Comments for afghanhindsight

Comment on Taliban release Turkish prisoners by Suzanne Schroeder

Suzanne Schroeder — Tue, 21 May 2013 16:50:21 +0000

Do you think there is any realization on the Taliban’s part of the damage that is done to their cause, by this “incoherence”? Of course, tensions between political and military wings is nothing new…US experience in Iraq? Btw, have you read “Delivering Osama” by M. Kabir Mohabbat? It’s a fascinating look into dealings with the IEA, pre-2001?

Comment on Taliban release Turkish prisoners by Tim Foxley

Tim Foxley — Tue, 21 May 2013 07:25:08 +0000

Hi Suzanne and thanks. Well, yes, I think “incoherence” is the key descriptor for the Taliban deeds and words. This is partly due to the command and control difficulties experienced by an insurgency commanded from a different country, wary of using high tech commmunications methods and controlling a wide range of diversely motivated groups. I might also suggest it is due to a power struggle within the Quetta shura – political wing versus military wing – if I had enough information to substantiate the claim…

Comment on Taliban release Turkish prisoners by Suzanne Schroeder

Suzanne Schroeder — Mon, 20 May 2013 17:03:20 +0000

Excellent piece Tim! Just a few observations: releasing Bergdahl would put significan moral pressure on the US to address the issues behind the Guantanamo hunger strike. If the the Taliban was not experiencing some internal fragmentation, they might be able to see the PR victory that this would offer them. Sadly, I do think that the killing of the S.Korean missionaries, Scott Mclaren, and attacks on the (deeply hated) ALP are not surprising. Christian missonary efforts in Afghanistan are madness, and the torture and killing of Scott Mclaren occurred of course, in Helmand, probably the worst place to be captured by the Taliban. This is NOT any apologetic for brutality, but there is the seemingly eternal questions of insugents acting in violation of Quetta Shura decrees, rogue commanders, and the absence of a monolitic Taliban that can be accurately “read” by the West.

Comment on The Taliban respond on the subject of Farah civilian casualties by Taliban release Turkish prisoners | afghanhindsight

Taliban release Turkish prisoners | afghanhindsight — Mon, 20 May 2013 08:34:08 +0000

[…] Taliban appear to recognise that they are struggling with some aspects of their PR campaign – as demonstrated by the vitriol they direct via their website to those who report upon their […]

Comment on “…such unreasonable actions”: the Farah courthouse attack by Taliban release Turkish prisoners | afghanhindsight

Taliban release Turkish prisoners | afghanhindsight — Mon, 20 May 2013 08:34:05 +0000

[…] against civilians remain a problem for the Taliban “hearts and minds” efforts and a recent attack by the Taliban against a courthouse in Farah which killed 50 and injured 100, mostly […]

Comment on Talks: deadlock, pre-conditions, no progress – so what’s new…? by Taliban release Turkish prisoners | afghanhindsight

Taliban release Turkish prisoners | afghanhindsight — Mon, 20 May 2013 08:34:02 +0000

[…] sense is that this could well be an attempt by the Taliban to reach out in some way as part of a building of confidence in the context of talks. If so, the message is, as ever, significantly obscured by their continual official language (and […]

Comment on Conflict and Development in Afghanistan since 2001: a critical analysis based on Duffield and Uvin by Cyber-Humanitarianism… | afghanhindsight

Cyber-Humanitarianism… | afghanhindsight — Fri, 17 May 2013 09:48:09 +0000

[…] Mark Duffield, Emeritus Professor of Development Politics at Bristol University, has provided much provocative analysis and critique on the evolution and current issues surrounding the application of development aid by (predominantly) Western nations operating in failed state areas of the (predominantly Third) world. In his “Development, Security and Unending War”, he looked at the macro-level; the post-colonial concepts behind, and the diverse applications of, development aid across large parts of the world. I took his ideas and those of Peter Uvin to look at the militarisation of development in Afghanistan… […]

Comment on Sustainability of international aid and development – hospitals by Ron Pavellas

Ron Pavellas — Mon, 13 May 2013 14:59:26 +0000

And, I would do it for your blog.

Comment on Sustainability of international aid and development – hospitals by Ron Pavellas

Ron Pavellas — Mon, 13 May 2013 14:58:57 +0000

Hadn’t thought of it (article), but if I do will you please be a close editor of it. Not everything I say may be directly pertinent to the article to which I responded. It may get stale, however, as i am about to fly to California for 7 weeks to be with some important family occasions (and boy, will my arms be tired). This doesn’t my preclude working on the article once i’m over jetlag (usually a week).

Comment on Sustainability of international aid and development – hospitals by Tim Foxley

Tim Foxley — Mon, 13 May 2013 14:39:13 +0000

Ron, some spot on useful thoughts, for which many thanks. Guess it shows that even big organisations with a long history and supposedly extensive experience can make pretty big (and basic) mistakes. You’re right of course that it would be good to get a USAID defence of the allegations. Don’t suppose you fancy turning your comments into a blog article for either you or me?