Osama Bin Laden was killed last night. Will it be the end of war on terror??

The United State president Barack Obama was the first person to break the news.  Osama Bin Laden the Al-Qaeda leader was killed by US special force on a compound in the Pakistani city of Abbottabad.

Barack Obama said when he came to power he ordered a group of intelligence to go and find Bin Laden, trace him and kill him.  It took the intelligence two years to find Bin Laden and when it was confirmed the President of America ordered to kill him.

A group of military army with some helicopters flew from American Base in Kabul to Pakistan and in the area where Bin Laden was hiding.  The operation took only 40 minutes. According to reporters four people was killed in this operation, Osama Bin Laden, his youngest wife, his son and another women.  The army than took his body to Kabul to check his DNA and to make sure he is the right man and after it was confirmed  they took the body by a helicopter and dropped his body  in the sea.

Surprisingly, the Leader of Al-Qaeda was living only 62 miles from Islamabad the Capital of Pakistan, few miles from the Pakistan Army base and not far from US Military camp.

There are too many questions which need to be answered. The fact that he was killed in the Pakistan which proves that he had been living under the Nose of Pakistani presidents who had always been dying that Osama was hiding in Pakistan.  Why it took the US ten years to kill Bin Laden where is in fact he was already ineffective and technically dead?  The US didn’t inform the Pakistan of its operation as some expert rightly saying that in that case there was the possibility of Pakistani intelligence letting Bin Laden knows of the American plan.

Since the break of this news it has been dominated the whole media.  There has been no news from Libya, Surya, and other parts of the world.  It is only Bin Laden on every TV channels, from BBC to Aljazeera, to China, India, and every corner of the world.

Well, Ben Laden is dead now, it might relief some people but I don’t think it will change anything.  There is no doubt that he was the most evil person in the world.  He changed the entire world, politically, socially and economically.  I think as for as Bin Laden is concern he has done his job.  He has completed his mission. He has given birth to hundreds and hundreds of other Bin Ladens.  He has spread his ideology across the world.  We can already see the sign of his followers in streets of Britain and I am sure his followers will be in every corner of the world.  I have no doubt that the world see the emergence many other Bin Ladens soon.

He has been hiding in a place where there was internet service and no mobile phone signal which means that Bin Laden was chosen to do not get in touch with outside world.  In another word he was not involve in any other terrorist activities.  Somehow he was already dead.  If the US would have killed him ten years ago there would been different story now but Bin Laden has done what he wanted to do and his dead won’t be the end of war on terror.

More than 500 Taliban escaped from Kandahar jail today. Did they really escape without any official involvement?

The news brook out this morning, hundreds of Taliban escaped from a jail in Kandahar which is the second largest jail in the country.  Apparently they escaped through an underground tunnel which has taken the Taliban five months to dig.  More than hundred of the escaped Taliban are commanders.

It is the second time that prisoners are escaping from Kandahar jail.  In 2008 more than 900 hundreds prisoners escaped from the same jail.  Wahidullah Omer, Mr Karzai spokesman described the escape as a disaster. But the Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mojahid claimed that a group of 18 skilled personal worked five months to dig the tunnel from a house outside the prison, which is about 360m long.

Whatever technique the Taliban used to escaped from Mr Kazai`s home town prison cannot convince me that there was no one else was involved in this plan.  I know it is not as simple as some people might think.  It is much more complicated than that.  In Afghanistan everything is a business now.  I am sure lots of people were involved in today`s` plan including some top government officials.  I believe huge amount of money had been exchanged and lots of influences had been used to complete this project.  Mr Gharzai Zazki a top expert, who has spent five years in this prison, told BBC Persian today that it is absolutely not possible that 500 Taliban could escape from such a tunnel. He said such plan is out of imagination without the involvement of top official.

Today`s news is another big embarrassment for Mr Karzai government but I know he doesn’t care as usual.  Mr Karzai knows himself that how damaging it would be for his government but he got used to this sort of embarrassments.  Well, People around him need to do business sometime otherwise there is no point to be in government.

