Taliban Pause for Fresh Breath...A Times

From the new World Media Watch up now at http://www.zianet.com/insightanalytical
Tomorrow at Buzzflash.com

More in my Journal



3//Asia Times Online, Hong Kong Jul 19, 2006

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/HG19Df01.html



TALIBAN PAUSE FOR FRESH BREATH

By Syed Saleem Shahzad
(Syed Saleem Shahzad is Bureau Chief, Pakistan, Asia Times Online.)


KARACHI - A sudden lull in the Taliban's activities has surprised the thousands of coalition forces that were sent to Kandahar and other parts of southwestern Afghanistan to patrol the deserts and the populated areas in the scorching heat.

These fresh troops, many of them British, now wander around without being challenged, unlike up to just days ago after the Taliban launched a massive spring offensive three months ago that has cost hundreds of insurgent lives.

Apart from sporadic armed guerrilla attacks, the detonation of improvised explosive devices and a few suicide missions, all sustained battles have ceased.

A Taliban contact told Asia Times Online that the development was a "break" as commanders had been told to call off their forces until further orders. The thinking is that the unrest in the Middle East will generate a new wave of fury among Afghans against Israel and its backer, the United States. The Taliban will then renew their efforts, bolstered by increased support on the ground among the Afghan population.

MORE

including some big plans

of all the other events the Taliban has used to its advantage.

and a hit of some opiate -- they have a bumper crop this year!

With all the destruction going on in Lebanon, surely some television sets, musical instruments, chess sets, and Buddhist statues are getting damaged or destroyed.

pulling people in. Also, Karzai is nervous enough to have reintroduce the religious police. He wants to seem closer to the Taliban and put some distance between himself and the US.

The current article says that the drought has caused massive uprooting of people and Karzai hasn't been handling the growing food problems. Meaning, Afghanistan is ripe for even more trouble.

rafting in Colorado.

Sun Tzu's "The Art of War "

Oh no. It's getting worse. Taliban with Mentos!