The Taliban’s Spring Offensive Failed?
April 24, 2007 by Laura | Trackback URI
Did anybody hear (before today) that the Taliban’s much dreaded spring offensive is a failure?
Here’s an an example of how the media repeated Taliban propaganda regarding the spring offensive. The first five paragraphs were straight enemy propaganda, including a lengthy recruiting quote. Paragraphs 6 and 7, a total of 3 sentences, were a rebuttal from an Afghan defense ministry spokesman. The next four paragraphs weaken the rebuttal.
Well, spring isn’t over yet, but this is a list of what the Taliban has been able to accomplish so far - not much, and they are further alienating themselves from the people they wish to rule, which is great news for our side.
Ashraf Gahni Ahmadzai, the influential ex-finance minister who is now advising President Hamid Karzai and the international community, says Afghanistan may have reached, what he calls, the “tipping point”. Mr Ahmadzai warns that the population could turn against the international community if the economy is not improved upon soon and problems of housing and unemployment are not dealt with immediately. “A Talib is an unemployed youth,” he says. But, on the whole, Mr Ahmadzai is optimistic. “Nato has a clear victory in the south,” he says adding that “though this may be tragic for the independent-minded Afghans”. He says the Taleban planned to turn Kandahar into a second front but they have not succeeded. “They also wanted the international community out” and that has not been possible either, he adds. Most of all, he says, the Taleban have failed to win over the people. “Nobody wants them back,” he says.
It’s not Michael Moore’s kite-flying utopia, but things are going reasonably well. Which explains the media’s silence.
Updated: Here is video from the Pentagon Channel on the “fizzled” Taliban spring offensive:
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I had forgotten all about that.
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