The NATO is handing over the control of most cities to afghan government by summer and I already know what will happen after that.  The recent bloody protests against the burning of Quran in Mazare- Sharif, Kandahar and Jalalabad shows that how Mr Karzai government can handle the security situation in the country.

Once again the scale of corruption in Karzai government can be seen in today`s` Taliban escape.  What is sadder me is Millions of Afghan people have been hoping for years and years to see a proper and honest government which look after people. A government that put people first rather than their own personal businesses and I don’t know if Afghan people ever see such a government.

Does Pakistan really want a stable and peaceful Afghanistan?

Sajid Shaukat, a Pakistan columnist has written an article in Pakistan newspaper ‘Observer’.  The title of his article is ‘why Pakistan wants stability in Afghanistan’.  Although the title tells a story itself but the details of the article really surprised me.

The Prime Minister of Pakistan Yusuf Reza Gilani has visited Kabul on 16^th of April to launch a joint Commission with Afghanistan.  Apparently the aim of this Commission is to facilitate, promote reconciliation and peace which will include all the Afghans so that when the US and NATO troops withdraw from Afghanistan, the situation in Afghanistan do not turn into violence and another civil war.

Mr Shaukat is full praise of the Commission and why shouldn’t he be? He claims that the Pakistan high officials and civil military have always been saying that a stable, viable and prosperous Afghanistan is in the best interest of Pakistan. Pakistan has always made it clear that this country had no interest in ‘controlling’ Afghanistan.  Pakistan wants a peaceful, stable and friendly Afghanistan. A top Pakistan general, Kayani has said that “We cannot wish for Afghanistan anything that we don’t wish for Pakistan”. Come on Mr Shaukat, who you are really kidding?  Do you really think that you can make fool of Afghan people? If you think so, you are really make fool of yourself.

Let`s consider the Afghanistan – Pakistan relationship after the emergence of the Taliban.  I really wish if you could honestly tell who created Taliban movement? Who armed them? Who supported them financially?  Do you really think that the people of Afghanistan do not know the involvement of Pakistan army with Taliban?  Do you really think that Afghans will forget the Pakistan involvement in many massacres by Taliban in Mazar-Sharif, Bamyan, Yakowlang and many other parts of Afghanistan in 1997-98?  How can you hide the arrest of many top Pakistan military officials in Mazar-Sharif at the end of Taliban regime?  And even now where these suicide bombers are getting brain washed and then come to Afghanistan kill themselves and many more innocent people?  And still Pakistan does not want to interfere in the internal affairs of Afghanistan…??

Mr Shaukat however, pointed his finger towards India and blames the India for the crisis in Afghanistan.  He claims that India has been running secret operations against Pakistan from its consulates, situated in Mazare-Sharif, Jalalabad, Kandhar and some parts of the Afghan-Pakistan border. Mr Shaukat says that India has spent million of dollars in Afghanistan to strengthen its grip on the country, and to get strategic depth against Pakistan.  Surprisingly Mr Shaukat claims that it is India that sending well-trained agents to Pakistan, who are joining the rank of Taliban.  India has also arranged some madressas in Afghanistan and paying for the Imams who are brain washing the suicide bombers.

I really cannot believe how Mr Shaukat making Pakistan such an honest and blameless country who want nothing but good for Afghanistan.  Whatever India is doing in Afghanistan at least it doesn’t support the Taliban and brainwash the suicide bomber.  It is clear to every Afghan that Afghanistan is one of the India and Pakistan battle ground but the country which is doing whatever it takes to harm its enemy is Pakistan.  There is no single blast or suicide bombing without the involvement of Pakistan either the suicide bomber trained in Pakistan or either he has been recruited by Pakistani agent.

