Afghans turn to Taliban in fear of own police

Source: Washington Post

ANKELA, Afghanistan (Reuters) - As British troops moved into the village newly freed from Taliban control, they heard one message from the anxious locals: for God's sake do not bring back the Afghan police.

U.S. and British troops have launched a campaign to seize control of Helmand province, about half of which was in Taliban hands, and restore Afghan government institutions.

But as they advance, they are learning uncomfortable facts about their local allies: villagers say the government's police force was so brutal and corrupt that they welcomed the Taliban as liberators.

"The police would stop people driving on motorcycles, beat them and take their money," said Mohammad Gul, an elder in the village of Pankela, which British troops have been securing for the past three days after flying in by helicopter.

He pointed to two compounds of neighbors where pre-teen children had been abducted by police to be used for the local practice of "bachabazi," or sex with pre-pubescent boys.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/12/AR2009071200868.html

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=6047938&mesg_id=6047938

I guess its a choice of violence from not obeying repression vs random violence.

anyone?

back in the mid-1990s. They brought some security and stability to a war-torn and corrupt country.

To the degree that the Karzai government is brutal and corrupt, the Taliban look better.

that's the only system that could end the religious fundamentalism, the drugs production and liberate women.

The Soviets supporting a nominally Communist neighbor is what got this shit-storm started in the first place. If they would have been able to keep their own troops out and give Karmal the support he needed, maybe the ensuing history would have turned out better. But nooooooo, the Cold Warriors of Freedom had to find a faction opposed to those Commies and thus the Taliban was born.

Afghanistan was once relatively developed (at least compared to now). But it's been a country at war with itself ever since we sicced the mujahadeen on the commies. How'd that work out for us?

At least in that one, the nefarious schemer gets wasted.