human rights. The Taliban was able to seize power precisely because of the abuses of the warlords who we've helped restore to power. We are simply taking the side of one group of thugs over another.

The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is a warlord-ruled narco state that operates with Sharia Law enshrined in its brand new constitution. No Canadian should have to put his or her life on the line for these tyrants and drug dealers.

JimBobby

3 comments:

Scott in Montreal said...

I agree we are on a pointless mission there. I suppose being that it's part of our NATO commitment and all that we have to go through these motions as long as the Merkins want it that way. I saw a report this morning that the Ruskies are contemplating getting back in...! Still, we could be doing something cushier, like, say, Germany's assignment. But that's probably not macho enough for Peevey Stevie.

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