The interference of the neighbouring countries in Afghanistan have been for many decades.  In fact Afghanistan has been a battle ground for its neighbours. Every neighbour has got its own interests in Afghanistan but the problem is they have done whatever they could to protect their interests in Afghanistan.  Their interference caused Afghanistan fortune.  I don’t want to take the blame away from Afghan people who have been in power too as their ignorance and selfishness is the main cause.  But the role its neighbouring countries have in the internal crises is out of question. Iran and Pakistan are the two main devil neighbours that has taken the life of thousands of Afghan people in different ways and created massive a problems for the country but the sad thing is it will continue for many years to come.

David Miliband and his new theory on Afghanitan

After losing the Labour leadership contest to Ed Miliband the former foreign secretary David Miliband came out yesterday with a new theory on Afghanistan crisis.  He claimed that the Middle East war and Libya in particular has undermined the war on Afghanistan.  He warns that Afghanistan is in danger of becoming ‘the forgotten war’.  David Miliband suggests that there is need for an urgency to find a political solution in Afghanistan before the withdrawal of British troops. But the same time he wants the British troops to remain in Afghanistan beyond 2015.

David Miliband reiterated that the West should find a way to negotiate directly with Taliban, who he also admits will bring the sharia law back to the government if they share power with the Afghan government.

David Miliband is right by indicating that Afghanistan is going to be forgotten because of the Middle East crises.   The withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan in 2014 will be the new chapter of other crises because the latest bloody protests in many part of Afghanistan proved that the Afghan government is not able to take care of the security situation.  I really hope Mr Miliband could persuade British politicians and his own brother to change their minds and do not withdraw British troops from Afghanistan.

But on the hand his theory and suggestion for Afghanistan`s crises seem more unrealistic.  Taliban will never talk with the Afghan government and even if they did it will not be the end of crisis.

The idea of talking with the Taliban is coming from everywhere but it really makes me laugh of seeing how out of touches these politicians are.  Recently Ed Miliband visited Kabul and he advised the leader of opposition Dr Abdullah that the best way to bring peace and security in Afghanistan is to talk with the Taliban.  He has also mentioned the England`s problem with Northern Ireland and how England had been terrorised by Irish terrorist and the problem they had been created for England.  Then he said in the end we managed to talk and solved the problem.

It really surprises me when Ed Miliband is comparing the Afghanistan crisis with England and Northern Ireland and suggests the same solution for it. I don’t know if he knows anything about Afghanistan history and relationship between different ethnic there.

Sometime I really wonder if these people are really familiar with bits of facts and realities in Afghanistan.  It has been 10 years that the international community are involved in Afghanistan.  Thousands of innocent people have died and hundreds of Nato soldiers and personal have been killed there.  363 British soldiers have died so far and more than 1000 soldiers and personal injured.  British government has invested Billions of pounds in Afghanistan.  But let’s see realistically how far Afghanistan has gone ahead.  After 10 years we`ve got a president, who lead the world second bottom corrupt country.  We`ve` got a country which is one of the top country in the world for drug production. The security situation is worse than 9 years ago.  Taliban are everywhere.

I think the West got it wrong from the beginning.  They invested on the wrong people and they approached with a wrong policy.  10 years is very long time it teaches lots of experiences.  It seems the West haven`t looked back and analysed what went wrong.  In my opinion the Afghanistan crisis will never end without having a strong and stable central government.  If the international community picked up the right people and invested only half of their investment to build a strong government than everything would have been different now.  There are a bunch of criminals and corrupt people in power whom never cared about people and never will.  If the West continues their support of this government, continue the same policy and insist on talk with Taliban, we will be witness of a great disastrous in Afghanistan not in 10 year but in 5 years time.

 

A Koran was burn in the US but Afghans protesters kill 8 UN staff. Is it not madness?

On 20^th of March, Pastor Wayne burned a copy of a Koran at a Church in Florida but today Hundreds of ignorant Afghan demonstrators gathered in Mazare- Sharif and attacked at the UN Office and Killed 8 innocent UN workers.

One of the UN workers was a 27 year old Swedish, Joakim Dungel and the three Guards were form Nepal.

