Afghanistan's 'sons of the soil' rise up

[Heimdallr]

With the Taliban proving increasingly difficult to defeat militarily, and with the Western coalition reluctant to negotiate with any Taliban or al-Qaeda radicals, an uneasy stalemate has been reached in Afghanistan. Pakistan sees this as an opportunity to regain its position as a key player in the affairs of its neighbor by elevating moderate "sons of the soil" Taliban as the people to negotiate with. This is already happening in Pakistan's tribal areas.

Pakistan's General Headquarters in Rawalpindi are thrilled with the Taliban's sweeping military successes which have reduced President Hamid Karzai's American-backed government to a figurehead decorating the presidential palace of Kabul; he and his functionaries dare not even cross the street to take evening tea at the Serena Hotel.

June (28 US combat deaths) was the deadliest month for coalition troops since they invaded Afghanistan in October 2001 and fatalities have increased steadily since 2004, when 58 soldiers were killed that year. The total more than doubled to 130 killed in 2005, 191 in 2006 and 232 in 2007. One hundred and twenty-seven have died so far this year.

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