BBC Radio 4's "From Our Own Correspondent": The New Taliban Targets -- Women, Children & Foreigners

[Turborama]

BBC Radio 4, From Our Own Correspondent, Aug 14 2010

By Kate Clark
Former BBC Kabul correspondent

The deaths earlier this month of eight foreign aid workers and two Afghans in the north-eastern Afghan province of Badakhshan show that the Taliban are abandoning all former limits on cruelty and is a mark of dark and disturbing times, as fragmentation in the country's social fabric increases, says Kate Clark.

Full insightful article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/8909049.stm

Download MP3 Podcast (right click & "save target as"): http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/fooc/fooc_20100814-1158a.mp3

From Our Own Correspondent's homepage: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/default.stm

From Our Own Correspondent's Podcast homepage: http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/fooc

AP Exclusive: Aid workers' last moments: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100811/ap_on_re_as/as_afghanistan

[Turborama]

1. Kate Clark's analysis of the latest Taliban statement

Ten Dead in Badakhshan 5: Condemnation from a Taleb: silence from the Palace
posted: 17-08-2010 / by: Kate Clark

A north-eastern Taleban leader has been in touch with AAN to condemn the execution of unarmed aid workers in Badakhshan ten days ago. His statement reveals unease and disagreement within the leadership about this extreme act of violence. According to the Taleban’s own new code of conduct – a copy of which AAN has also obtained – it is clear that these killings were in clear contravention of Taleban rules. In other words, their spokesman should have condemned, rather than claimed responsibility for them. At the same time, as AAN senior analyst, Kate Clark, reports, there has been near silence from the Government side about what was probably the worst attack on humanitarian workers in Afghanistan in the last thirty years.

Full piece: http://aan-afghanistan.com/index.asp?id=985

[riderinthestorm]

3. Condemnation from an ANONYMOUS Taliban leader.

Sorry but that has no credibility at all imho.

Furthermore, I don't believe this is an indication that the Taliban are in disarray but that they are emboldened. They know there isn't anyone to hold them accountable. They know the US forces are impotent.

[Turborama]

5. This is in an area that has been relatively peaceful & they can feel "bold"..

...., as you like to describe them, because it is very remote and one of the few areas of the country where they can easily have control. It's not because "the US forces are impotent".



Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Badakhshan_massacre

You know where all are troops are, don't you?


This is the latest map I can find...



BTW I agree that Mr Anonymous' statement doesn't have much credibility, as I've stated in the post about it in LBN.

I'm curious, do you support the Taliban?

[riderinthestorm]

10. I absolutely do NOT support the Taliban

but they are masterful at centering in the areas they can assert control and running rampant in that area until we appear. It "imprints", if you will, that brand of craziness so the population is terrorized if/when the Taliban return. The population is sufficiently cowed and the US "loses" cause the population knows that (whatever "empire" is messing about in that region) the foreigners will sooner or later leave the region. Only the native Afghanistan (Taliban) crazies will stay.

It's craziness to believe we're going to have any effect in this region. We don't understand the tribal dynamics or the long term ramifications of what we're dealing with. The region has a long memory of this kind of warfare plus an even longer memory of this kind of barbarity inflicted on the population via ancient tribal law. They implicitly understand who will ultimately "win" this battle. And its not us. We'll leave sooner or later.

So yes, the US forces are impotent because they cannot be where every trouble spot is located. And the Taliban's imprint is so indelible, and much more "permanent", than ours. We aren't going to be there much longer. No matter what Petraus thinks, the US public is done. Within a year or two, we're gone. And the Taliban/tribal forces will re-assert themselves just like they have for thousands of years.....

[McCamy Taylor]

2. Formula for successful fascism--tell oppressed men they can beat the shit out of their wives.

And their kids. There is a reason why socialism brings with it safety for children and equality for women. The opposite of socialism---workers under the thumb of a oligarchy---always includes violence against women and children, because that is the release valve for all the anger which the workers build up.

Live in a third world country where you have nothing? Take it out on your wife. Go ahead. The religion which exists in an unholy alliance with the rich (the Taliban, the Fundamentalist Christian Church, etc.) tells you that it is ok to beat your wife or sell your children into slavery. As long as you do not question the right of the Saud Family to be as rich as sin.

[HEyHEY]

4. I live in China, and notice this all the time and have come to the same conclusion

Domestic violence is frighteningly common here on both sides. You see couples arguing all the time, men shoving, women punching. I think it's because of the oppression, people act out like that. Last year, during the lead up to the 60th anniversary of the PRC the government clamped down on EVERYTHING even street vendors had to close up shop to keep the sidewalks clear.

During the weeks leading up to it I saw random street violence at an alarming rate, including three all-out brawls in front of my apartment. Two between merchants and police and one between middle aged couples at a restaurant.

After the 60th, when things eased back, I saw no fights for months.

[Turborama]

6. Conversely, I live in Indonesia and have never heard of or seen any domestic violence

At least not where I live and have visited. Also, in my opinion, the children here are the most well behaved children I've come across anywhere in the world (not that I've been everywhere, of course, but I have been to a lot of countries).

What you describe in the second sentence sounds very unsettling.

[HEyHEY]

8. It is

I once saw a woman smack her husband in the supermarket, for revenge, when she turned her back, he wound up and shoved the shopping cart into her back from about five feet away, which means he let go of it and let it sail into her. Fucked up.

I dread the day I see something bad enough I'll have to intervene. Cause my Chinese ain't good enough for that.

[nadinbrzezinski]

7. There was a LOT of abuse in the USSR

as well. And women were also second class citizens in many ways.

A lot of this is not political system, but political development.

[HEyHEY]

9. Sounds about par for the course yeah.

I honestly think it's the lack of democracy. Though ours is currently sick, it still gives a person a sense of self respect that they have the power to vote.

[nadinbrzezinski]

11. Been readying a lot into democracy and whether it is

exportable and into civil society in the recent past. And ours is sick... much more south of the border for you. But we still have a somewhat functioning one. That said... I wonder if the rise in home abuse is also related to our corresponding sickness and anomie.

I just flinch when people post mythology, no matter the origin of the mythology.

[HEyHEY]

12. Likely is related.

The economy would be as well.

[nadinbrzezinski]

13. You are correct, and I am forgetting my Durkheim

it seems.

LOL