The United Nation Secretary General Ban Ki-moon described the attack as “an outrageous and cowardly attack” and the United State president Barack Obama also condemned the attack “in the strongest possible terms.”

The protest started after crowed of people gathered in a masque for Friday prayers and than an Imam made a speech stating that hundreds of Koran was burned in the America and it is our duty to defend our religion. So, people are getting up and there is no one who can stop them.  They found the UN office seized the guards weapons shoot them and stabbed others.

What does it really show??  Is it really defending Islam? Someone in America burn a Koran and 10 days later there is no true Muslim in the whole world but the only true Muslims in Afghanistan feeling responsibility to defend their religion by killing innocent people who came to Afghanistan to help these people and  they  are even not the American citizens.  I think the only thing today`s inhuman attack on UN workers shows is pure ignorant, madness and mindlessness.

Some people are arguing that Mazar-Sharif was a peaceful city and there is conspiracy that there are some staff going on behind the scene for sometimes that to bring violent to the City.

I know there have been many theories that people are saying but none of them can justify this.  Ultimately, whoever has whatever plan in the end it is down to the hands of Afghans themselves.  The video of the protest shows that the protestors are adult people.  I am really wondering that if any of them has hesitated for a second and think what this has got to do with the burning of a Koran.

Today`s protest reminded me of another protest regarding the publishing of Prophet Mohamed cartoon in Denmark.  There had been protest all over the world against the publishing of the cartoons not one got hurt or injured but in Afghanistan protest dozens of people were killed and dozens more injured.  Are Afghans protestors true Muslims?  Or they are true ignorant?

Can Afghan troops provide security for Afghan People?

The time for the withdrawal of foreign troops in Afghanistan is getting closer as the NATO planning to start withdrawing its forces from July this year.  But what will happen after, that is a big question for every Afghan.

Hamid karzai announced today that Afghan troops will take control of seven provinces from international forces and Lashkarga (Hilmand province) is among the seven provinces which will be controlled by Afghan Army.

For me Karzai`s` speech looked like all of his other speeches.  Like then one when he made after he won the second time presidency.  He promised to tackle corruption, improve the life of people, tackle terrorism, fight to reduce opium and drug dealing and so on.  But he not only achieved his promises but he proved that he is not the one , who Afghanistan needs for its leadership.

He said today that the people of Afghanistan don’t want that foreigners take responsibility for security any more.  But the question is how he as a president will be capable of controlling of the security situation in the country.  Of course, the people of Afghanistan will not be happy seeing foreign troops providing security for their country they rather see their own forces in charge of the situation but the same time they know Mr Karzai and he his corrupt government better and they understand that he is not able to provide the basic need for ordinary people, let alone providing security which is his own unhappy brothers killing, making suicide, burning school and creating too many other crisis in the country.

On the other hand the international community has spend huge amount of many and time training Afghan National army making them ready to take charge of the security.  I think the international community should realise that the Afghanistan situation is completely different from other countries like Iraq and any other Arab world.  Afghanistan has never seen a proper strong government throughout the history.  There have never been an army in Afghanistan which is organised and committed to the central government.

I am wondering of how the intentional forces trust Afghan army whom never committed to Mr Karzai`s government.  I am sure the vast majority of people, who joined the army, have not joined to help Me Karzai`s` government to get stronger as they don’t believe in him as someone who should be accepted as the leader of Afghanistan.  They joined the army to get a job and feed their family because Mr Karzai is not strong enough to provide the job for people.  So people who joined the army will never risk their lives for Mr karzai government. Therefore, i don’t believe if the Afghan troops will be able to provide security for Afghan people.

 

Another attempt to make peace with Taliban

It has been sometime that Afghanistan government is trying to talk with Taliban.  Afghanistan`s president Hamid Karzei and is his team has taken the initiatives last year and has spend huge budget which was provided by Western countries including Britain to bring Taliban on negotiation table but so far Taliban are refusing to talk with the government and insisting they will fight until they forced foreign troops out of the country.

But the reality on Afghanistan is far from what the Western countries are thinking.  I have really no idea what sort of game they are playing but as far as I know this plan will not work at all. Recently the UK parliamentary committee released a report saying that the military campaign is not working in Afghanistan and urged British government to use its influence on Washington to held talk directly with Taliban leaders.  On the other hand Mullah Zaeef one of the Taliban official, who was on United Nation war criminal list,  has visited London and it was believed that he came here to help British and afghan government on negotiation process.

I am sure they will go nowhere from this attempt as Taliban will not negotiate and if they do so it will not be the end of crisis in Afghanistan.  Taliban belong to pashton ethnic and does not represent even the quarter of Afghanistan population.  The vast majority of afghan people are against the Taliban as they have seen enough of this brutal group.  Every single afghan remember what Taliban did to the people in 90s.  The human massacres in north, west and central of Afghanistan are the highlight of Taliban achievements.  So, even if they do negotiate with Afghanistan government and get involve in power this will bring another disaster in the country.  Democracy will be dead, women will be pushed back to their home, girls` school will be shut down and we will be witnessed many more shamelessness in Afghanistan and I wonder what the West claim for this.  Would they claim another victory in Afghanistan?  I really wonder.

Girls and education in Afghanistan

By Asmatullah Yaqhubi

Some of the Non-government organisations (NGOs) have recently raised their concern regarding girls` education in Afghanistan.

According to these organisations despite the rise in the number of girls` enrolment in schools which has gone up from 5.000 in 2001 to 2.4 million in 2011 there are still lack of trained teachers and equipment which prevents girls improvement in education.

The statement by NGOs also claim that the plan of foreign countries to withdraw their troops from Afghanistan is another factors which will have a huge impact on girls education as it will increase insecurity and prevent girls from going to school.

But the problem of girls education is Afghanistan is an old story and it is much bigger and wider then the NGOs concern.  There are for more complicated reasons which girls cannot improve in education field.  The first reason is a negative culture in Afghanistan which girls have been treated differently from boys at home.  Boys are still superior then girls in every aspect of life including education.  There are still too many families that believe their daughters shouldn’t go to school for cultural and religious reason.

Taliban is still in power in some areas and in all of these areas there is no school for boys let alone girls.   Neeti Bhargava, Oxfam Country Programme manager in Afghanistan has rightly stated that Girls in Afghanistan are hungry for education.  This is absolutely true but lack of strong governments in Afghanistan throughout the history left girls in much lower positions in society.  Despite the huge support, from international community to the current government in Afghanistan, the government is not strong enough to provide security and other facilities for girls to go to school and sadly the government does not consider this problem as a major issue.

 

Blogs on Afghanistan

By Asmatullah Yaqhubi

Afghanopoly is a blog of a university teacher, who mainly writes his dairy.  He analyse whatever matters to Afghanistan politics, the political situation surrounding Afghanistan trough his class and his meeting with students.

The Afghanistan Analysts Network (AAN) is a blog which reflects the politics in Afghanistan.  It is a blog of an independent organisation, which mainly analysis whatever happens in political field in Afghanistan.

Voice of Afghanistan is another blog about Afghanistan.  This is a blog of an Afghan woman, who lives in Australia.  She writes about many things such as politics, Afghanistan`s women, people`s lives and many more trough her diary.  She has more critical view of current government of handling the problems of people in Afghanistan.

Operation in Afghanistan is an official MOD blog.  The blog is about whatever matters to British troops in Afghanistan.  There are variety of news about British military from different news agencies such as Reuter, BBC and many others.

Afghan Lord is a blog of an afghan, who has won the freedom of expression award twice in 2005.  Nasim Fekrat, who is currently student in the United State, is one of strong critical of Afghan government.  He has been criticising government for not respecting the minority’s right in the country.  He writes mainly about politics and human right in Afghanistan.

Kabul perspective a blog of an afghan journalist, who works for a national paper in Kabul.  He writes about many things but mainly politics in Afghanistan more from domestic point of views.